Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouakchott: $820 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Nouakchott
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Nouakchott Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nouakchott

🇲🇷 Mauritania

$820

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nouakchott and in Nosara

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 Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $820 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Nouakchott $820
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Nouakchott $1,322
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,824 per month in Nouakchott vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Nouakchott $1,824
Nosara $3,712

Nouakchott is about 55% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nouakchott sits 39% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 MRU 98.9

$12.22 ₡5,509

-79.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.09 MRU 964

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-59.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 MRU 239

$7.54 ₡3,399

-20.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MRU 71.2

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 MRU 71.5

Cappuccino

$2.30 MRU 92.2

$4.31 ₡1,941

-46.64%

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

$1.81 MRU 72.5

$1.72 ₡773

5.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.7

$1.35 ₡608

58.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MRU 62.5

$1.57 ₡707

-0.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 MRU 11.31

$3.17 ₡1,429

-91.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MRU 53.2

$2.42 ₡1,091

-45.04%

Eggs

$2.25 MRU 90.1

$3.57 ₡1,609

-36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 MRU 246

$7.43 ₡3,349

-17.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.30 MRU 212

$10.42 ₡4,697

-49.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 MRU 286

$13.66 ₡6,156

-47.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MRU 127

$2.32 ₡1,044

36.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MRU 75.8

$1.61 ₡728

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 MRU 61.7

$4.74 ₡2,138

-67.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MRU 44.88

$1.66 ₡747

-32.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MRU 40.08

$3.72 ₡1,679

-73.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 MRU 35.38

$3.57 ₡1,611

-75.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MRU 29.48

$1.10 ₡497

-32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MRU 23.83

$2.55 ₡1,149

-76.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.91 MRU 397

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 MRU 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MRU 68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 MRU 98.3

$4.95 ₡2,232

-50.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MRU 17.37

$1.19 ₡537

-63.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 MRU 885

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-69.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 MRU 34.05

$2.24 ₡1,011

-62.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MRU 15.34

$1.55 ₡701

-75.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 MRU 149

$8.86 ₡3,993

-58.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MRU 58.3

$1.57 ₡708

-7.01%

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

$7,507 MRU 300.6K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

-65.57%

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

$9,007 MRU 360.6K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-74.00%

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

$129 MRU 5,167

$93.5 ₡42.1K

38.10%

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

$22.36 MRU 895

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-36.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 MRU 2,412

$51.5 ₡23.2K

16.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 MRU 3,538

$71.4 ₡32.2K

23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$250 MRU 9,993

$35.44 ₡16.0K

604.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 MRU 159

$7.84 ₡3,535

-49.23%

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

$450 MRU 18.0K

$490 ₡220.7K

-8.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,440 MRU 297.9K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-37.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.25 MRU 610

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-71.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.00 MRU 921

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-58.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 MRU 2,687

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.05 MRU 1,844

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-41.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 MRU 11.9K

$786 ₡354.3K

-62.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MRU 7,061

$780 ₡351.6K

-77.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 MRU 29.1K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-81.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-77.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 MRU 25.0K

$876 ₡395.0K

-28.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

132.02%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nouakchott

$212 26%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 14.9% $32

Accommodation & Living

Nouakchott

$176 21.7%

Nosara

$780 43% 342% $604

Groceries & Markets

Nouakchott

$153 18.8%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 129% $197

Sport & Entertainment

Nouakchott

$96 11.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 9.6% $9.2

Eating Out

Nouakchott

$81 10%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 158% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Nouakchott

$68 8.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 76.6% $52

Getting Around

Nouakchott

$27 3.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 227% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Nouakchott versus $786 in Nosara. 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 40% higher in Nosara, 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 $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $350 – making Nouakchott the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇷 Nouakchott

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:24 7:24 AM

01:24 1:24 AM

6 h behind Nouakchott

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

958,399 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Mauritanian Ouguiya MRU UM

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 MRU = 2.5 USD

100 MRU = 2.23 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MRU – Mauritanian Ouguiya Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇷 Mauritanian Ouguiya (UM)

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.04 MRU (100 MRU = 2.5 USD). 1 EUR = 44.91 MRU (100 MRU = 2.23 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to MRU in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nouakchott Nosara 7,530 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nouakchott
Nosara

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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $820 in Nouakchott, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 124% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,231 per month in Nouakchott and $2,756 in Nosara. 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.

Public transport costs about 226% less in Nouakchott. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Nouakchott and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nouakchott, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $820 in Nouakchott to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Nouakchott. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.