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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $998 in Managua versus $1,152 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,576 in Managua versus $1,773 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,154 in Managua versus $2,393 in Durres.

Living in Managua costs roughly 13% less than in Durres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Managua 27% lower, Durres 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 NIO 363

$10.72 ALL 847

-7.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 NIO 1,351

$38.29 ALL 3,027

-3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 NIO 271

$10.64 ALL 841

-30.45%

Cappuccino

$2.49 NIO 91.3

$2.05 ALL 162

21.46%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.78

$2.11 ALL 167

-60.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 24.75

$1.02 ALL 80.5

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NIO 53.3

$3.22 ALL 254

-54.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$4.32 ALL 342

-53.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.46

$2.22 ALL 175

-41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NIO 87.7

$1.14 ALL 90.3

110.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 65.0

$2.41 ALL 190

-26.56%

Eggs

$2.29 NIO 84.0

$3.84 ALL 304

-40.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 NIO 429

$13.11 ALL 1,036

-10.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 NIO 246

$8.03 ALL 635

-16.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 NIO 259

$15.05 ALL 1,189

-53.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NIO 138

$1.24 ALL 98.0

203.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 21.03

$2.54 ALL 201

-77.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 65.0

$1.57 ALL 124

12.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$1.34 ALL 106

62.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 NIO 140

$0.86 ALL 67.9

344.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$0.97 ALL 76.3

122.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 NIO 36.31

$1.24 ALL 98.3

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NIO 37.65

$0.71 ALL 56.5

45.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 NIO 98.5

$4.35 ALL 344

-38.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 NIO 543

$11.42 ALL 903

29.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NIO 54.2

$1.56 ALL 124

-5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NIO 84.8

$2.16 ALL 171

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 NIO 5.64

$0.51 ALL 40.51

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.15 NIO 225

$19.15 ALL 1,514

-67.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$3.68 ALL 291

-54.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NIO 61.0

$2.59 ALL 205

-35.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 NIO 242

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 49.89

$2.17 ALL 172

-37.33%

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

$23.2K NIO 851.4K

$16.1K ALL 1.3M

44.80%

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

$25.9K NIO 947.5K

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

$117 NIO 4,282

$97.0 ALL 7,671

20.48%

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

$16.96 NIO 621

$17.29 ALL 1,367

-1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 NIO 1,338

$17.02 ALL 1,345

114.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.97 NIO 1,208

$42.56 ALL 3,364

-22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 NIO 552

$63.4 ALL 5,010

-76.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 NIO 313

$7.51 ALL 593

13.72%

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

$234 NIO 8,562

$190 ALL 15.0K

22.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,050 NIO 221.6K

$4,635 ALL 366.4K

30.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 NIO 2,563

$39.39 ALL 3,114

77.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 NIO 2,687

$41.78 ALL 3,302

75.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,881

$91.8 ALL 7,254

45.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 4,009

$163 ALL 12.8K

-32.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 NIO 9,341

$471 ALL 37.2K

-45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 NIO 7,009

$335 ALL 26.4K

-42.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 NIO 16.1K

$734 ALL 58.0K

-40.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 NIO 13.4K

$479 ALL 37.9K

-23.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,192 NIO 43.7K

$1,835 ALL 145.1K

-35.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$642 NIO 23.5K

$1,151 ALL 91.0K

-44.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 NIO 13.1K

$975 ALL 77.0K

-63.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.25

95.24%

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

Last update for Managua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Durres: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Managua and $471 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 173% 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: $37.00 in Managua vs $38.00 in Durres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $271 per month, with Managua 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

Managua vs Durres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Managua wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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.

On paper, salaries run 173% lower in Durres. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $255 in Managua versus $471 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $998 per month in Managua versus $1,152 in Durres – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Managua runs roughly 211% less than in Durres. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $998 in Managua versus $1,152 in Durres, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Managua but tight or insufficient in Durres. The gap between the two cities makes Managua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 15% less than in Durres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.