Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouadhibou and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouadhibou and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $263 per month in Nouadhibou vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $495 per month in Nouadhibou vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $727 per month in Nouadhibou vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nouadhibou is about 80% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nouadhibou and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nouadhibou 80% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 MRU 104

$11.73 MX$203

-77.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.09 MRU 683

$41.62 MX$720

-58.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 MRU 238

$10.64 MX$184

-43.98%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MRU 102

$3.52 MX$60.9

-27.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MRU 50.9

$1.38 MX$23.93

-7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 MRU 14.44

$1.89 MX$32.72

-80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MRU 46.86

$1.64 MX$28.32

-28.66%

Eggs

$2.10 MRU 83.9

$2.51 MX$43.34

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 MRU 113

$8.34 MX$144

-66.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 MRU 258

$10.73 MX$186

-39.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 MRU 69.9

$2.60 MX$45.04

-32.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MRU 62.5

$1.46 MX$25.20

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 MRU 44.96

$1.90 MX$32.87

-40.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 MRU 29.93

$2.08 MX$35.91

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MRU 29.37

$1.78 MX$30.71

-58.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MRU 29.16

$2.19 MX$37.80

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MRU 24.04

$1.04 MX$17.99

-42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 MRU 103

$4.08 MX$70.6

-37.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MRU 15.80

$0.51 MX$8.81

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MRU 36.33

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 MRU 311

$3.25 MX$56.2

139.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 MRU 49.09

$1.31 MX$22.61

-6.11%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$64.9 MRU 2,594

$973 MX$16.8K

-93.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.7 MRU 3,982

$468 MX$8,090

-78.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 MRU 10.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-79.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Nouadhibou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $64.9 in Nouadhibou versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $17.00 in Nouadhibou versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $95.0 vs $249 – 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

Nouadhibou vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 393%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $394 per month in Nouadhibou and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 161% more in Playa del Carmen, 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 $17.00 in Nouadhibou and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Nouadhibou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.