Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $843 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Nouakchott vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nouakchott and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 MRU 198

$11.73 MX$203

-57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.64 MRU 984

$41.62 MX$720

-40.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 MRU 254

$10.64 MX$184

-40.32%

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

$3.52 MX$60.9

-32.39%

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

$1.76 MRU 70.4

$1.51 MX$26.12

16.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MRU 89.3

$0.97 MX$16.84

129.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MRU 55.2

$1.38 MX$23.93

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 MRU 11.64

$1.89 MX$32.72

-84.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MRU 50.1

$1.64 MX$28.32

-23.78%

Eggs

$2.18 MRU 87.3

$2.51 MX$43.34

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 MRU 316

$8.34 MX$144

-5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 MRU 228

$8.34 MX$144

-31.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.97 MRU 278

$10.73 MX$186

-35.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 MRU 87.1

$2.60 MX$45.04

-16.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MRU 72.0

$1.46 MX$25.20

23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 MRU 59.0

$1.90 MX$32.87

-22.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 MRU 38.27

$2.08 MX$35.91

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MRU 32.06

$1.78 MX$30.71

-55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 36.14

$2.19 MX$37.80

-58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MRU 20.72

$1.04 MX$17.99

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MRU 27.89

$1.08 MX$18.62

-35.19%

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

$4.08 MX$70.6

-36.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MRU 21.18

$0.51 MX$8.81

3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.45 MRU 697

$26.46 MX$458

-34.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MRU 35.89

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.48

$2.49 MX$43.09

-89.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 MRU 226

$3.25 MX$56.2

74.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MRU 57.3

$1.31 MX$22.61

9.16%

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

$7,521 MRU 300.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-75.16%

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

$9,149 MRU 365.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-60.95%

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

$146 MRU 5,841

$82.9 MX$1,433

76.43%

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

$25.45 MRU 1,017

$22.22 MX$384

14.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 MRU 2,452

$29.34 MX$507

109.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 MRU 3,556

$51.6 MX$893

72.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$248 MRU 9,915

$18.32 MX$317

1254.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 MRU 174

$5.07 MX$87.6

-13.81%

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

$79.8 MRU 3,189

$201 MX$3,473

-60.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,985 MRU 239.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

14.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.71 MRU 827

$36.92 MX$639

-43.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.75 MRU 829

$39.79 MX$688

-47.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 MRU 2,766

$78.5 MX$1,357

-11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.36 MRU 1,413

$87.1 MX$1,506

-59.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MRU 8,968

$973 MX$16.8K

-76.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MRU 6,488

$468 MX$8,090

-65.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 MRU 24.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-62.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MRU 12.8K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-73.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,530 MRU 260.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

65.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,008 MRU 120.2K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-53.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 MRU 22.4K

$664 MX$11.5K

-15.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

11.42

44.48%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nouakchott versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 18% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $25.00 in Nouakchott versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $249 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Nouakchott, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,265 per month in Nouakchott and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $843 in Nouakchott and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Nouakchott. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nouakchott, where all-in costs run around $843, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $843 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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