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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $261 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $494 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $727 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 295% more than Nouadhibou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nouadhibou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Nouadhibou 80% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 COP 20.1K
$2.52 MRU 100
144.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60 COP 106.1K
$17.21 MRU 686
89.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 COP 23.9K
$5.83 MRU 232
25.90%
Cappuccino
$1.72 COP 5,600
$2.44 MRU 97.3
-29.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 COP 3,420
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,515
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.69 COP 5,488
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 10.3K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,423
$1.27 MRU 50.8
-17.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,236
$0.40 MRU 15.89
225.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,544
$1.11 MRU 44.27
26.13%
Eggs
$2.16 COP 7,047
$2.13 MRU 85.0
1.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.39 COP 14.3K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COP 19.1K
$2.79 MRU 111
110.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.64 COP 28.1K
$6.26 MRU 250
38.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 COP 7,426
$1.80 MRU 71.8
26.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,604
$1.56 MRU 62.1
-28.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,983
$1.15 MRU 46.06
33.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,410
$0.73 MRU 29.24
84.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,674
$0.78 MRU 31.22
44.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,692
$0.70 MRU 27.73
61.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 2,753
$0.62 MRU 24.59
37.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,975
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 7,630
$2.52 MRU 100
-7.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 COP 40.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 3,909
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 COP 8,104
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COP 2,728
$0.37 MRU 14.58
127.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.57 COP 132.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,623
$0.85 MRU 34.01
67.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,235
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 COP 24.9K
$7.67 MRU 306
-0.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,223
$1.24 MRU 49.55
-20.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K COP 58.7M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K COP 86.7M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 COP 263.1K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 COP 32.4K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18 COP 78.7K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.08 COP 81.7K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15 COP 62.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.98 COP 13.0K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 COP 993.5K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,059 COP 19.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 COP 189.2K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20 COP 104.8K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 327.9K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 350.8K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 COP 1.6M
$64.2 MRU 2,560
642.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$376 COP 1.2M
$98.4 MRU 3,923
282.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 COP 2.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.4M
$255 MRU 10.2K
186.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,215 COP 10.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 COP 4.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nouadhibou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$617 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $64.2 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Nouadhibou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $95.0 – 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 295%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $391 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 103% 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 $33.00 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 $261, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities