Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nouakchott Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nouakchott

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $829 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,369 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,909 in Nouakchott, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nouakchott are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Nouakchott 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.94 MRU 198

19.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$25.33 MRU 1,013

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.49 MRU 259

14.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 80.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 MRU 104

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.38 MRU 95.3

-30.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.79 MRU 71.7

-38.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$2.15 MRU 85.9

-63.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.45 MRU 58.1

-24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.29 MRU 11.63

334.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.26 MRU 50.4

9.52%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.29 MRU 91.6

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.13 MRU 325

-44.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.48 MRU 219

5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$6.96 MRU 278

28.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.19 MRU 87.5

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.88 MRU 75.3

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.41 MRU 56.3

7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.02 MRU 40.74

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.76 MRU 30.37

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.91 MRU 36.25

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.53 MRU 21.13

69.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.65 MRU 25.94

38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.04 MRU 402

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MRU 102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 MRU 71.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.47 MRU 99.0

-9.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.49 MRU 19.63

73.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$17.39 MRU 695

139.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.89 MRU 35.64

59.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.26 MRU 10.49

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$5.53 MRU 221

42.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.45 MRU 57.9

-31.72%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$7,496 MRU 299.8K

134.82%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$9,065 MRU 362.5K

195.62%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$144 MRU 5,764

-42.41%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$24.98 MRU 999

-61.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$59.8 MRU 2,392

-60.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$87.5 MRU 3,498

-71.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$251 MRU 10.0K

-92.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.52 MRU 181

-12.61%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$79.4 MRU 3,177

297.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$5,983 MRU 239.3K

-0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$20.22 MRU 809

196.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$21.11 MRU 844

50.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$68.5 MRU 2,740

48.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$36.33 MRU 1,453

195.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$231 MRU 9,243

105.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$164 MRU 6,570

127.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$644 MRU 25.7K

31.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$315 MRU 12.6K

128.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$6,450 MRU 257.9K

-49.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$3,038 MRU 121.5K

-52.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$559 MRU 22.4K

11.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.5

-18.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $231 in Nouakchott. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Nouakchott. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $151 – making Nouakchott 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 Nouakchott: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,244 in Nouakchott. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouakchott, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Nouakchott. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $829 in Nouakchott. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nouakchott, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nouakchott – 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 Nouakchott. 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.