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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $714 per month in Nouakchott vs $271 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Nouakchott vs $501 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,720 per month in Nouakchott vs $731 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Nouakchott costs about 163% more than Nouadhibou, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Nouakchott and Nouadhibou are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 48% lower, Nouadhibou 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.45 MRU 98.2

$2.85 MRU 114

-14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 MRU 970

$17.22 MRU 689

40.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 MRU 240

$5.88 MRU 236

2.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 MRU 68.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MRU 71.7

Cappuccino

$2.30 MRU 92.2

$2.45 MRU 97.9

-6.12%

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

$1.73 MRU 69.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MRU 62.3

$1.23 MRU 49.28

26.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 MRU 10.40

$0.37 MRU 14.70

-29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MRU 53.2

$1.10 MRU 44.13

20.91%

Eggs

$2.28 MRU 91.3

$2.16 MRU 86.4

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 MRU 234

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 MRU 220

$2.70 MRU 108

102.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 MRU 288

$6.31 MRU 253

13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MRU 118

$1.73 MRU 69.4

70.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MRU 70.9

$1.51 MRU 60.6

17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MRU 57.3

$1.12 MRU 44.84

27.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MRU 35.16

$0.77 MRU 30.72

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MRU 33.43

$0.78 MRU 31.33

6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 MRU 34.80

$0.73 MRU 29.27

19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 MRU 30.08

$0.65 MRU 26.10

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MRU 23.22

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.89 MRU 396

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MRU 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MRU 68.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 MRU 97.8

$2.44 MRU 97.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MRU 18.43

$0.36 MRU 14.56

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.26 MRU 891

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MRU 33.76

$0.92 MRU 36.96

-8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MRU 15.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 MRU 143

$7.68 MRU 307

-53.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MRU 59.3

$1.22 MRU 48.84

21.31%

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

$7,545 MRU 302.1K

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

$9,157 MRU 366.6K

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

$130 MRU 5,214

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

$21.79 MRU 873

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 MRU 2,389

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 MRU 1,208

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$253 MRU 10.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 MRU 160

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

$446 MRU 17.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,441 MRU 297.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.17 MRU 888

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.53 MRU 902

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 MRU 2,711

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.64 MRU 1,667

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 MRU 8,675

$64.1 MRU 2,567

238.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MRU 6,103

$99.2 MRU 3,973

53.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 MRU 29.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MRU 11.5K

$244 MRU 9,776

17.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,578 MRU 263.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,977 MRU 119.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$560 MRU 22.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Nouakchott: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $217 in Nouakchott versus $64.1 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 $24.00 in Nouakchott versus $17.00 in Nouadhibou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $94.0 – 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 163%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,071 per month in Nouakchott and $407 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 $24.00 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 $714 in Nouakchott and $271 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.