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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $851 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,023 in Bansko, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,548 in Bansko, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,923 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,073 in Bansko, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 17% cheaper than Bansko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Nouakchott and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 36% lower, Bansko 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 MRU 197

$8.96 BGN 14.90

-44.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.95 MRU 995

$35.95 BGN 59.8

-30.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 MRU 254

$9.04 BGN 15.04

-29.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 79.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.4

Cappuccino

$2.40 MRU 95.8

$1.89 BGN 3.15

26.98%

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

$1.83 MRU 72.8

$1.26 BGN 2.10

45.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.3

$0.69 BGN 1.15

210.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 BGN 3.48

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MRU 55.0

$1.97 BGN 3.27

-29.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MRU 10.72

$0.78 BGN 1.30

-65.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MRU 50.0

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.20 MRU 87.7

$2.18 BGN 3.62

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 MRU 323

$8.75 BGN 14.56

-7.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 MRU 224

$7.51 BGN 12.49

-25.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 MRU 293

$8.53 BGN 14.19

-13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 MRU 90.7

$1.30 BGN 2.16

74.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MRU 72.8

$1.64 BGN 2.72

11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MRU 58.1

$1.88 BGN 3.13

-22.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 MRU 38.57

$2.13 BGN 3.55

-54.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MRU 32.10

$1.04 BGN 1.74

-23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MRU 33.72

$0.85 BGN 1.42

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 MRU 22.51

$0.57 BGN 0.96

-1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MRU 27.51

$0.75 BGN 1.25

-8.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.20 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MRU 105

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MRU 68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 MRU 102

$3.75 BGN 6.24

-32.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 BGN 8.59

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 BGN 1.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BGN 3.51

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MRU 21.14

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-42.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.96 MRU 716

$27.33 BGN 45.47

-34.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MRU 33.53

$1.38 BGN 2.29

-39.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.45

$0.77 BGN 1.28

-66.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 MRU 230

$10.44 BGN 17.37

-44.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MRU 55.5

$1.46 BGN 2.43

-4.79%

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

$7,604 MRU 303.2K

$29.9K BGN 49.7K

-74.54%

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

$9,039 MRU 360.5K

$17.5K BGN 29.1K

-48.28%

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

$144 MRU 5,752

$104 BGN 173

38.48%

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

$25.38 MRU 1,012

$15.10 BGN 25.13

68.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 MRU 2,425

$11.11 BGN 18.48

447.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.0 MRU 3,431

$33.07 BGN 55.0

160.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$256 MRU 10.2K

$7.39 BGN 12.29

3358.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 MRU 179

$7.93 BGN 13.20

-43.51%

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

$81.4 MRU 3,247

$238 BGN 397

-65.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 MRU 236.3K

$2,373 BGN 3,947

149.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.58 MRU 821

$38.85 BGN 64.6

-47.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.50 MRU 818

$19.47 BGN 32.39

5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 MRU 2,801

$48.00 BGN 79.9

46.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.30 MRU 1,408

$51.1 BGN 84.9

-30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 MRU 9,127

$538 BGN 895

-57.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MRU 6,549

$386 BGN 643

-57.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MRU 25.4K

$640 BGN 1,065

-0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$637 BGN 1,060

-50.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,610 MRU 263.6K

$1,193 BGN 1,985

454.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,019 MRU 120.4K

$1,005 BGN 1,672

200.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$578 MRU 23.1K

$1,712 BGN 2,848

-66.23%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bansko: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nouakchott versus $538 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 196% 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 $36.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 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: $851 in Nouakchott, $1,023 in Bansko – roughly 20% apart. Bansko costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,277 per month in Nouakchott and $1,535 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 $36.00 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 $851 in Nouakchott and $1,023 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 $851, than in Bansko at $1,023. 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 $851 in Nouakchott to $1,023 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.