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 $714 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,720 per month in Nouakchott vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nouakchott and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.45 MRU 98.2

$11.71 MX$199

-79.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 MRU 970

$46.59 MX$791

-47.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 MRU 240

$11.65 MX$198

-48.50%

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

$4.09 MX$69.5

-43.77%

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

$1.73 MRU 69.2

$1.37 MX$23.34

26.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.6

$0.83 MX$14.16

157.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MRU 62.3

$1.73 MX$29.33

-9.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 MRU 10.40

$2.26 MX$38.39

-88.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MRU 53.2

$1.77 MX$30.05

-24.86%

Eggs

$2.28 MRU 91.3

$2.73 MX$46.41

-16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 MRU 234

$9.18 MX$156

-36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 MRU 220

$8.92 MX$151

-38.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 MRU 288

$12.60 MX$214

-42.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MRU 118

$3.02 MX$51.3

-2.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MRU 70.9

$1.57 MX$26.68

12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MRU 57.3

$2.13 MX$36.10

-32.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MRU 35.16

$2.26 MX$38.46

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MRU 33.43

$2.00 MX$34.04

-58.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 MRU 34.80

$2.06 MX$35.06

-57.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 MRU 30.08

$1.18 MX$20.04

-36.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MRU 23.22

$1.20 MX$20.45

-51.67%

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

$4.63 MX$78.7

-47.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MRU 18.43

$0.57 MX$9.74

-19.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.26 MRU 891

$29.83 MX$507

-25.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MRU 33.76

$5.45 MX$92.5

-84.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MRU 15.67

$3.70 MX$62.9

-89.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 MRU 143

$5.98 MX$102

-40.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MRU 59.3

$1.55 MX$26.38

-4.52%

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

$7,545 MRU 302.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-66.21%

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

$9,157 MRU 366.6K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-64.71%

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

$130 MRU 5,214

$89.1 MX$1,514

46.10%

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

$21.79 MRU 873

$25.04 MX$425

-12.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 MRU 2,389

$31.50 MX$535

89.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 MRU 1,208

$67.8 MX$1,151

-55.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$253 MRU 10.1K

$28.92 MX$491

774.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 MRU 160

$5.05 MX$85.8

-20.99%

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

$446 MRU 17.9K

$225 MX$3,820

98.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,441 MRU 297.9K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

76.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.17 MRU 888

$47.44 MX$806

-53.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.53 MRU 902

$44.98 MX$764

-49.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 MRU 2,711

$82.0 MX$1,392

-17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.64 MRU 1,667

$92.1 MX$1,564

-54.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 MRU 8,675

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-79.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MRU 6,103

$405 MX$6,884

-62.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 MRU 29.5K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-61.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MRU 11.5K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-78.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,578 MRU 263.4K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

64.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,977 MRU 119.2K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-55.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$560 MRU 22.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

-25.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

74.67%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $217 in Nouakchott versus $1,069 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 34% 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 $24.00 in Nouakchott versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $277 – 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 81% more than Nouakchott, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,071 per month in Nouakchott and $1,940 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 $714 in Nouakchott and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $714, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $714 versus $1,293 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.