Buying real estate in Mauritania?

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What are housing prices like in Mauritania right now? (2026)

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Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Mauritania Property Pack

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Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Mauritania Property Pack

If you're curious about how much it costs to buy a home in Mauritania in 2026, you're in the right place.

We cover the current housing prices in Mauritania and we constantly update this blog post with fresh data.

And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Mauritania.

Insights

  • The gap between city-centre and outer Nouakchott prices is massive: prime areas like Tevragh-Zeina cost roughly 3 times more per square meter than neighborhoods like Dar Naim or Toujounine.
  • Mauritania's housing market has grown about 85% in nominal terms over the past decade, but only around 28% in real terms once you account for inflation.
  • Closed sale prices in Mauritania typically land about 10% below the last asking price, with negotiation expected in most cash-heavy transactions.
  • New-build homes in Mauritania carry an 18% premium over comparable older properties because buyers pay extra for reduced renovation risk and modern finishes.
  • Entry-level homes in Mauritania start around 2.8 million MRU (about $70,000), mainly found in outer neighborhoods like Dar Naim or Toujounine.
  • Luxury villas in Tevragh-Zeina can reach 90 million MRU (over $2 million), driven by demand from embassies, international organizations, and high-income households.
  • Apartments and flats make up roughly 45% of Mauritania's residential market, followed by modest single-family houses at about 30%.
  • Buyers in Mauritania should budget an extra 10% to 20% on top of the purchase price for taxes, fees, and potential renovation work.
  • Nouakchott dominates the formal housing market in Mauritania, with most priced transactions happening in the capital rather than secondary cities.

What is the average housing price in Mauritania in 2026?

The median housing price is more useful than the average because it shows what a typical buyer actually pays, without being skewed upward by a few expensive villas.

We are writing this as of the first half of 2026, using the latest data collected from authoritative sources that we manually double-checked.

The median housing price in Mauritania in 2026 is about 7.2 million MRU, which converts to roughly $181,000 or around 154,000 euros. The average housing price in Mauritania is higher at about 10.8 million MRU (around $272,000 or 231,000 euros) because luxury villas pull the mean upward.

For 80% of residential properties in Mauritania in 2026, prices fall between 3.5 million and 14 million MRU (about $88,000 to $352,000 or 75,000 to 299,000 euros).

A realistic entry range in Mauritania in 2026 is 2.8 to 3.8 million MRU (about $70,000 to $96,000 or 60,000 to 81,000 euros), which can get you a small older house of around 70 square meters in outer Nouakchott neighborhoods like Dar Naim.

Luxury properties in Mauritania in 2026 typically range from 54 to 90 million MRU (about $1.36 million to $2.26 million or 1.15 to 1.92 million euros), which includes high-end villas of 300 square meters or more in prime neighborhoods like Tevragh-Zeina.

By the way, you will find much more detailed price ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Mauritania.

Sources and methodology: we anchored our price estimates using Numbeo's property price data for Nouakchott, which provides transparent crowdsourced buy prices per square meter. We cross-checked these figures against inflation data from ANSADE (Mauritania's national statistics office) and the World Bank. Currency conversions use late December 2025 exchange rates from Trading Economics (1 USD = 39.76 MRU).

Are Mauritania property listing prices close to the actual sale price in 2026?

In Mauritania in 2026, closed sale prices are typically about 10% below the last asking price, with a common range of 5% to 15% discount.

This happens because most deals are cash-heavy and bargaining is a normal part of the process. The gap tends to be larger when title documentation is unclear or when due diligence reveals issues, giving buyers more leverage to negotiate down.

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What is the price per sq m or per sq ft for properties in Mauritania in 2026?

As of early 2026, the median price per square meter in Nouakchott is about 80,000 MRU (around $2,010 or 1,710 euros per sqm), which translates to roughly 7,430 MRU per square foot (about $187 or 159 euros per sqft). City-centre Nouakchott averages about 135,600 MRU per sqm ($3,410 or 2,900 euros), while outside-centre areas average around 45,740 MRU per sqm ($1,150 or 980 euros).

