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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $826 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,929 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 19% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nouakchott and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 MRU 206

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-12.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 MRU 1,004

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-24.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 MRU 254

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-11.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MRU 79.3

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 MRU 98.7

Cappuccino

$2.42 MRU 96.6

$1.63 COP 5,687

48.47%

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

$1.73 MRU 69.1

$1.09 COP 3,821

58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 MRU 84.7

$0.73 COP 2,548

190.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MRU 57.5

$1.05 COP 3,662

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MRU 10.76

$1.29 COP 4,515

-79.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MRU 48.07

$1.32 COP 4,617

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.27 MRU 90.5

$2.27 COP 7,927

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 MRU 316

$4.35 COP 15.2K

82.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 MRU 215

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 MRU 278

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-19.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 MRU 86.5

$2.25 COP 7,844

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MRU 72.8

$1.07 COP 3,733

71.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 MRU 56.4

$1.52 COP 5,322

-7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 MRU 38.18

$1.42 COP 4,964

-32.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MRU 31.52

$1.17 COP 4,084

-32.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 36.02

$1.17 COP 4,077

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MRU 20.87

$0.89 COP 3,096

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MRU 25.86

$0.90 COP 3,146

-27.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.87 MRU 393

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 MRU 103

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MRU 70.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 MRU 102

$2.25 COP 7,837

13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MRU 19.38

$0.84 COP 2,916

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.99 MRU 717

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-57.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 MRU 34.54

$1.41 COP 4,912

-38.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MRU 9.49

$1.90 COP 6,634

-87.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 MRU 229

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-25.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MRU 55.5

$1.01 COP 3,509

37.62%

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

$7,562 MRU 301.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-56.99%

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

$9,340 MRU 372.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-64.75%

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

$148 MRU 5,917

$83.7 COP 292.1K

77.39%

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

$24.96 MRU 995

$9.45 COP 33.0K

164.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 MRU 2,438

$24.11 COP 84.1K

153.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 MRU 3,559

$25.31 COP 88.3K

252.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$257 MRU 10.3K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

1245.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.44 MRU 177

$4.10 COP 14.3K

8.29%

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

$82.2 MRU 3,275

$312 COP 1.1M

-73.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 MRU 233.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.39 MRU 813

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-64.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.25 MRU 847

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-34.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 MRU 2,774

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-30.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.64 MRU 1,421

$109 COP 378.8K

-67.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 MRU 9,133

$482 COP 1.7M

-52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 MRU 6,424

$379 COP 1.3M

-57.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 MRU 25.1K

$837 COP 2.9M

-24.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MRU 12.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-55.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 MRU 263.7K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

132.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,001 MRU 119.6K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

145.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$569 MRU 22.7K

$541 COP 1.9M

5.22%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nouakchott versus $482 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 5% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $190 – 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 23%, 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 $1,240 per month in Nouakchott and $1,525 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 $826 in Nouakchott and $1,017 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 $826, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.