For one person, living is cheaper in Mauritania: $767 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in the United States and in Mauritania
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in Mauritania actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in the United States versus $767 in Mauritania.
United States $2,734
Mauritania $767
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in the United States versus $1,280 in Mauritania.
United States $3,985
Mauritania $1,280
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,235 in the United States versus $1,793 in Mauritania.
United States $5,235
Mauritania $1,793
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $267–$807 in Mauritania. City choice carries more weight in the United States.
🌍
Living in the United States is roughly 256% more expensive than in Mauritania on average.
📊
The United States (101% above) and Mauritania (44% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.03$20.03
$2.56MRU 103
682.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0$80.0
$23.06MRU 926
247.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.80$11.80
$6.05MRU 243
95.04%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.72MRU 69.0
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.70MRU 68.0
-
Cappuccino
$5.55$5.55
$2.26MRU 90.8
145.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66$2.66
$1.78MRU 71.3
49.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17$2.17
$2.10MRU 84.3
3.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.12$6.12
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.94$7.94
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04$1.04
$1.48MRU 59.3
-29.73%
White Bread(500g)
$3.59$3.59
$0.28MRU 11.37
1182.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.52$4.52
$1.32MRU 53.0
242.42%
Eggs
$4.28$4.28
$2.30MRU 92.2
86.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.22$13.22
$5.88MRU 236
124.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.60$12.60
$5.28MRU 212
138.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.60$17.60
$6.48MRU 260
171.60%
Apples(1kg)
$5.30$5.30
$2.91MRU 117
82.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69$1.69
$1.74MRU 70.0
-2.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.44$4.44
$1.42MRU 56.8
212.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.77$4.77
$0.86MRU 34.62
454.65%
Potato(1kg)
$2.97$2.97
$0.86MRU 34.66
245.35%
Onion(1kg)
$3.15$3.15
$0.73MRU 29.18
331.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.20$2.20
$0.71MRU 28.54
209.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35$2.35
$0.59MRU 23.81
298.31%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$10.16MRU 408
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.60MRU 104
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.68MRU 67.3
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.98$10.98
$2.52MRU 101
335.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.05$15.05
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06$2.06
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79$3.79
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
United States
Mauritania
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94$1.94
$0.43MRU 17.18
351.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.4$59.4
$22.04MRU 884
169.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.58$3.58
$0.84MRU 33.79
326.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.88$1.88
$0.35MRU 14.13
437.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.84$29.84
$4.84MRU 194
516.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02$1.02
$1.33MRU 53.3
-23.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K$28.8K
$7,496MRU 300.8K
283.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K$26.2K
$8,991MRU 360.8K
191.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$218$218
$130MRU 5,213
67.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.5$62.5
$22.09MRU 886
182.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.5$74.5
$59.6MRU 2,393
24.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.86$41.86
$87.9MRU 3,527
-52.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.81$22.81
$253MRU 10.2K
-90.99%
Cinema Ticket
$14.70$14.70
$4.08MRU 164
260.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,489$1,489
$434MRU 17.4K
242.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.3K$25.3K
$7,580MRU 304.2K
233.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3$54.3
$15.43MRU 619
252.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.71$42.71
$22.70MRU 911
88.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1$94.1
$68.3MRU 2,741
37.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114$114
$46.86MRU 1,880
142.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United States
Mauritania
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,659$1,659
$192MRU 7,711
763.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,348$1,348
$138MRU 5,550
874.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,682$2,682
$735MRU 29.5K
264.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,169$2,169
$283MRU 11.3K
667.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,283$3,283
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,482$2,482
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
United States
Mauritania
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,296$4,296
$640MRU 25.7K
570.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.55
20
-67.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026
Last update for Mauritania: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
United States
$1.3K 49.3%
Mauritania
$138 18% ↓ 89.7%$1.2K
🛒Groceries & Markets
United States
$415 15.2%
Mauritania
$145 18.8% ↓ 65.2%$271
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
$355 13%
Mauritania
$212 27.6% ↓ 40.4%$143
🍽Eating Out
United States
$328 12%
Mauritania
$81 10.6% ↓ 75.2%$247
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
United States
$137 5%
Mauritania
$69 9% ↓ 49.7%$68
🚌Getting Around
United States
$80 2.9%
Mauritania
$26 3.4% ↓ 67.1%$54
🎉Sport & Entertainment
United States
$71 2.6%
Mauritania
$96 12.5% ↑ 34.8%$25
🏠Accommodation & Living
United States
$2.2K 41.4%
Mauritania
$283 15.8% ↓ 87%$1.9K
🛒Groceries & Markets
United States
$953 18.2%
Mauritania
$356 19.8% ↓ 62.7%$597
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
$417 8%
Mauritania
$234 13% ↓ 44%$184
🍽Eating Out
United States
$1.1K 20.3%
Mauritania
$269 15% ↓ 74.7%$793
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
United States
$305 5.8%
Mauritania
$153 8.6% ↓ 49.7%$151
🚌Getting Around
United States
$164 3.1%
Mauritania
$54 3% ↓ 67.4%$111
🎉Sport & Entertainment
United States
$165 3.2%
Mauritania
$445 24.8% ↑ 169%$280
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,620 in the United States, $176 in Mauritania. Capital cities: $2,768 in Washington, DC vs $288 in Nouakchott.
💰National salary averages: $4,549 in the United States, $641 in Mauritania. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 820% higher in the United States.
⭐Dining out costs 257% more in the United States.
⭐Public transport is 186% more expensive in the United States.
⭐Salaries are about 7.1 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.
United States→Mauritania7,160 km≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
United States
Mauritania
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
United States vs Mauritania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Mauritania and the United States?
At $767 per month in Mauritania and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 256% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Mauritania: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $176 in Mauritania. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to Mauritania or to the United States?
It depends on what you’re after: Mauritania wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
United States vs other spots: cost of living compared