Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouakchott: $809 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nouakchott
🇲🇷 Mauritania
$809
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nouakchott and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nouakchott and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $809 per month in Nouakchott vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Nouakchott $809
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Nouakchott $1,337
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Nouakchott $1,864
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Nouakchott is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nouakchott and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 40% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.43 MRU 97.5
$2.29 ฿76.5
6.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.78 MRU 993
$19.64 ฿656
26.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.91 MRU 237
$5.61 ฿188
5.35%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.74 MRU 69.6
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 MRU 72.0
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.26 MRU 90.7
$1.66 ฿55.6
36.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 MRU 70.3
$0.70 ฿23.40
151.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 MRU 87.1
$0.31 ฿10.24
600.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.41 ฿80.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.71 ฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 MRU 63.1
$1.95 ฿65.3
-18.97%
White Bread (500g)
$0.28 MRU 11.29
$1.41 ฿47.03
-80.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 MRU 53.6
$1.31 ฿43.62
2.29%
Eggs
$2.39 MRU 95.7
$2.18 ฿72.9
9.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.01 MRU 241
$16.65 ฿556
-63.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.49 MRU 220
$2.76 ฿92.2
98.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.03 MRU 282
$9.11 ฿304
-22.83%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 MRU 128
$2.39 ฿80.0
33.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 MRU 74.0
$1.03 ฿34.26
79.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 MRU 64.2
$1.63 ฿54.4
-1.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.12 MRU 44.90
$1.50 ฿50.0
-25.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.00 MRU 40.17
$1.29 ฿43.13
-22.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 MRU 35.51
$1.11 ฿37.03
-19.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 MRU 29.89
$0.72 ฿24.08
4.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 MRU 25.69
$0.53 ฿17.59
20.75%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.94 MRU 398
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 MRU 102
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MRU 66.9
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 MRU 98.4
$4.31 ฿144
-42.92%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.95 ฿600
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 ฿52.9
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.84 ฿95.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 MRU 17.38
$0.86 ฿28.86
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.81 MRU 874
$53.3 ฿1,780
-59.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.89 MRU 35.63
$1.21 ฿40.29
-26.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.36 MRU 14.26
$0.57 ฿18.99
-36.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.72 MRU 149
$2.35 ฿78.6
58.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 MRU 56.6
$1.44 ฿47.96
-2.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,372 MRU 295.3K
$20.7K ฿692.8K
-64.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,263 MRU 371.1K
$26.8K ฿895.7K
-65.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$128 MRU 5,147
$62.3 ฿2,083
106.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.12 MRU 886
$12.11 ฿405
82.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.9 MRU 2,440
$19.94 ฿666
205.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$87.5 MRU 3,506
$37.07 ฿1,239
136.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$252 MRU 10.1K
$3.78 ฿126
6567.20%
Cinema Ticket
$4.03 MRU 162
$6.50 ฿217
-38.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$437 MRU 17.5K
$793 ฿26.5K
-44.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,506 MRU 300.7K
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-49.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.49 MRU 621
$53.7 ฿1,796
-71.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.29 MRU 933
$24.62 ฿823
-5.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.4 MRU 2,701
$90.9 ฿3,036
-25.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.80 MRU 1,875
$71.1 ฿2,378
-34.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$295 MRU 11.8K
$455 ฿15.2K
-35.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$172 MRU 6,878
$298 ฿9,954
-42.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$731 MRU 29.3K
$908 ฿30.4K
-19.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$325 MRU 13.0K
$554 ฿18.5K
-41.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,931 ฿64.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,445 ฿48.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nouakchott
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$639 MRU 25.6K
$591 ฿19.7K
8.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
5.57
259.07%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nouakchott
$212
Chiang Mai
$94 55.4% $117
Accommodation & Living
Nouakchott
$172
Chiang Mai
$298 73.5% $126
Groceries & Markets
Nouakchott
$155
Chiang Mai
$235 52.3% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Nouakchott
$96
Chiang Mai
$50 47.6% $46
Eating Out
Nouakchott
$80
Chiang Mai
$79 1.8% $1.5
Clothing & Footwear
Nouakchott
$69
Chiang Mai
$108 57.1% $39
Getting Around
Nouakchott
$26
Chiang Mai
$61 132% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $295 in Nouakchott versus $455 in Chiang Mai. 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 8% 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 $25.00 in Nouakchott versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Nouakchott vs $235 in Chiang Mai – so Nouakchott wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇷 Nouakchott
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
11:39 11:39 AM
18:39 6:39 PM
7 h ahead of Nouakchott
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
958,399 Capital
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MRU – Mauritanian Ouguiya Converter

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 40.06 MRU (100 MRU = 2.5 USD). 1 EUR = 45.04 MRU (100 MRU = 2.22 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nouakchott Chiang Mai 11,810 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nouakchott
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nouakchott or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Nouakchott, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nouakchott and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,213 per month in Nouakchott and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Nouakchott or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Nouakchott and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Nouakchott and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Nouakchott or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 52% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Nouakchott or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nouakchott, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nouakchott or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $809 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Nouakchott compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Nouakchott or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Nouakchott. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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