Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Managua Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Managua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,026 in Durres versus $938 in Managua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,569 in Durres versus $1,545 in Managua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Durres versus $2,152 in Managua.

Living in Durres is roughly 9% more expensive than in Managua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durres 23% lower, Managua 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.65 ALL 787

$4.88 NIO 179

97.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.76 ALL 2,835

$34.67 NIO 1,270

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 ALL 566

$7.10 NIO 260

-2.25%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ALL 159

$2.44 NIO 89.2

-20.49%

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

$1.57 ALL 128

$0.81 NIO 29.67

93.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ALL 63.7

$0.69 NIO 25.28

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ALL 198

$1.34 NIO 49.13

80.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ALL 260

$2.02 NIO 74.0

57.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.22 NIO 44.59

59.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ALL 73.6

$2.45 NIO 89.6

-63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.87 NIO 68.5

4.28%

Eggs

$3.04 ALL 248

$2.27 NIO 83.2

33.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 ALL 870

$11.03 NIO 404

-3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 ALL 622

$6.44 NIO 236

18.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ALL 1,061

$7.93 NIO 291

64.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 97.8

$3.84 NIO 141

-68.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 191

$0.90 NIO 32.81

160.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.84 NIO 67.5

-29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 94.7

$2.22 NIO 81.1

-47.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ALL 93.1

$3.90 NIO 143

-70.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ALL 79.9

$2.19 NIO 80.1

-55.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ALL 89.6

$1.02 NIO 37.39

7.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ALL 54.1

$1.05 NIO 38.44

-37.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ALL 322

$2.68 NIO 98.2

47.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 ALL 900

$14.81 NIO 542

-25.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ALL 137

$1.39 NIO 50.9

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ALL 141

$2.18 NIO 79.9

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.98

$0.13 NIO 4.92

276.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.02 ALL 1,470

$5.90 NIO 216

205.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$1.46 NIO 53.5

145.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 ALL 175

$0.54 NIO 19.76

296.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 ALL 1,441

$6.81 NIO 250

159.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ALL 171

$1.31 NIO 48.09

60.31%

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

$15.3K ALL 1.3M

$22.6K NIO 829.4K

-32.23%

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

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

$26.7K NIO 979.7K

-4.81%

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

$67.8 ALL 5,529

$98.0 NIO 3,588

-30.80%

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

$17.88 ALL 1,458

$16.68 NIO 611

7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.58 ALL 1,271

$37.05 NIO 1,357

-57.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 ALL 2,993

$35.43 NIO 1,298

3.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.9 ALL 4,720

$15.02 NIO 550

285.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 ALL 590

$7.80 NIO 286

-7.18%

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

$177 ALL 14.5K

$123 NIO 4,501

44.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,459 ALL 363.6K

$5,934 NIO 217.3K

-24.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.02 ALL 3,101

$76.7 NIO 2,810

-50.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 ALL 3,186

$72.4 NIO 2,652

-46.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 ALL 7,053

$133 NIO 4,879

-35.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 ALL 12.7K

$110 NIO 4,036

41.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ALL 34.6K

$258 NIO 9,456

64.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ALL 25.8K

$191 NIO 6,994

65.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ALL 50.0K

$431 NIO 15.8K

42.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ALL 35.0K

$441 NIO 16.1K

-2.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 ALL 147.5K

$1,189 NIO 43.6K

52.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,130 ALL 92.1K

$647 NIO 23.7K

74.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$939 ALL 76.6K

$358 NIO 13.1K

161.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.25

-48.00%

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

Last update for Durres: July 14, 2026

Last update for Managua: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Durres and $258 in Managua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 162% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Durres vs $35.00 in Managua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $259 per month, with Durres cheaper across the board.

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

Durres vs Managua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Managua wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Durres. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Managua the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 162% higher in Durres, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Durres versus $258 in Managua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,026 per month in Durres versus $938 in Managua – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Managua runs roughly 205% less than in Durres. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Managua gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Managua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Durres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.