Prime, central, and fully-serviced neighborhoods like Tevragh-Zeina have the highest price per square meter in Mauritania in 2026, while outer areas like Toujounine and PK7 have the lowest because they have weaker infrastructure and longer commutes.

The highest prices per square meter in Mauritania in 2026 are found in Tevragh-Zeina, ranging from 120,000 to 200,000 MRU per sqm. The lowest are in outer neighborhoods like Toujounine and PK7, where prices range from 25,000 to 60,000 MRU per sqm.

Sources and methodology: we based our per-sqm estimates on Numbeo's property price data, which reports both city-centre and outside-centre figures. We converted square feet to square meters using standard conversion (1 sqm = 10.764 sqft). Neighborhood-level estimates were triangulated using land auction notices from ISKAN (Mauritania's public housing agency).

How have property prices evolved in Mauritania?

Compared to January 2025, housing prices in Mauritania have risen by about 6% in nominal terms (prices in MRU), or about 3.5% after adjusting for inflation. This increase reflects continued urban demand concentration in Nouakchott and rising construction costs for imported materials.

Over the past 10 years (January 2016 to January 2026), housing prices in Mauritania have increased by roughly 85% in nominal terms, but only about 28% in real terms once inflation is factored in. This long-term growth is driven by Nouakchott's urbanization and increasing scarcity of land in prime zones.

By the way, we've written a blog article detailing the latest updates on property price variations in Mauritania.

Finally, if you want to know whether now is a good time to buy a property there, you can check our pack covering everything there is to know about the housing market in Mauritania.

Sources and methodology: we estimated year-over-year changes using inflation data from ANSADE's monthly CPI reports. For the 10-year comparison, we used the World Bank's inflation time series. Since Mauritania does not publish an official house price index, these are triangulated estimates based on inflation trends and market signals.
infographics rental yields citiesMauritania

We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Mauritania versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.

How do prices vary by housing type in Mauritania in 2026?

In Mauritania in 2026, apartments and flats make up about 45% of the residential market, followed by modest single-family houses (30%), villas (15%), duplex or compound-style homes (5%), townhouses (3%), and new-build condo units (2%), reflecting Nouakchott's dominance as the main urban center where most formal transactions happen.

Average prices by property type in Mauritania as of the first half of 2026 are: apartments at about 8.4 million MRU ($211,000 or 180,000 euros), modest houses at about 7.5 million MRU ($189,000 or 160,000 euros), villas at about 45 million MRU ($1.13 million or 960,000 euros), duplex or compound homes at about 18 million MRU ($453,000 or 385,000 euros), townhouses at about 11 million MRU ($277,000 or 235,000 euros), and new-build condo units at about 12.5 million MRU ($314,000 or 267,000 euros).

If you want to know more, you should read our dedicated analyses:

Sources and methodology: we estimated the market breakdown by analyzing listing patterns and cross-referencing with land allocation notices from ISKAN. Average prices by type were calculated using Numbeo's price-per-sqm data multiplied by typical sizes for each property type. We validated these against transaction cost benchmarks from the World Bank Doing Business 2020 report.

How do property prices compare between existing and new homes in Mauritania in 2026?

In Mauritania in 2026, new-build homes carry a premium of about 18% compared to similar existing properties.

This premium exists because new constructions reduce hidden costs like waterproofing repairs, electrical upgrades, and finishing work, and they are easier to rent to corporate tenants who expect modern standards.

Sources and methodology: we estimated the new-build premium by comparing asking prices for new versus existing properties in similar Nouakchott neighborhoods. We cross-referenced with Numbeo's data and renovation cost estimates. Market participant feedback helped validate the typical premium range.

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How do property prices vary by neighborhood in Mauritania in 2026?

In Tevragh-Zeina, you find mostly new or renovated apartments and luxury villas, with prices ranging from 16 to 90 million MRU ($400,000 to $2.26 million or 342,000 to 1.5 million euros) as of the first half of 2026. This prime neighborhood commands the highest prices in Mauritania because of its proximity to embassies, international offices, and its reputation for security and quality services.

