Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouakchott and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouakchott: $820 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Nouakchott
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Nouakchott Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index

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Nouakchott

🇲🇷 Mauritania

$820

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nouakchott and in Sofia

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 Sofia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $820 per month in Nouakchott vs $1,589 in Sofia, rent included.

Nouakchott $820
Sofia $1,589

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Nouakchott vs $2,456 in Sofia, rent included.

Nouakchott $1,322
Sofia $2,456

A family of three spends $1,824 per month in Nouakchott vs $3,324 in Sofia, rent included.

Nouakchott $1,824
Sofia $3,324

Nouakchott is about 48% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nouakchott sits 39% below the global median, while Sofia is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 MRU 98.9

$17.10 BGN 29.93

-85.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.09 MRU 964

$66.9 BGN 117

-64.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 MRU 239

$11.77 BGN 20.59

-49.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MRU 71.2

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 MRU 71.5

Cappuccino

$2.30 MRU 92.2

$3.42 BGN 5.99

-32.75%

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

$1.81 MRU 72.5

$2.42 BGN 4.23

-25.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MRU 85.7

$1.86 BGN 3.26

15.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 BGN 5.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MRU 62.5

$1.92 BGN 3.36

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 MRU 11.31

$1.51 BGN 2.64

-81.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MRU 53.2

$2.21 BGN 3.88

-39.82%

Eggs

$2.25 MRU 90.1

$4.40 BGN 7.69

-48.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 MRU 246

$11.56 BGN 20.22

-46.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.30 MRU 212

$8.79 BGN 15.38

-39.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 MRU 286

$16.97 BGN 29.71

-57.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MRU 127

$2.17 BGN 3.79

46.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MRU 75.8

$2.04 BGN 3.57

-7.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 MRU 61.7

$1.84 BGN 3.22

-16.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MRU 44.88

$4.29 BGN 7.51

-73.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MRU 40.08

$1.03 BGN 1.80

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 MRU 35.38

$0.93 BGN 1.62

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MRU 29.48

$1.20 BGN 2.11

-38.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MRU 23.83

$0.92 BGN 1.62

-34.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.91 MRU 397

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 MRU 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MRU 68.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 MRU 98.3

$4.30 BGN 7.53

-42.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 BGN 12.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MRU 17.37

$0.87 BGN 1.52

-50.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 MRU 885

$28.14 BGN 49.24

-21.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 MRU 34.05

$1.74 BGN 3.04

-51.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MRU 15.34

$0.96 BGN 1.68

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 MRU 149

$15.54 BGN 27.19

-76.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MRU 58.3

$1.79 BGN 3.14

-18.44%

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

$7,507 MRU 300.6K

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

-74.96%

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

$9,007 MRU 360.6K

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

-65.84%

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

$129 MRU 5,167

$156 BGN 273

-17.25%

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

$22.36 MRU 895

$21.21 BGN 37.11

5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 MRU 2,412

$15.64 BGN 27.37

285.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 MRU 3,538

$46.76 BGN 81.8

88.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$250 MRU 9,993

$27.74 BGN 48.54

799.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 MRU 159

$10.02 BGN 17.53

-60.28%

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

$450 MRU 18.0K

$766 BGN 1,341

-41.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,440 MRU 297.9K

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

-41.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.25 MRU 610

$89.7 BGN 157

-83.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.00 MRU 921

$40.88 BGN 71.5

-43.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 MRU 2,687

$106 BGN 186

-36.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.05 MRU 1,844

$105 BGN 183

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 MRU 11.9K

$796 BGN 1,393

-62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MRU 7,061

$607 BGN 1,063

-70.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 MRU 29.1K

$1,563 BGN 2,735

-53.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MRU 12.7K

$1,060 BGN 1,855

-70.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 BGN 7,626

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,688

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 MRU 25.0K

$1,740 BGN 3,044

-64.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

592.04%

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

Last update for Nouakchott: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nouakchott

$212 26%

Sofia

$193 12% 8.9% $19

Accommodation & Living

Nouakchott

$176 21.7%

Sofia

$607 37.9% 244% $431

Groceries & Markets

Nouakchott

$153 18.8%

Sofia

$287 17.9% 87.9% $134

Sport & Entertainment

Nouakchott

$96 11.9%

Sofia

$67 4.2% 30.7% $30

Eating Out

Nouakchott

$81 10%

Sofia

$256 16% 216% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Nouakchott

$68 8.4%

Sofia

$154 9.6% 125% $85

Getting Around

Nouakchott

$27 3.3%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 43.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Nouakchott versus $796 in Sofia. 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 179% higher in Sofia, 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 $67.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $287 – making Nouakchott the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇷 Nouakchott

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

04:49 4:49 AM

07:49 7:49 AM

3 h ahead of Nouakchott

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

958,399 Capital

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Mauritanian Ouguiya MRU UM

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MRU = 2.5 USD

100 MRU = 2.23 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to MRU – Mauritanian Ouguiya Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇷 Mauritanian Ouguiya (UM)

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.04 MRU (100 MRU = 2.5 USD). 1 EUR = 44.91 MRU (100 MRU = 2.23 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to MRU in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nouakchott Sofia 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nouakchott
Sofia

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 Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 94% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,231 per month in Nouakchott and $2,384 in Sofia. 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 $820 in Nouakchott and $1,589 in Sofia. That's a gap of about 94%.

Public transport costs about 27% 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 $820, than in Sofia at $1,589. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $820 versus $1,589 in Sofia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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