Cost of living in Mauritania

Shawnah,

Thank you for your help. What do the local people eat as their staple? When I was living in Yemen they ate Aseed which is a sorghum porriage with a well in the middle and they put a thin yogurt mix and then you dip your fingers full of Aseed into the well. They very rarely eat any kind of meat or chicken as it is too expensive. The fruits and vegetables are very expensive and except for karaath which is young leeks, like a green onion, and a salad made with tomato, leaf lettuce, onion and cucumber they can't afford vegetables either. I am sure it is worse now.

Bread is a major staple. Ironically, only the rich people can make it from white flour. The poor people use freshly ground whole wheat flour. Imagine that!! Here in the US all the people are paying through the nose to buy whole wheat flour!!

Most other foods like milk and eggs are too expensive.
While I was there I learned how to manage the money and so we had eggs, milk, chicken and fruits (bananas and papaya) and vegetables almost every day. I had some chickens I raised for eggs and at one time a goat.

There were also rabbits and I would think that would be a great source of meat. Do they have them there?

So, it sounds like the best thing is to come and see how it is and then decide what to do.

Thanks again and it is nice meeting you.

Kathleen

Hello Kathleen,

The staple meats here are sheep, camel, and fish. While I consider beef here inexpensive I do not see many people eat it as a staple even though it is abundant. Rice and pasta (with oil added) are the main parts of most dishes cooked here. You will see a small amount of meat with a greater helping of rice or pasta (macaroni). Milk and eggs are also highly consumed especially the milk. So a normal day would run like this... Milk and bread for breakfast, fish and rice with vegetables for lunch (heavy meal), and a light meal of macaroni and meat mixture. While the fish and rice are usually only eaten for lunch another meal eaten often for either lunch or dinner is sheep with potatoes and sauce. Bread is used to soak up the sauce. Bread is actually eaten with most meals and is a huge staple here. You will find it easy to eat fruits and vegetable every day if you choose as they are not too expensive most of the year.

I find that my stomach cannot handle the local meals here very well. Too much oil added or the pasta is over cooked. I also cannot handle sheep or camel very well. I do like the fish and rice though which has great flavors and I do not find the rice too oily compared to other rices I have tasted. I personally eat mainly chicken and fish. While I like beef I choose not to eat it as often.

There are rabbits. I don't see them locally or eaten here in the city and to be honest I didn't even know they were available until someone gave me a rabbit as a present about a year ago.

I hope this information helps. You are welcome to ask me anything and I will answer it to the best of my knowledge.

It is nice meeting you as well.

Shawnah