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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.09 MRU 204

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-14.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 MRU 1,013

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 MRU 249

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-13.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 79.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.8

Cappuccino

$2.49 MRU 99.7

$1.70 COP 6,186

46.47%

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

$1.82 MRU 72.7

$1.10 COP 3,996

65.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 MRU 85.2

$0.72 COP 2,625

195.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MRU 57.8

$1.06 COP 3,837

36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MRU 10.71

$1.25 COP 4,531

-78.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MRU 48.78

$1.39 COP 5,060

-12.23%

Eggs

$2.22 MRU 88.6

$2.26 COP 8,229

-1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 MRU 327

$4.33 COP 15.8K

88.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 MRU 225

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.02 MRU 280

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 MRU 86.9

$2.24 COP 8,159

-3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MRU 74.9

$1.08 COP 3,911

73.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 MRU 58.7

$1.53 COP 5,563

-3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 MRU 38.79

$1.37 COP 4,987

-29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MRU 31.77

$1.13 COP 4,109

-30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 35.87

$1.12 COP 4,067

-19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MRU 20.68

$0.85 COP 3,080

-38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MRU 25.59

$0.91 COP 3,305

-29.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.14 MRU 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MRU 106

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MRU 71.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 MRU 98.3

$2.33 COP 8,477

5.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MRU 20.92

$0.79 COP 2,859

-34.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.43 MRU 697

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-57.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 MRU 34.69

$1.44 COP 5,223

-39.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MRU 9.56

$1.91 COP 6,952

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 MRU 219

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-31.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MRU 58.4

$0.94 COP 3,410

55.32%

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

$7,474 MRU 298.7K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-58.29%

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

$9,311 MRU 372.2K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-65.24%

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

$145 MRU 5,799

$84.0 COP 305.4K

72.81%

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

$25.29 MRU 1,011

$9.60 COP 34.9K

163.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 MRU 2,423

$24.16 COP 87.9K

150.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 MRU 3,475

$25.88 COP 94.1K

235.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$252 MRU 10.1K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

1222.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 MRU 179

$3.92 COP 14.2K

14.29%

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

$80.1 MRU 3,202

$306 COP 1.1M

-73.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,865 MRU 234.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-0.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.76 MRU 830

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-64.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.49 MRU 819

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-35.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MRU 2,828

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-29.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.37 MRU 1,414

$107 COP 389.7K

-66.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 MRU 9,152

$487 COP 1.8M

-52.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 MRU 6,609

$368 COP 1.3M

-55.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MRU 25.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

-55.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,582 MRU 263.1K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

125.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,605 MRU 64.2K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

14.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$558 MRU 22.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

2.32%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nouakchott versus $487 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 2% 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: $151 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 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 $1,278 per month in Nouakchott and $1,550 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 $852 in Nouakchott and $1,034 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 $852, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.