Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Nicaragua Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Nicaragua

Name: Nicaragua
Address: NI

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,535 per month in Costa Rica vs $625 in Nicaragua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Costa Rica vs $991 in Nicaragua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,357 in Nicaragua, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 146% higher than in Nicaragua on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while Nicaragua is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,505

$4.26 NIO 156

137.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡26.8K

$30.06 NIO 1,101

100.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 ₡4,516

$6.56 NIO 240

54.27%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,738

$2.20 NIO 80.7

77.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₡982

$0.75 NIO 27.62

193.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡743

$0.68 NIO 24.92

145.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,367

$1.33 NIO 48.60

130.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,969

$2.03 NIO 74.2

117.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡937

$1.19 NIO 43.62

76.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₡1,437

$2.01 NIO 73.7

60.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,115

$1.63 NIO 59.8

53.37%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,505

$2.05 NIO 75.1

64.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,268

$8.16 NIO 299

17.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 ₡4,212

$6.26 NIO 229

50.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡5,992

$7.93 NIO 290

69.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 ₡2,084

$4.17 NIO 153

11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡700

$1.16 NIO 42.66

35.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,428

$2.36 NIO 86.5

35.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,330

$2.12 NIO 77.6

40.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,329

$3.40 NIO 124

-12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,264

$2.04 NIO 74.6

38.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡452

$0.88 NIO 32.19

14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,117

$1.02 NIO 37.24

145.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,270

$3.12 NIO 114

63.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₡7,200

$11.78 NIO 431

37.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,047

$1.42 NIO 52.0

65.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,255

$2.19 NIO 80.0

28.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡452

$0.14 NIO 4.99

621.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.3K

$6.17 NIO 226

710.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡833

$1.08 NIO 39.67

73.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡877

$0.64 NIO 23.35

207.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,397

$6.65 NIO 244

14.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡645

$1.34 NIO 49.19

7.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.5K ₡16.3M

$23.4K NIO 855.4K

56.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$27.6K NIO 1.0M

28.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$87.3 ₡38.9K

$76.4 NIO 2,797

14.32%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.16 ₡11.2K

$17.36 NIO 636

44.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡23.7K

$38.06 NIO 1,394

39.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.6K

$34.54 NIO 1,265

66.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.74 ₡12.8K

$15.29 NIO 560

87.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 ₡4,035

$7.98 NIO 292

13.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$553 ₡246.7K

$107 NIO 3,935

414.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

$8,363 NIO 306.3K

19.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

$66.7 NIO 2,442

7.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.7K

$49.94 NIO 1,829

6.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.0K

$104 NIO 3,808

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.6K

$96.1 NIO 3,521

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₡360.7K

$354 NIO 13.0K

128.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₡242.5K

$275 NIO 10.1K

97.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 ₡654.2K

$603 NIO 22.1K

143.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡454.0K

$499 NIO 18.3K

103.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

$1,177 NIO 43.1K

103.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡730.9K

$636 NIO 23.3K

157.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡476.1K

$309 NIO 11.3K

245.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

10.25

2.73%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nicaragua: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $750 in Costa Rica vs $104 in Nicaragua. For reference, capital cities sit at $860 in San Jose and $258 in Managua.

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $288 in Nicaragua. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 621% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 89% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 1200% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 281% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Costa Rica.

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

Costa Rica vs Nicaragua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nicaragua is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 202% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Nicaragua, contributing to the overall 202% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Nicaragua, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Nicaragua is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.