Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $843 per month in Nouakchott vs $263 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Nouakchott vs $495 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Nouakchott vs $727 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Nouakchott costs about 221% more than Nouadhibou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nouakchott and Nouadhibou are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 37% lower, Nouadhibou 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 MRU 198

$2.60 MRU 104

90.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.64 MRU 984

$17.09 MRU 683

44.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 MRU 254

$5.96 MRU 238

6.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 MRU 77.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.8

Cappuccino

$2.38 MRU 95.0

$2.55 MRU 102

-6.67%

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

$1.76 MRU 70.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MRU 89.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MRU 55.2

$1.27 MRU 50.9

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 MRU 11.64

$0.36 MRU 14.44

-19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MRU 50.1

$1.17 MRU 46.86

6.84%

Eggs

$2.18 MRU 87.3

$2.10 MRU 83.9

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 MRU 316

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 MRU 228

$2.82 MRU 113

102.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.97 MRU 278

$6.45 MRU 258

8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 MRU 87.1

$1.75 MRU 69.9

24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MRU 72.0

$1.56 MRU 62.5

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 MRU 59.0

$1.13 MRU 44.96

30.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 MRU 38.27

$0.75 MRU 29.93

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MRU 32.06

$0.74 MRU 29.37

8.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 36.14

$0.73 MRU 29.16

23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MRU 20.72

$0.60 MRU 24.04

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MRU 27.89

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.17 MRU 406

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MRU 100

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MRU 68.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 MRU 104

$2.57 MRU 103

0.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MRU 21.18

$0.40 MRU 15.80

32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.45 MRU 697

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MRU 35.89

$0.91 MRU 36.33

-1.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 MRU 226

$7.78 MRU 311

-27.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MRU 57.3

$1.23 MRU 49.09

16.26%

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

$7,521 MRU 300.5K

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

$9,149 MRU 365.5K

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

$146 MRU 5,841

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

$25.45 MRU 1,017

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 MRU 2,452

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 MRU 3,556

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$248 MRU 9,915

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 MRU 174

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

$79.8 MRU 3,189

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,985 MRU 239.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.71 MRU 827

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.75 MRU 829

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 MRU 2,766

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.36 MRU 1,413

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MRU 8,968

$64.9 MRU 2,594

245.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MRU 6,488

$99.7 MRU 3,982

62.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 MRU 24.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MRU 12.8K

$255 MRU 10.2K

25.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,530 MRU 260.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,008 MRU 120.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 MRU 22.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

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

Last update for Nouakchott: May 30, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nouakchott versus $64.9 in Nouadhibou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Nouakchott versus $17.00 in Nouadhibou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $95.0 – making Nouadhibou 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 Nouadhibou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nouakchott is pricier by about 221%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,265 per month in Nouakchott and $394 in Nouadhibou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouadhibou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Nouakchott, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Nouakchott and $17.00 in Nouadhibou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $843 in Nouakchott and $263 in Nouadhibou, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nouadhibou – 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 Nouadhibou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nouakchott makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.