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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $263 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $495 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $727 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Medellin costs about 285% more than Nouadhibou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nouadhibou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nouadhibou 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.60 MRU 104

130.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$17.09 MRU 683

92.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.96 MRU 238

18.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.55 MRU 102

-32.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.27 MRU 50.9

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.36 MRU 14.44

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.17 MRU 46.86

17.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.10 MRU 83.9

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.82 MRU 113

99.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.45 MRU 258

37.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.75 MRU 69.9

33.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.56 MRU 62.5

-32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.13 MRU 44.96

32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.75 MRU 29.93

84.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.74 MRU 29.37

55.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.73 MRU 29.16

58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.60 MRU 24.04

48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.57 MRU 103

-11.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.40 MRU 15.80

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.91 MRU 36.33

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.78 MRU 311

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.23 MRU 49.09

-22.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.1K COP 64.7M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 94.6M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.3 COP 293.7K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$64.9 MRU 2,594

633.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$99.7 MRU 3,982

280.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$255 MRU 10.2K

184.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $64.9 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: $188 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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 285%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $394 in Nouadhibou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nouadhibou, where all-in costs run around $263, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Nouadhibou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.