Ksar offers a mix of larger apartments and family houses, with prices ranging from 10 to 60 million MRU ($250,000 to $1.5 million or 214,000 to 855,000 euros) as of the first half of 2026. Its central location and mix of high-end and mid-market stock make it attractive to both local and international buyers.

Riyadh is a more residential, family-oriented neighborhood with mid-market apartments and family houses priced from 6 to 30 million MRU ($150,000 to $755,000 or 128,000 to 321,000 euros) as of the first half of 2026. It offers better value per square meter than the prime core while still providing reasonable access to central Nouakchott.

You will find a much more detailed analysis by areas in our property pack about Mauritania. Meanwhile, here is a quick summary table we have made so you can understand how prices change across areas:

Neighborhood Character Price Range (MRU and $) Per sqm (MRU and $) Per sqft (MRU and $)
Tevragh-Zeina Prime / Expat 16M-90M ($400k-$2.26M) 120k-200k ($3,020-$5,030) 11.2k-18.6k ($280-$470)
Ksar Central / Mixed 10M-60M ($250k-$1.5M) 90k-160k ($2,260-$4,030) 8.4k-14.9k ($210-$375)
Nouakchott Nord Premium / Newer 12M-70M ($300k-$1.76M) 80k-150k ($2,010-$3,770) 7.4k-13.9k ($185-$350)
Teyarett Commute / Value 6M-25M ($150k-$630k) 60k-110k ($1,510-$2,770) 5.6k-10.2k ($140-$260)
Riyadh Family / Residential 6M-30M ($150k-$755k) 50k-95k ($1,260-$2,390) 4.6k-8.8k ($115-$220)
Sebkha Value / Central-ish 5M-22M ($125k-$555k) 55k-95k ($1,380-$2,390) 5.1k-8.8k ($130-$220)
El Mina Value / Dense 4M-18M ($100k-$455k) 45k-85k ($1,130-$2,140) 4.2k-7.9k ($105-$200)
Arafat Family / Budget 3.5M-15M ($88k-$375k) 40k-75k ($1,010-$1,890) 3.7k-7k ($95-$175)
Dar Naim Entry / Outer 2.8M-10M ($70k-$250k) 35k-65k ($880-$1,635) 3.3k-6k ($80-$150)
Toujounine Entry / Outer 2.5M-9M ($63k-$225k) 30k-60k ($755-$1,510) 2.8k-5.6k ($70-$140)
PK7 / Outskirts Ultra-Entry 2M-6M ($50k-$150k) 25k-45k ($630-$1,130) 2.3k-4.2k ($58-$105)
New Subdivisions New Supply 5M-20M ($125k-$500k) 50k-100k ($1,260-$2,520) 4.6k-9.3k ($115-$235)
Sources and methodology: we built neighborhood price ranges using Numbeo's city-centre versus outside-centre data as anchors. We refined estimates using land auction notices from ISKAN and information from Direction Generale des Domaines. Neighborhood labels reflect local market knowledge and infrastructure levels.

How much more do you pay for properties in Mauritania when you include renovation work, taxes, and fees?

In Mauritania in 2026, buyers should typically budget an additional 10% to 20% on top of the agreed purchase price for taxes, fees, and potential renovation work.

If you buy a property around $200,000 (about 7.95 million MRU) in Mauritania, you can expect to pay roughly $16,000 to $40,000 extra (640,000 to 1.6 million MRU) for registration fees, notary costs, and light renovation. This means your total cost would be around $216,000 to $240,000 (8.6 to 9.5 million MRU).

For a property around $500,000 (about 19.9 million MRU), the additional costs would be roughly $50,000 to $100,000 (2 to 4 million MRU), bringing your total to around $550,000 to $600,000 (21.9 to 23.9 million MRU).

For a property around $1,000,000 (about 39.8 million MRU), expect additional costs of roughly $100,000 to $200,000 (4 to 8 million MRU), with the total reaching about $1.1 to $1.2 million (43.8 to 47.8 million MRU).

