How much does a trip to Mauritania cost? Daily budget and prices

Mauritania is cheap on the ground and expensive to move around. Beds, food and buses cost little; the moment you add a 4x4 and driver for the Adrar, the daily figure jumps by €50–150. Decide first whether you are doing the desert with a vehicle, because that single choice moves you between the tiers below.

Figures are per person per day, sharing at mid-range and comfort, 2026 estimate. International flights, the e-visa and the domestic flight to Atar or Nouadhibou are not included.

Street and small-restaurant food is the cheapest part of the trip: a rice and fish plate in Nouakchott runs 100–200 MRU. In the Adrar, guesthouses and auberges usually bundle dinner and breakfast, which keeps the food line low and removes the need to hunt for a restaurant after dark.

Transport is where the money goes. A 4x4 with driver is €100–150 per day, and that price is per vehicle, not per person — two travellers split it, four travellers quarter it. Buses and shared cars between towns cost a fraction of that but run to their own timetable and stop where they stop.

The parent guide's first-trip shape — 1–2 nights in Nouakchott, then 4–5 nights in the Adrar with a licensed guide and driver — is the most useful thing to price. Below are rough totals for one person, excluding international flights and the e-visa.

The currency is the Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU). Cards are accepted in very few places outside a handful of Nouakchott hotels, so treat this as a cash trip. Bring euros and change them in Nouakchott or Nouadhibou before heading inland.

ATMs are few and often reject foreign cards. Mobile wallets such as Bankily, Masrvi and Sedad run daily life for residents, but they need a local bank account, so they are not an option for a short visit. Carry enough cash for the whole Adrar leg plus a buffer.

Share the 4x4. This is the whole game: the same vehicle and driver costs the same whether one person or four are in it. Joining another traveller or a small group for the Adrar leg can halve your daily spend.

Second, use the domestic flight only when it saves a night you would otherwise pay for. Third, sleep and eat in auberges that bundle meals rather than hotels with separate restaurants. Fourth, keep the itinerary tight — extra desert days are extra vehicle days.

Fuel and vehicle availability set the 4x4 price, and it moves with season and demand. The e-visa fee and the Banc d'Arguin entry fee are quoted here as estimates — confirm both before you commit. International flights to Nouakchott vary widely by origin and season and are not part of any figure on this page.

If your plans depend on a fixed number, price the vehicle first, then build the rest of the budget around it. Everything else in Mauritania is cheap enough that the 4x4 decision dominates.