Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Juarez and Managua Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Juarez and Managua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $998 in Managua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,974 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $1,576 in Managua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Ciudad Juarez vs $2,154 in Managua, rent included.

Ciudad Juarez costs about 23% more than Managua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ciudad Juarez and Managua are more affordable than the global median – Ciudad Juarez 11% lower, Managua 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.03 MX$170
$9.91 NIO 363
1.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.86 MX$609
$36.90 NIO 1,351
-2.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.00 MX$187
$7.40 NIO 271
48.65%
Cappuccino
$3.03 MX$51.5
$2.49 NIO 91.3
21.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 MX$19.88
$0.84 NIO 30.78
39.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 MX$13.11
$0.68 NIO 24.75
13.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.24 MX$38.02
$1.45 NIO 53.3
54.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.75 MX$80.8
$2.03 NIO 74.5
133.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 MX$30.72
$1.30 NIO 47.46
39.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 MX$40.76
$2.40 NIO 87.7
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 MX$28.81
$1.77 NIO 65.0
-3.95%
Eggs
$2.40 MX$40.86
$2.29 NIO 84.0
4.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.56 MX$230
$11.71 NIO 429
15.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.30 MX$124
$6.70 NIO 246
8.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.06 MX$222
$7.07 NIO 259
84.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 MX$47.83
$3.76 NIO 138
-25.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 MX$36.97
$0.57 NIO 21.03
282.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$32.99
$1.77 NIO 65.0
9.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.40
$2.18 NIO 79.9
3.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 MX$29.22
$3.82 NIO 140
-54.97%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 MX$40.41
$2.16 NIO 79.2
10.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.64 MX$27.89
$0.99 NIO 36.31
65.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 MX$19.65
$1.03 NIO 37.65
12.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.81 MX$81.8
$2.69 NIO 98.5
78.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.94 MX$203
$14.82 NIO 543
-19.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$22.15
$1.48 NIO 54.2
-12.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 MX$57.2
$2.32 NIO 84.8
45.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 MX$11.61
$0.15 NIO 5.64
353.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.22 MX$497
$6.15 NIO 225
375.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.32 MX$73.4
$1.66 NIO 60.8
160.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 MX$19.72
$1.67 NIO 61.0
-30.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.64 MX$300
$6.61 NIO 242
166.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$24.80
$1.36 NIO 49.89
7.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$383.0K
$23.2K NIO 851.4K
-3.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K MX$458.1K
$25.9K NIO 947.5K
4.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.9 MX$1,528
$117 NIO 4,282
-23.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.94 MX$407
$16.96 NIO 621
41.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.31 MX$532
$36.52 NIO 1,338
-14.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.67 MX$589
$32.97 NIO 1,208
5.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.35 MX$278
$15.06 NIO 552
8.57%
Cinema Ticket
$4.61 MX$78.3
$8.54 NIO 313
-46.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$238 MX$4,044
$234 NIO 8,562
1.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,003 MX$51.0K
$6,050 NIO 221.6K
-50.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.3 MX$1,075
$70.0 NIO 2,563
-9.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.44 MX$602
$73.4 NIO 2,687
-51.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.2 MX$1,346
$133 NIO 4,881
-40.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.8 MX$1,509
$109 NIO 4,009
-18.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$643 MX$10.9K
$255 NIO 9,341
152.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$424 MX$7,202
$191 NIO 7,009
121.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,073 MX$18.2K
$439 NIO 16.1K
144.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$927 MX$15.8K
$366 NIO 13.4K
153.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,041 MX$17.7K
$1,192 NIO 43.7K
-12.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$729 MX$12.4K
$642 NIO 23.5K
13.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ciudad Juarez
Managua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$614 MX$10.4K
$357 NIO 13.1K
72.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.32
10.25
10.44%

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

Last update for Ciudad Juarez: August 30, 2026

Last update for Managua: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Ciudad Juarez versus $255 in Managua. 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 72% higher in Ciudad Juarez, 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 $36.00 in Ciudad Juarez versus $37.00 in Managua. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Ciudad Juarez vs $257 in Managua – so Managua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Ciudad Juarez vs Managua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ciudad Juarez and in Managua compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,223 in Ciudad Juarez, $998 in Managua – roughly 23% apart. Ciudad Juarez costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Ciudad Juarez compared to Managua?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,834 per month in Ciudad Juarez and $1,497 in Managua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ciudad Juarez and Managua?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Managua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ciudad Juarez and $37.00 in Managua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ciudad Juarez or Managua?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in Ciudad Juarez and $998 in Managua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Managua, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Ciudad Juarez at $1,223. In Managua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ciudad Juarez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Ciudad Juarez or Managua?
Families tend to lean toward Managua – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Ciudad Juarez and Managua?
If budget matters most, go with Managua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ciudad Juarez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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