Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Bansko Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Bansko

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $843 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,025 in Bansko, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,522 in Bansko, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,019 in Bansko, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 18% cheaper than Bansko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Nouakchott and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 37% lower, Bansko 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 MRU 198

$9.00 BGN 14.97

-44.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.64 MRU 984

$35.36 BGN 58.8

-30.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 MRU 254

$8.89 BGN 14.79

-28.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 MRU 77.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.8

Cappuccino

$2.38 MRU 95.0

$1.91 BGN 3.18

24.61%

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

$1.76 MRU 70.4

$1.28 BGN 2.12

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MRU 89.3

$0.68 BGN 1.13

227.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 BGN 1.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BGN 3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MRU 55.2

$1.88 BGN 3.13

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 MRU 11.64

$0.84 BGN 1.41

-65.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MRU 50.1

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-17.22%

Eggs

$2.18 MRU 87.3

$2.25 BGN 3.74

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 MRU 316

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-13.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 MRU 228

$7.40 BGN 12.30

-22.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.97 MRU 278

$8.52 BGN 14.18

-18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 MRU 87.1

$1.29 BGN 2.15

68.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MRU 72.0

$1.71 BGN 2.85

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 MRU 59.0

$1.78 BGN 2.96

-16.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 MRU 38.27

$2.20 BGN 3.66

-56.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MRU 32.06

$1.00 BGN 1.66

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 36.14

$0.85 BGN 1.41

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MRU 20.72

$0.58 BGN 0.96

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MRU 27.89

$0.75 BGN 1.25

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.17 MRU 406

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MRU 100

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MRU 68.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 MRU 104

$3.72 BGN 6.20

-30.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 BGN 8.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 BGN 3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MRU 21.18

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-37.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.45 MRU 697

$27.41 BGN 45.61

-36.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MRU 35.89

$1.32 BGN 2.20

-31.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.48

$0.73 BGN 1.22

-64.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 MRU 226

$10.20 BGN 16.96

-44.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MRU 57.3

$1.54 BGN 2.57

-7.14%

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

$7,521 MRU 300.5K

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

-75.56%

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

$9,149 MRU 365.5K

$17.5K BGN 29.1K

-47.72%

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

$146 MRU 5,841

$104 BGN 172

41.14%

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

$25.45 MRU 1,017

$15.03 BGN 25.01

69.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 MRU 2,452

$11.39 BGN 18.95

438.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 MRU 3,556

$32.86 BGN 54.7

170.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$248 MRU 9,915

$7.10 BGN 11.81

3395.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 MRU 174

$8.17 BGN 13.59

-46.51%

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

$79.8 MRU 3,189

$240 BGN 399

-66.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,985 MRU 239.1K

$2,392 BGN 3,979

150.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.71 MRU 827

$38.59 BGN 64.2

-46.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.75 MRU 829

$19.34 BGN 32.18

7.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 MRU 2,766

$47.00 BGN 78.2

47.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.36 MRU 1,413

$50.1 BGN 83.3

-29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MRU 8,968

$529 BGN 881

-57.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MRU 6,488

$384 BGN 639

-57.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 MRU 24.9K

$650 BGN 1,082

-4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MRU 12.8K

$649 BGN 1,080

-50.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,530 MRU 260.9K

$1,246 BGN 2,073

424.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,008 MRU 120.2K

$1,013 BGN 1,685

196.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 MRU 22.4K

$1,725 BGN 2,870

-67.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

3.4

385.29%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bansko: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nouakchott versus $529 in Bansko. 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 207% higher in Bansko, 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 $25.00 in Nouakchott versus $35.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $203 – 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

Nouakchott vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $843 in Nouakchott, $1,025 in Bansko – roughly 22% apart. Bansko costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,265 per month in Nouakchott and $1,537 in Bansko. 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 $25.00 in Nouakchott and $35.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $843 in Nouakchott and $1,025 in Bansko. 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 $843, than in Bansko at $1,025. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $843 in Nouakchott to $1,025 in Bansko. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nouakchott. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.