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 $851 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,923 per month in Nouakchott vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nouakchott and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 MRU 197

$11.99 MX$210

-58.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.95 MRU 995

$41.78 MX$733

-40.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 MRU 254

$10.75 MX$189

-40.74%

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

$3.50 MX$61.3

-31.43%

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

$1.83 MRU 72.8

$1.45 MX$25.41

26.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.3

$0.88 MX$15.52

143.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MRU 55.0

$1.43 MX$25.12

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MRU 10.72

$1.84 MX$32.23

-85.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MRU 50.0

$1.57 MX$27.51

-20.38%

Eggs

$2.20 MRU 87.7

$2.51 MX$44.06

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 MRU 323

$8.28 MX$145

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 MRU 224

$8.43 MX$148

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 MRU 293

$10.68 MX$187

-31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 MRU 90.7

$2.61 MX$45.76

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MRU 72.8

$1.44 MX$25.22

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MRU 58.1

$1.96 MX$34.41

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 MRU 38.57

$2.09 MX$36.74

-53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MRU 32.10

$1.85 MX$32.47

-56.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MRU 33.72

$2.17 MX$38.02

-60.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 MRU 22.51

$1.03 MX$18.09

-45.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MRU 27.51

$1.07 MX$18.84

-35.51%

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

$4.10 MX$72.0

-37.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MRU 21.14

$0.51 MX$8.93

3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.96 MRU 716

$26.04 MX$457

-31.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 MRU 33.53

$3.23 MX$56.7

-73.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MRU 10.45

$2.41 MX$42.19

-89.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 MRU 230

$3.23 MX$56.6

78.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MRU 55.5

$1.32 MX$23.17

5.30%

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

$7,604 MRU 303.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-74.40%

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

$9,039 MRU 360.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-61.80%

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

$144 MRU 5,752

$82.0 MX$1,439

75.87%

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

$25.38 MRU 1,012

$22.95 MX$403

10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 MRU 2,425

$30.11 MX$528

101.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.0 MRU 3,431

$52.0 MX$912

65.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$256 MRU 10.2K

$18.53 MX$325

1279.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 MRU 179

$4.98 MX$87.3

-10.04%

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

$81.4 MRU 3,247

$197 MX$3,463

-58.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,925 MRU 236.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

11.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.58 MRU 821

$35.60 MX$624

-42.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.50 MRU 818

$40.33 MX$707

-49.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 MRU 2,801

$78.8 MX$1,381

-10.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.30 MRU 1,408

$88.9 MX$1,560

-60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 MRU 9,127

$947 MX$16.6K

-75.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MRU 6,549

$474 MX$8,314

-65.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MRU 25.4K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-73.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,610 MRU 263.6K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

62.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,019 MRU 120.4K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-53.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$578 MRU 23.1K

$654 MX$11.5K

-11.59%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nouakchott versus $947 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 13% 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: $152 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 48% 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 $1,277 per month in Nouakchott and $1,884 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 $851 in Nouakchott and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% 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 $851, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $851 versus $1,256 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.