Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nouadhibou

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouadhibou: $268 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Nouadhibou
🇲🇷 Mauritania
$268
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nouadhibou

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Nouadhibou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $268 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Nouadhibou $268

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $494 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Nouadhibou $494

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Nouadhibou $720

Medellin costs about 506% more than Nouadhibou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% 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
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$2.95 MRU 118
181.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$17.06 MRU 683
174.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$5.92 MRU 237
56.08%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$2.55 MRU 102
19.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.23 MRU 49.19
21.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$0.35 MRU 14.17
577.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.11 MRU 44.42
53.15%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$2.11 MRU 84.6
40.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$2.73 MRU 109
256.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$6.30 MRU 252
120.63%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$1.79 MRU 71.5
130.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.53 MRU 61.2
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$1.10 MRU 43.90
101.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$0.74 MRU 29.45
206.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.76 MRU 30.63
161.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$0.68 MRU 27.32
145.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$0.65 MRU 26.00
81.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$2.56 MRU 103
51.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$0.36 MRU 14.25
244.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$0.90 MRU 36.19
42.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$7.27 MRU 291
15.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.20 MRU 48.25
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$65.6 MRU 2,627
1467.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$100 MRU 4,010
518.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$248 MRU 9,938
306.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Nouadhibou
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Nouadhibou
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Nouadhibou
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Nouadhibou
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Nouadhibou
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Nouadhibou
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Nouadhibou
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $65.6 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Nouadhibou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $94.0 – making Nouadhibou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇷 Nouadhibou
🕒 Local time
07:43 7:43 AM
12:43 12:43 PM
5 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
85,953
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MRU, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 40.06 MRU (100 MRU = 2.5 USD). 1 EUR = 45.04 MRU (100 MRU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Nouadhibou 6,500 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Nouadhibou

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 506%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $402 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 218% 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 $47.00 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 $268, than in Medellin at $1,625. 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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