Cost of Living Comparison Between Mauritania and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Mauritania and China

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $546 in Mauritania versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mauritania versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,316 in Mauritania versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Mauritania costs about 23% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mauritania 59% lower, China 47% lower.

Mauritania ($266$826) and China ($535$1,206) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mauritania
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.31 MRU 132
$2.86 ¥19.36
15.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.45 MRU 975
$23.29 ¥158
4.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.21 MRU 247
$4.83 ¥32.66
28.57%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.93 MRU 77.0
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 MRU 102
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.44 MRU 97.3
$3.04 ¥20.52
-19.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 MRU 68.9
$0.45 ¥3.03
284.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 MRU 85.7
$0.27 ¥1.81
696.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.99 ¥6.71
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.03 ¥13.74
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mauritania
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MRU 57.3
$1.75 ¥11.86
-17.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.29 MRU 11.42
$1.67 ¥11.31
-82.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 MRU 47.35
$0.97 ¥6.56
22.68%
Eggs
$2.25 MRU 89.7
$1.54 ¥10.45
46.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.97 MRU 318
$13.30 ¥89.9
-40.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.93 MRU 196
$3.21 ¥21.69
53.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.55 MRU 261
$10.79 ¥73.0
-39.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.11 MRU 83.9
$1.81 ¥12.27
16.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 MRU 70.1
$1.31 ¥8.84
34.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.30 MRU 51.9
$1.50 ¥10.15
-13.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.00 MRU 39.67
$1.14 ¥7.74
-12.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 MRU 31.11
$0.73 ¥4.90
6.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 MRU 30.51
$0.87 ¥5.86
-11.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 MRU 23.59
$0.57 ¥3.85
3.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 MRU 27.81
$0.54 ¥3.63
29.63%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$10.02 MRU 400
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 MRU 101
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 MRU 68.2
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.49 MRU 99.5
$3.53 ¥23.88
-29.46%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$11.71 ¥79.2
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.84 ¥5.67
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.67 ¥11.29
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mauritania
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 MRU 18.49
$0.41 ¥2.75
12.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.02 MRU 718
$20.78 ¥141
-13.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 MRU 33.61
$1.36 ¥9.21
-38.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.26 MRU 10.40
$0.33 ¥2.21
-21.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.66 MRU 265
$6.86 ¥46.40
-2.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MRU 52.3
$1.12 ¥7.57
16.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,494 MRU 298.7K
$19.2K ¥129.8K
-60.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,323 MRU 371.6K
$16.9K ¥114.4K
-44.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mauritania
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$145 MRU 5,763
$51.8 ¥350
179.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.44 MRU 1,014
$9.85 ¥66.6
158.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7 MRU 2,378
$11.13 ¥75.3
436.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mauritania
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$86.5 MRU 3,448
$39.10 ¥264
121.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$256 MRU 10.2K
$14.89 ¥101
1619.01%
Cinema Ticket
$4.46 MRU 178
$6.25 ¥42.24
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mauritania
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$83.0 MRU 3,307
$404 ¥2,732
-79.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,899 MRU 235.1K
$17.8K ¥120.5K
-66.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mauritania
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.80 MRU 829
$46.11 ¥312
-54.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.00 MRU 837
$32.27 ¥218
-34.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.0 MRU 2,788
$72.7 ¥491
-3.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.01 MRU 1,395
$72.9 ¥493
-51.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mauritania
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$185 MRU 7,388
$445 ¥3,009
-58.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 MRU 5,496
$255 ¥1,727
-46.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$642 MRU 25.6K
$927 ¥6,266
-30.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$274 MRU 10.9K
$532 ¥3,600
-48.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,431 MRU 256.4K
$4,943 ¥33.4K
30.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,003 MRU 119.7K
$2,492 ¥16.9K
20.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mauritania
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$564 MRU 22.5K
$1,057 ¥7,148
-46.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.5
4.06
306.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mauritania: June 8, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $147 in Mauritania, $286 in China. Capital cities: $229 in Nouakchott vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $569 in Mauritania, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 95% higher in China.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 51% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Mauritania vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Mauritania?
At $871 per month in China and $546 in Mauritania, there's a 59% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Mauritania?
Mauritania is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Mauritania?
Rent in China beats Mauritania across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,000 go in China vs Mauritania?
In Mauritania, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and Mauritania?
It depends on what you're after. Mauritania wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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