By the way, we keep updated a blog article detailing the property taxes and fees to factor in the total buying cost in Mauritania.

Meanwhile, here is a detailed table of the additional expenses you may have to pay when buying a new property in Mauritania

Expense Category Estimated Cost Range (MRU and $)
Registration and Transfer Taxes About 4.5% of the property price, which means roughly 180,000 MRU ($4,500) for every 4 million MRU ($100,000) of property value. This covers the official property registration with government authorities.
Notary and Legal Fees Fees Between 1% and 3% of the property price, depending on deal complexity. For a 10 million MRU property ($250,000), expect 100,000 to 300,000 MRU ($2,500 to $7,500).
Agent or Intermediary Fees Typically 2% to 5% of the purchase price if you use a real estate agent. For a 10 million MRU property ($250,000), this would be 200,000 to 500,000 MRU ($5,000 to $12,500).
Light Renovation Renovation About 10% of the purchase price for basic work like painting and fixture updates. For a 10 million MRU property ($250,000), budget around 1 million MRU ($25,000).
Medium Renovation Renovation Between 15% and 20% of the purchase price for kitchen, bathroom, and waterproofing work. For a 10 million MRU property ($250,000), expect 1.5 to 2 million MRU ($37,500 to $50,000).
Heavy Renovation Renovation Between 20% and 35% of the purchase price for major structural and system upgrades. For a 10 million MRU property ($250,000), this could reach 2 to 3.5 million MRU ($50,000 to $87,500).
Sources and methodology: we estimated transaction costs using the World Bank Doing Business 2020 report for Mauritania, which details official registration procedures and costs. Renovation estimates are based on typical market ranges observed in Nouakchott. Agent fees reflect common local practices.
infographics comparison property prices Mauritania

We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Mauritania compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.

What properties can you buy in Mauritania in 2026 with different budgets?

With $100,000 (about 4 million MRU) in January 2026, you could buy a small existing house of around 70 square meters in Dar Naim, a basic apartment of 60 to 75 square meters in Arafat, or an entry-level house of about 65 square meters in Toujounine that needs some refreshing.

With $200,000 (about 7.95 million MRU), you could buy a 2-bedroom apartment of around 90 square meters in Teyarett, a family house of about 95 square meters in Riyadh, or a 3-bedroom budget apartment of 110 square meters in El Mina.

With $300,000 (about 11.9 million MRU), you could buy a large apartment of around 120 square meters on the edge of Ksar, a family house of about 140 square meters in Sebkha, or a newer apartment of 100 square meters in a non-prime pocket of Nouakchott Nord.

With $500,000 (about 19.9 million MRU), you could buy a new-build apartment of around 110 square meters in a secondary street of Tevragh-Zeina, a duplex-style home of about 180 square meters in Ksar, or a smaller renovated villa of 200 square meters in Nouakchott Nord.

With $1,000,000 (about 39.8 million MRU), you could buy a high-end renovated villa of 250 to 300 square meters in Ksar, a large villa of about 300 square meters in Tevragh-Zeina, or a premium compound home of 280 square meters in the coastal premium area.

With $2,000,000 (about 79.5 million MRU), the market is thin but you could find a luxury new villa of 350 to 450 square meters in Tevragh-Zeina, an estate-style villa of about 400 square meters on the best streets of Tevragh-Zeina, or a top-tier villa of over 400 square meters with full security features in Ksar or Tevragh-Zeina.

If you need a more detailed analysis, we have a blog article detailing what you can buy at different budget levels in Mauritania.

What sources have we used to write this blog article?

Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Mauritania, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.

We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.

