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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $852 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,363 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,875 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 23% lower, Nouakchott 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.09 MRU 204

16.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$25.34 MRU 1,016

29.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.23 MRU 250

15.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 80.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 99.1

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.49 MRU 100

-31.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.82 MRU 73.0

-39.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.13 MRU 85.5

-66.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.45 MRU 58.0

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.27 MRU 10.75

362.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.22 MRU 48.95

13.93%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.22 MRU 88.9

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.17 MRU 328

-47.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.63 MRU 226

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.02 MRU 281

25.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.17 MRU 87.2

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.87 MRU 75.2

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.47 MRU 58.9

4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.97 MRU 38.93

41.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.79 MRU 31.88

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.90 MRU 35.99

24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.52 MRU 20.75

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.64 MRU 25.68

42.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.14 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MRU 106

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MRU 71.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.46 MRU 98.7

-5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.52 MRU 20.99

51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$17.43 MRU 699

135.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.87 MRU 34.81

65.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 MRU 9.60

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.47 MRU 219

46.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.46 MRU 58.6

-35.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$7,474 MRU 299.8K

139.78%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$9,311 MRU 373.5K

187.72%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$145 MRU 5,819

-42.13%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$25.29 MRU 1,014

-62.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$60.6 MRU 2,432

-60.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$86.9 MRU 3,487

-70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$252 MRU 10.1K

-92.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.48 MRU 180

-12.50%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$80.1 MRU 3,213

282.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,865 MRU 235.2K

0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$20.76 MRU 833

178.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$20.49 MRU 822

55.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.8 MRU 2,838

41.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$35.37 MRU 1,419

202.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$229 MRU 9,184

112.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$165 MRU 6,632

122.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$626 MRU 25.1K

31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$317 MRU 12.7K

126.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$6,582 MRU 264.0K

-55.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,605 MRU 64.4K

-12.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$558 MRU 22.4K

-2.27%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 2% 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 $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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,278 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $852 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 $852, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.