Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nouadhibou Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nouadhibou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $271 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $501 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $731 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 532% more than Nouadhibou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Nouadhibou is 80% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03 COP 25.3K
$2.85 MRU 114
181.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26 COP 152.0K
$17.22 MRU 689
180.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 COP 30.8K
$5.88 MRU 236
66.16%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,167
$2.45 MRU 97.9
18.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 COP 6,122
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 COP 4,792
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 COP 9,740
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 COP 18.1K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,296
$1.23 MRU 49.28
10.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,519
$0.37 MRU 14.70
545.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,356
$1.10 MRU 44.13
54.55%
Eggs
$2.87 COP 9,038
$2.16 MRU 86.4
32.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 COP 31.3K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 COP 34.0K
$2.70 MRU 108
299.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 COP 46.4K
$6.31 MRU 253
133.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 COP 12.9K
$1.73 MRU 69.4
136.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 COP 4,950
$1.51 MRU 60.6
3.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,695
$1.12 MRU 44.84
90.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 COP 6,972
$0.77 MRU 30.72
187.01%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 COP 6,447
$0.78 MRU 31.33
162.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,737
$0.73 MRU 29.27
105.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 COP 3,747
$0.65 MRU 26.10
83.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,647
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.3K
$2.44 MRU 97.9
59.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.44 COP 45.5K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,987
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,905
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,679
$0.36 MRU 14.56
225.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.7 COP 244.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,045
$0.92 MRU 36.96
39.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 COP 6,589
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 COP 27.1K
$7.68 MRU 307
12.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,088
$1.22 MRU 48.84
6.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K COP 87.1M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 111.8M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 COP 554.5K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.1K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 COP 94.1K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 COP 141.0K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 53.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.20 COP 19.5K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.5M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,019 COP 28.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 COP 269.6K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 COP 184.1K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 COP 429.3K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 COP 324.7K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 COP 3.3M
$64.1 MRU 2,567
1553.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 COP 2.1M
$99.2 MRU 3,973
584.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,012 COP 6.3M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 COP 3.7M
$244 MRU 9,776
378.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,111 COP 12.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,701 COP 5.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$665 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $64.1 in Nouadhibou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Nouadhibou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $94.0 – making Nouadhibou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Medellin vs Nouadhibou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nouadhibou cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 532%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $407 in Nouadhibou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouadhibou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Nouadhibou?
Groceries cost about 223% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nouadhibou?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Nouadhibou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nouadhibou?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nouadhibou, where all-in costs run around $271, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Nouadhibou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nouadhibou more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nouadhibou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nouadhibou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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