Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Nouakchott vs $953 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Nouakchott is about 11% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nouakchott and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 36% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.09 MRU 204

$7.03 R$35.01

-27.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 MRU 1,013

$35.78 R$178

-29.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 MRU 249

$6.24 R$31.10

-0.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MRU 79.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MRU 98.8

Cappuccino

$2.49 MRU 99.7

$1.99 R$9.91

25.13%

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

$1.82 MRU 72.7

$1.34 R$6.66

35.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 MRU 85.2

$0.84 R$4.18

153.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.28

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MRU 57.8

$1.11 R$5.55

30.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 MRU 10.71

$1.77 R$8.82

-84.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MRU 48.78

$1.49 R$7.40

-18.12%

Eggs

$2.22 MRU 88.6

$1.93 R$9.60

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 MRU 327

$8.11 R$40.39

0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 MRU 225

$3.55 R$17.67

58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.02 MRU 280

$8.25 R$41.09

-14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 MRU 86.9

$2.32 R$11.56

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MRU 74.9

$1.63 R$8.11

14.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 MRU 58.7

$1.44 R$7.17

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 MRU 38.79

$1.55 R$7.72

-37.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MRU 31.77

$1.23 R$6.14

-35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MRU 35.87

$1.15 R$5.75

-21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MRU 20.68

$0.69 R$3.44

-24.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MRU 25.59

$0.58 R$2.87

10.34%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.14 MRU 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MRU 106

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MRU 71.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 MRU 98.3

$1.99 R$9.91

23.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MRU 20.92

$1.23 R$6.12

-57.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.43 MRU 697

$39.49 R$197

-55.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 MRU 34.69

$1.07 R$5.32

-18.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MRU 9.56

$0.69 R$3.46

-65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 MRU 219

$7.53 R$37.52

-27.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MRU 58.4

$1.10 R$5.48

32.73%

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

$7,474 MRU 298.7K

$20.2K R$100.4K

-62.91%

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

$9,311 MRU 372.2K

$27.2K R$135.5K

-65.77%

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

$145 MRU 5,799

$104 R$518

39.38%

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

$25.29 MRU 1,011

$11.99 R$59.7

110.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 MRU 2,423

$18.48 R$92.0

228.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 MRU 3,475

$26.17 R$130

232.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$252 MRU 10.1K

$24.31 R$121

935.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 MRU 179

$6.43 R$32.01

-30.33%

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

$80.1 MRU 3,202

$553 R$2,755

-85.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,865 MRU 234.4K

$11.5K R$57.2K

-48.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.76 MRU 830

$44.53 R$222

-53.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.49 MRU 819

$41.97 R$209

-51.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 MRU 2,828

$76.5 R$381

-7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.37 MRU 1,414

$61.2 R$305

-42.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 MRU 9,152

$429 R$2,139

-46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 MRU 6,609

$324 R$1,614

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MRU 25.0K

$835 R$4,156

-24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$580 R$2,888

-45.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,582 MRU 263.1K

$2,964 R$14.8K

122.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,605 MRU 64.2K

$1,333 R$6,636

20.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$558 MRU 22.3K

$535 R$2,665

4.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

11.33

45.63%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nouakchott versus $429 in Rio de Janeiro. 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 4% higher in Nouakchott, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Nouakchott versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $186 – 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 Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 12% more than Nouakchott, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Nouakchott and $1,429 in Rio de Janeiro. 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 $852 in Nouakchott and $953 in Rio de Janeiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% less in Nouakchott. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Nouakchott and $953 in Rio de Janeiro, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $852 versus $953 in Rio de Janeiro. 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, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.