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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $829 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,369 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nouakchott and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 38% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 MRU 198

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-16.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.33 MRU 1,013

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-23.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 MRU 259

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-12.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 80.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 MRU 104

Cappuccino

$2.38 MRU 95.3

$1.65 COP 5,276

44.24%

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

$1.79 MRU 71.7

$1.10 COP 3,514

62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 MRU 85.9

$0.78 COP 2,491

175.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MRU 58.1

$1.10 COP 3,521

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 MRU 11.63

$1.26 COP 4,015

-76.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MRU 50.4

$1.38 COP 4,407

-8.70%

Eggs

$2.29 MRU 91.6

$2.18 COP 6,950

5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 MRU 325

$4.49 COP 14.3K

81.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 MRU 219

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 MRU 278

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 MRU 87.5

$2.32 COP 7,405

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 MRU 75.3

$1.06 COP 3,397

77.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 MRU 56.3

$1.52 COP 4,838

-7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 MRU 40.74

$1.36 COP 4,327

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MRU 30.37

$1.13 COP 3,599

-32.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MRU 36.25

$1.17 COP 3,738

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MRU 21.13

$0.90 COP 2,876

-41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MRU 25.94

$0.90 COP 2,861

-27.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.04 MRU 402

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MRU 102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 MRU 71.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 MRU 99.0

$2.23 COP 7,128

10.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MRU 19.63

$0.85 COP 2,723

-42.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.39 MRU 695

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-58.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 MRU 35.64

$1.42 COP 4,518

-37.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.49

$1.95 COP 6,223

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 MRU 221

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-29.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MRU 57.9

$0.99 COP 3,160

46.46%

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

$7,496 MRU 299.8K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

-57.41%

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

$9,065 MRU 362.5K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-66.17%

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

$144 MRU 5,764

$83.0 COP 264.9K

73.63%

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

$24.98 MRU 999

$9.70 COP 30.9K

157.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 MRU 2,392

$23.52 COP 75.0K

154.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.5 MRU 3,498

$25.26 COP 80.6K

246.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$251 MRU 10.0K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

1214.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 MRU 181

$3.95 COP 12.6K

14.43%

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

$79.4 MRU 3,177

$316 COP 1.0M

-74.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,983 MRU 239.3K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

0.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.22 MRU 809

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-66.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.11 MRU 844

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-33.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 MRU 2,740

$102 COP 324.4K

-32.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.33 MRU 1,453

$107 COP 342.8K

-66.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 MRU 9,243

$475 COP 1.5M

-51.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MRU 6,570

$374 COP 1.2M

-56.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MRU 25.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

-24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MRU 12.6K

$719 COP 2.3M

-56.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,450 MRU 257.9K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

97.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,038 MRU 121.5K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

110.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 MRU 22.4K

$624 COP 2.0M

-10.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

13.43

22.86%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Nouakchott versus $475 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 12% 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 $25.00 in Nouakchott versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $193 – 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 21%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,244 per month in Nouakchott and $1,504 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 $25.00 in Nouakchott and $33.00 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 $829 in Nouakchott and $1,003 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 $829, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.