Cost of Living Comparison Between Mauritania and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Mauritania and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $498 in Mauritania versus $450 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $849 in Mauritania versus $732 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,199 in Mauritania versus $1,013 in Egypt.

Living in Mauritania is roughly 11% more expensive than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mauritania 64% lower, Egypt 67% lower.

Mauritania ($270$726) and Egypt ($325$729) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.53 MRU 101
$4.04 E£207
-37.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.59 MRU 904
$19.42 E£996
16.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.86 MRU 235
$4.94 E£253
18.62%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 MRU 69.0
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 MRU 69.3
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.27 MRU 90.7
$1.53 E£78.3
48.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 MRU 71.9
$0.34 E£17.65
429.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 MRU 83.9
$0.13 E£6.59
1507.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.46 E£74.9
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.99 E£153
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 MRU 60.5
$0.85 E£43.84
77.65%
White Bread (500g)
$0.28 MRU 11.34
$0.70 E£36.14
-60.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 MRU 52.5
$0.65 E£33.31
101.54%
Eggs
$2.25 MRU 90.2
$1.32 E£67.7
70.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.01 MRU 241
$3.45 E£177
74.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.89 MRU 196
$4.26 E£219
14.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.39 MRU 256
$8.99 E£461
-28.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 MRU 86.7
$1.57 E£80.3
38.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 MRU 70.6
$0.68 E£34.83
158.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 MRU 54.4
$0.50 E£25.65
172.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.87 MRU 34.98
$0.41 E£21.19
112.20%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 MRU 32.90
$0.38 E£19.33
115.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.80 MRU 31.84
$0.38 E£19.70
110.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 MRU 29.79
$0.29 E£14.63
155.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 MRU 24.71
$0.20 E£10.25
210.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.89 MRU 396
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 MRU 102
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 MRU 70.0
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 MRU 102
$2.00 E£103
27.00%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.05 E£362
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.45 E£74.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.11 E£108
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 MRU 18.88
$0.30 E£15.50
56.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.51 MRU 861
$8.14 E£418
164.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 MRU 35.90
$0.38 E£19.25
136.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 MRU 15.52
$0.28 E£14.24
39.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.65 MRU 186
$1.81 E£93.0
156.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 MRU 53.8
$0.43 E£21.86
211.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,541 MRU 301.9K
$33.4K E£1.7M
-77.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,995 MRU 360.1K
$28.4K E£1.5M
-68.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$129 MRU 5,147
$22.40 E£1,149
473.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.20 MRU 889
$7.19 E£369
208.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.5 MRU 2,423
$13.44 E£689
350.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.08 MRU 1,244
$17.79 E£913
74.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$248 MRU 9,943
$6.66 E£342
3629.43%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 MRU 166
$2.90 E£149
43.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$444 MRU 17.8K
$94.0 E£4,821
372.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,560 MRU 302.6K
$2,482 E£127.3K
204.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.61 MRU 905
$27.14 E£1,393
-16.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.63 MRU 906
$44.76 E£2,296
-49.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.1 MRU 2,686
$110 E£5,664
-39.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.18 MRU 1,649
$50.5 E£2,589
-18.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$196 MRU 7,856
$155 E£7,942
26.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$139 MRU 5,576
$94.6 E£4,854
47.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$720 MRU 28.8K
$309 E£15.8K
133.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$270 MRU 10.8K
$196 E£10.0K
37.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,540 MRU 261.8K
$747 E£38.3K
776.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,027 MRU 121.2K
$455 E£23.3K
565.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mauritania
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$569 MRU 22.8K
$151 E£7,764
275.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
16.46
21.51%

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

Last update for Mauritania: September 8, 2026

Last update for Egypt: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $141 in Mauritania, $146 in Egypt. Capital cities: $217 in Nouakchott vs $215 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $577 in Mauritania, $140 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 24% more in Mauritania.

Public transport is 267% more expensive in Mauritania.

Salaries are 312% higher in Mauritania, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Mauritania.

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 Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Mauritania?
At $527 per month in Egypt and $498 in Mauritania, there's a 6% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Mauritania: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Egypt is consistently higher than in Mauritania across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Mauritania?
In Mauritania, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Egypt it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Mauritania?
It depends on what you're after: Mauritania wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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