Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouakchott: $807 a month against $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nouakchott, Mauritania
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nouakchott
🇲🇷 Mauritania
$807
/mo nomad
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,182
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nouakchott and in Rio de Janeiro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nouakchott and in Rio de Janeiro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $807 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • Nouakchott $807
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,182

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,750 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • Nouakchott $1,326
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,750

A family of three spends $1,845 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,318 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • Nouakchott $1,845
  • Rio de Janeiro $2,318

Nouakchott is about 32% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nouakchott and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Nouakchott 41% lower, Rio de Janeiro 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.54 MRU 102
$9.08 R$48.55
-72.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.12 MRU 968
$37.25 R$199
-35.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.97 MRU 240
$8.02 R$42.88
-25.56%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.71 MRU 68.7
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 MRU 67.8
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.32 MRU 93.1
$2.19 R$11.71
5.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 MRU 71.8
$1.46 R$7.82
22.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 MRU 85.3
$0.99 R$5.28
114.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.03 R$10.84
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.45 R$18.44
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 MRU 64.5
$1.06 R$5.67
51.89%
White Bread (500g)
$0.28 MRU 11.36
$1.98 R$10.61
-85.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 MRU 55.3
$1.17 R$6.28
17.95%
Eggs
$2.25 MRU 90.4
$2.21 R$11.80
1.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.01 MRU 241
$10.11 R$54.1
-40.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.47 MRU 220
$4.12 R$22.01
32.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.31 MRU 293
$9.17 R$49.05
-20.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 MRU 130
$2.72 R$14.54
19.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 MRU 73.2
$1.71 R$9.15
6.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 MRU 62.3
$1.53 R$8.18
1.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.16 MRU 46.58
$1.66 R$8.89
-30.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 MRU 37.54
$1.14 R$6.09
-18.42%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 MRU 35.41
$0.99 R$5.32
-11.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 MRU 29.19
$0.65 R$3.46
12.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 MRU 24.49
$0.60 R$3.20
1.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$10.25 MRU 411
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.62 MRU 105
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 MRU 68.5
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.45 MRU 98.3
$2.79 R$14.95
-12.19%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.48 R$40.00
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.09 R$5.83
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.33 R$12.48
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 MRU 18.92
$0.90 R$4.79
-47.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.95 MRU 881
$53.0 R$283
-58.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 MRU 36.18
$1.17 R$6.24
-23.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 MRU 15.38
$0.78 R$4.17
-51.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 MRU 142
$8.37 R$44.76
-57.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 MRU 56.8
$1.21 R$6.48
16.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,363 MRU 295.6K
$21.5K R$114.8K
-65.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$8,951 MRU 359.4K
$31.1K R$166.5K
-71.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 MRU 5,103
$124 R$666
2.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.88 MRU 879
$10.03 R$53.7
118.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.2 MRU 2,375
$20.88 R$112
183.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$85.1 MRU 3,415
$28.35 R$152
200.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$249 MRU 10.0K
$29.33 R$157
749.61%
Cinema Ticket
$4.08 MRU 164
$7.62 R$40.73
-46.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 MRU 18.0K
$563 R$3,010
-20.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,617 MRU 305.8K
$12.0K R$64.4K
-36.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.34 MRU 616
$39.25 R$210
-60.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.81 MRU 916
$46.36 R$248
-50.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.8 MRU 2,721
$68.4 R$366
-0.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.43 MRU 1,864
$63.4 R$339
-26.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$288 MRU 11.6K
$776 R$4,151
-62.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$174 MRU 6,999
$473 R$2,531
-63.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$728 MRU 29.2K
$1,391 R$7,438
-47.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 MRU 12.7K
$739 R$3,952
-57.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,393 R$18.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,570 R$8,397
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nouakchott
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$641 MRU 25.8K
$597 R$3,192
7.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
11.93
67.64%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nouakchott
$208
Rio de Janeiro
$155 25.4% $53
Accommodation & Living
Nouakchott
$174
Rio de Janeiro
$473 171% $299
Groceries & Markets
Nouakchott
$155
Rio de Janeiro
$201 30% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Nouakchott
$93
Rio de Janeiro
$44 53.3% $50
Eating Out
Nouakchott
$82
Rio de Janeiro
$150 83.4% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Nouakchott
$69
Rio de Janeiro
$98 42.7% $29
Getting Around
Nouakchott
$27
Rio de Janeiro
$62 131% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Nouakchott versus $776 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 7% 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 $24 in Nouakchott versus $37 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $201 – making Nouakchott the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇷 Nouakchott
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🕒 Local time
14:55 2:55 PM
11:55 11:55 AM
3 h behind Nouakchott
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
958,399 Capital
6,211,223
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MRU – Mauritanian Ouguiya Converter

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 40.15 MRU (100 MRU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 44.81 MRU (100 MRU = 2.23 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.97 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nouakchott Rio de Janeiro 5,430 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nouakchott
  • Rio de Janeiro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Nouakchott or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro costs about 46% more than Nouakchott, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nouakchott and in Rio de Janeiro?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,211 per month in Nouakchott and $1,774 in Rio de Janeiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Nouakchott or Rio de Janeiro?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouakchott, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $288 there versus $776 in Rio de Janeiro.
How much does it cost to live in Nouakchott compared to Rio de Janeiro?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $807 in Nouakchott and $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro. That makes Nouakchott about 32% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Nouakchott compared to Rio de Janeiro?
Public transport costs about 59% less in Nouakchott. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Nouakchott or in Rio de Janeiro?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $807 in Nouakchott and $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Nouakchott – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Nouakchott is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 32% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Nouakchott vs other spots: cost of living compared

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