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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $851 per month in Nouakchott vs $261 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Nouakchott vs $494 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,923 per month in Nouakchott vs $727 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Nouakchott costs about 226% more than Nouadhibou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nouakchott and Nouadhibou are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 36% lower, Nouadhibou 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 MRU 197

$2.52 MRU 100

96.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.95 MRU 995

$17.21 MRU 686

44.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 MRU 254

$5.83 MRU 232

9.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 79.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.4

Cappuccino

$2.40 MRU 95.8

$2.44 MRU 97.3

-1.64%

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

$1.83 MRU 72.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MRU 55.0

$1.27 MRU 50.8

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MRU 10.72

$0.40 MRU 15.89

-32.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MRU 50.0

$1.11 MRU 44.27

12.61%

Eggs

$2.20 MRU 87.7

$2.13 MRU 85.0

3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 MRU 323

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 MRU 224

$2.79 MRU 111

101.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 MRU 293

$6.26 MRU 250

17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 MRU 90.7

$1.80 MRU 71.8

26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MRU 72.8

$1.56 MRU 62.1

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MRU 58.1

$1.15 MRU 46.06

26.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 MRU 38.57

$0.73 MRU 29.24

32.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MRU 32.10

$0.78 MRU 31.22

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MRU 33.72

$0.70 MRU 27.73

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 MRU 22.51

$0.62 MRU 24.59

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MRU 27.51

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.20 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MRU 105

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MRU 68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 MRU 102

$2.52 MRU 100

1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MRU 21.14

$0.37 MRU 14.58

43.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.96 MRU 716

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MRU 33.53

$0.85 MRU 34.01

-1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.45

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 MRU 230

$7.67 MRU 306

-24.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MRU 55.5

$1.24 MRU 49.55

12.10%

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

$7,604 MRU 303.2K

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

$9,039 MRU 360.5K

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

$144 MRU 5,752

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

$25.38 MRU 1,012

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 MRU 2,425

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.0 MRU 3,431

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$256 MRU 10.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 MRU 179

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

$81.4 MRU 3,247

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 MRU 236.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.58 MRU 821

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.50 MRU 818

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 MRU 2,801

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.30 MRU 1,408

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 MRU 9,127

$64.2 MRU 2,560

256.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MRU 6,549

$98.4 MRU 3,923

66.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MRU 25.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$255 MRU 10.2K

24.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,610 MRU 263.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,019 MRU 120.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$578 MRU 23.1K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nouadhibou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nouakchott versus $64.2 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: $152 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 226%, 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 $1,277 per month in Nouakchott and $391 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 60% 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 $851 in Nouakchott and $261 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.