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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $726 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,199 in Nouakchott, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,673 in Nouakchott, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 68% more than Nouakchott, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Nouakchott are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Nouakchott 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$2.56 MRU 102

269.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$24.12 MRU 965

62.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.75

$6.10 MRU 244

39.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MRU 71.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 MRU 68.7

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$2.30 MRU 92.1

0.87%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.79 MRU 71.7

-11.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.37

$2.19 MRU 87.6

-52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.57 MRU 62.7

-29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$0.26 MRU 10.36

680.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.96

$1.31 MRU 52.6

3.82%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.24 MRU 89.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$5.89 MRU 236

76.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$5.41 MRU 216

-21.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$7.27 MRU 291

34.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.46

$2.86 MRU 115

-8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.78 MRU 71.1

2.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$1.38 MRU 55.0

15.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$0.90 MRU 36.03

102.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.78 MRU 31.20

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.23

$0.87 MRU 34.66

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.73 MRU 29.16

-4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.59 MRU 23.52

13.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.17 MRU 407

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MRU 105

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MRU 67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$2.46 MRU 98.4

19.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.96

$0.46 MRU 18.57

110.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$21.87 MRU 876

128.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$0.89 MRU 35.69

32.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$0.35 MRU 14.13

148.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.52

$3.51 MRU 140

152.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$1.46 MRU 58.5

-13.70%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$7,435 MRU 297.6K

218.09%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$8,979 MRU 359.4K

266.36%

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

$136 R$697

$129 MRU 5,148

5.76%

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

$11.93 R$61.2

$22.36 MRU 895

-46.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$59.5 MRU 2,380

-63.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$29.92 MRU 1,198

0.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$246 MRU 9,852

-88.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.60

$4.04 MRU 162

91.09%

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

$550 R$2,820

$449 MRU 18.0K

22.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$7,502 MRU 300.3K

77.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$22.47 MRU 900

78.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$22.51 MRU 901

112.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$68.8 MRU 2,756

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$41.81 MRU 1,674

55.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,208

$217 MRU 8,678

278.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,555

$150 MRU 5,989

233.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,586

$735 MRU 29.4K

74.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$286 MRU 11.4K

150.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$6,369 MRU 254.9K

-38.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,596

$2,930 MRU 117.3K

-49.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,330

$577 MRU 23.1K

12.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

-40.35%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nouakchott: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $217 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 Rio de Janeiro, 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 $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $24.00 in Nouakchott. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $148 – 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

Rio de Janeiro vs Nouakchott: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 68% 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 $1,826 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,089 in Nouakchott. 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 $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro and $726 in Nouakchott. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 129% 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 $726, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,217. In Nouakchott it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nouakchott costs $726 versus $1,217 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.