Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nouakchott Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nouakchott

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$4.94 MRU 197
142.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$24.95 MRU 995
67.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$6.37 MRU 254
68.76%
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
$3.50 MX$60.9
$2.40 MRU 95.8
45.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$1.83 MRU 72.8
-20.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$2.14 MRU 85.3
-58.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.38 MRU 55.0
3.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$0.27 MRU 10.72
581.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$1.25 MRU 50.0
25.60%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$2.20 MRU 87.7
14.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$8.10 MRU 323
2.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$5.62 MRU 224
50.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$7.34 MRU 293
45.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$2.27 MRU 90.7
14.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$1.83 MRU 72.8
-21.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$1.46 MRU 58.1
34.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$0.97 MRU 38.57
115.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$0.80 MRU 32.10
131.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$0.85 MRU 33.72
155.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$0.56 MRU 22.51
83.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.69 MRU 27.51
55.07%
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)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$2.55 MRU 102
60.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$0.53 MRU 21.14
-3.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$17.96 MRU 716
44.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$0.84 MRU 33.53
284.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$0.26 MRU 10.45
826.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$5.76 MRU 230
-43.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.39 MRU 55.5
-5.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$7,604 MRU 303.2K
290.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$9,039 MRU 360.5K
161.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$144 MRU 5,752
-43.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$25.38 MRU 1,012
-9.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$60.8 MRU 2,425
-50.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$86.0 MRU 3,431
-39.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$256 MRU 10.2K
-92.75%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$4.48 MRU 179
11.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$81.4 MRU 3,247
142.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$5,925 MRU 236.3K
-9.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$20.58 MRU 821
72.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$20.50 MRU 818
96.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$70.2 MRU 2,801
12.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$35.30 MRU 1,408
151.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$229 MRU 9,127
313.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$164 MRU 6,549
188.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$636 MRU 25.4K
158.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$317 MRU 12.7K
281.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$6,610 MRU 263.6K
-38.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$3,019 MRU 120.4K
114.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Nouakchott
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$578 MRU 23.1K
13.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
16.5
-30.79%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $229 in Nouakchott. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Nouakchott. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $152 – 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
Playa del Carmen vs Nouakchott: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Nouakchott?
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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Nouakchott?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,277 in Nouakchott. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Nouakchott?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Nouakchott?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $851 in Nouakchott. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Nouakchott?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Nouakchott. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Nouakchott?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Nouakchott?
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.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Nouakchott?
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.

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