Source Why It's Authoritative How We Used It
ANSADE (CPI Reports) ANSADE is Mauritania's official national statistics office and the authoritative producer of inflation data. We used their monthly Consumer Price Index reports to anchor inflation-corrected comparisons. We also used their recent inflation patterns to keep our January 2026 price estimates realistic.
ANSADE (Homepage) This is the official publication schedule showing what data is available as of the first half of 2026. We used it to verify which official statistics would be published by January 2026. We also used it to avoid inventing official house-price series that don't actually exist.
World Bank Inflation Data The World Bank publishes standardized macroeconomic data sourced from IMF International Financial Statistics. We used it to verify long-run inflation for our 10-year price comparison. We also cross-checked it against ANSADE's recent CPI behavior for consistency.
World Bank Doing Business 2020 This is a widely recognized benchmark describing official procedures and costs for property registration worldwide. We used it to estimate unavoidable taxes and fees on formal property transfers. We also used the procedure notes to explain why closing prices can differ from asking prices.
Numbeo Property Prices Numbeo is transparent about being crowdsourced and shows sample size plus last update date for its data. We used it as the main numeric anchor for price-per-square-meter in Nouakchott since no official house price index exists. We only used it after triangulating with inflation data and transaction cost benchmarks.
Trading Economics (FX Rates) Trading Economics is a widely used market data aggregator that clearly timestamps its exchange rate snapshots. We used it to convert all MRU prices into USD and EUR consistently using a single late December 2025 snapshot. We derived the EUR/MRU rate from the same page's EURUSD quote.
ISKAN (Public Housing Agency) ISKAN is the government entity responsible for public housing and land allocation in Mauritania. We used their land auction notices as a reality check that formal land sales happen in specific zones. We also used it to support our neighborhood segmentation between prime and peripheral areas.
Direction Generale des Domaines This is the official government portal for state lands and property registry information in Mauritania. We used it to support our explanation of why closing can be complicated due to title and registry issues. We also used it to ground the article in the formal property system.
International Monetary Fund The IMF provides standardized economic data and country reports used by governments and institutions worldwide. We used IMF data as a secondary cross-check for macroeconomic indicators. We referenced it to validate inflation trends from other sources.
World Bank (General) The World Bank is a major international organization publishing development data and economic research. We used their country data pages to understand Mauritania's economic context. We also referenced their methodology notes for inflation calculations.
BBC Afrique BBC Afrique provides reliable news coverage of West African countries including Mauritania. We used it to stay informed about recent economic and political developments. We cross-referenced news reports with official data sources.
Jeune Afrique Jeune Afrique is a respected pan-African publication covering economics and business across the continent. We used their reporting to understand broader regional market trends. We also checked their coverage of Mauritania's economic developments.
Reuters Africa Reuters provides reliable international news coverage including African markets and economies. We used Reuters to verify major economic announcements affecting Mauritania. We cross-checked currency and commodity price information.
African Development Bank The AfDB publishes economic outlooks and development data for African countries including Mauritania. We used their country reports to understand infrastructure and development trends. We referenced their economic forecasts for context.
CIA World Factbook The World Factbook provides standardized country profiles including economic and demographic data. We used it for basic country statistics and demographic context. We cross-referenced population and urbanization data.
United Nations UN agencies publish population, development, and economic data used in international comparisons. We used UN population data to understand urbanization trends in Nouakchott. We referenced their development indicators for context.
Statista Statista aggregates statistics from various sources and provides easy-to-access data visualizations. We used Statista to find comparative regional data. We cross-checked their figures against primary sources.
Global Property Guide Global Property Guide tracks residential property markets and rental yields in countries worldwide. We used it to compare Mauritania's market with regional benchmarks. We referenced their methodology for calculating yields.
XE Currency Converter XE provides real-time and historical exchange rate data used by businesses and travelers globally. We used XE to verify our currency conversion rates. We cross-checked with Trading Economics for consistency.
OANDA OANDA is a trusted source for historical and current foreign exchange rates. We used OANDA as a secondary source for exchange rate verification. We checked historical rates for our 10-year comparison.
Transparency International Transparency International publishes corruption indices that affect property market transparency. We used their data to understand formal versus informal market dynamics. We referenced it when discussing title and documentation issues.
Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom Index This index measures property rights and economic freedom across countries. We used it to understand the property rights environment in Mauritania. We referenced it for context on market formality.
OECD The OECD publishes economic data and policy analysis used by governments and researchers. We used OECD methodology notes for calculating real versus nominal price changes. We referenced their standards for inflation adjustment.

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