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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $826 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,378 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,929 in Nouakchott, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nouakchott are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nouakchott 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.18 MRU 206

14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$25.20 MRU 1,004

32.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.37 MRU 254

13.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MRU 79.3

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 MRU 98.7

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.42 MRU 96.6

-32.64%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.73 MRU 69.1

-36.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.12 MRU 84.7

-65.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.44 MRU 57.5

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.27 MRU 10.76

377.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.21 MRU 48.07

9.09%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.27 MRU 90.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.93 MRU 316

-45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.39 MRU 215

9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.96 MRU 278

23.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.17 MRU 86.5

3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.83 MRU 72.8

-41.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.41 MRU 56.4

7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.96 MRU 38.18

47.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.79 MRU 31.52

48.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.90 MRU 36.02

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.52 MRU 20.87

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.65 MRU 25.86

38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.87 MRU 393

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 MRU 103

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MRU 70.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.56 MRU 102

-12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.49 MRU 19.38

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.99 MRU 717

133.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.87 MRU 34.54

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.24 MRU 9.49

691.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.74 MRU 229

35.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.39 MRU 55.5

-27.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$7,562 MRU 301.4K

132.48%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$9,340 MRU 372.3K

183.67%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$148 MRU 5,917

-43.63%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$24.96 MRU 995

-62.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$61.2 MRU 2,438

-60.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$89.3 MRU 3,559

-71.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$257 MRU 10.3K

-92.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.44 MRU 177

-7.66%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$82.2 MRU 3,275

279.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,855 MRU 233.4K

2.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$20.39 MRU 813

184.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$21.25 MRU 847

53.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.6 MRU 2,774

43.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$35.64 MRU 1,421

204.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$229 MRU 9,133

110.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$161 MRU 6,424

135.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$630 MRU 25.1K

32.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$320 MRU 12.8K

125.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$6,616 MRU 263.7K

-57.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$3,001 MRU 119.6K

-59.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$569 MRU 22.7K

-4.96%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $229 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 5% higher in Nouakchott, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Nouakchott. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $149 – 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 23%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,240 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $826 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 $826, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.