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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,199 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,673 per month in Nouakchott vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 56% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nouakchott sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MRU 102

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-68.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.12 MRU 965

$48.29 COP 148.7K

-50.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 MRU 244

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-35.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MRU 71.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 MRU 68.7

Cappuccino

$2.30 MRU 92.1

$2.94 COP 9,045

-21.77%

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

$1.79 MRU 71.7

$1.86 COP 5,738

-3.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 MRU 87.6

$1.46 COP 4,481

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MRU 62.7

$1.44 COP 4,431

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 MRU 10.36

$2.40 COP 7,393

-89.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MRU 52.6

$1.70 COP 5,230

-22.94%

Eggs

$2.24 MRU 89.8

$2.89 COP 8,901

-22.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 MRU 236

$10.06 COP 31.0K

-41.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 MRU 216

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-45.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 MRU 291

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-48.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MRU 115

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MRU 71.1

$1.58 COP 4,880

12.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MRU 55.0

$2.15 COP 6,627

-35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 36.03

$2.30 COP 7,082

-60.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MRU 31.20

$2.00 COP 6,172

-61.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 MRU 34.66

$1.51 COP 4,648

-42.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MRU 29.16

$1.20 COP 3,703

-39.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MRU 23.52

$1.28 COP 3,948

-53.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.17 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MRU 105

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MRU 67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 MRU 98.4

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-35.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MRU 18.57

$1.25 COP 3,836

-63.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.87 MRU 876

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-71.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 MRU 35.69

$1.31 COP 4,018

-32.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MRU 14.13

$2.17 COP 6,684

-83.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 MRU 140

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-57.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MRU 58.5

$1.36 COP 4,174

7.35%

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

$7,435 MRU 297.6K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

-72.94%

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

$8,979 MRU 359.4K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-75.43%

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

$129 MRU 5,148

$169 COP 519.5K

-23.78%

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

$22.36 MRU 895

$13.57 COP 41.8K

64.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 MRU 2,380

$28.32 COP 87.2K

109.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.92 MRU 1,198

$45.71 COP 140.8K

-34.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$246 MRU 9,852

$17.22 COP 53.0K

1329.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 MRU 162

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-39.25%

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

$449 MRU 18.0K

$803 COP 2.5M

-44.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,502 MRU 300.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.47 MRU 900

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-74.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 MRU 901

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-62.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 MRU 2,756

$139 COP 427.7K

-50.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.81 MRU 1,674

$102 COP 314.2K

-59.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 MRU 8,678

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-79.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 MRU 5,989

$653 COP 2.0M

-77.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 MRU 29.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-61.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MRU 11.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-72.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,369 MRU 254.9K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

54.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,930 MRU 117.3K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

72.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 MRU 23.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

-11.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.82%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $217 in Nouakchott versus $1,071 in Medellin. 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 13% higher in Medellin, 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 $24.00 in Nouakchott versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $148 vs $300 – 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 126%, 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 $1,089 per month in Nouakchott and $2,462 in Medellin. 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 $24.00 in Nouakchott and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $726 in Nouakchott and $1,641 in Medellin. 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 $726, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.