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: $952 in Managua versus $1,046 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,555 in Managua versus $1,596 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,158 in Managua versus $2,146 in Durres.

Living in Managua costs roughly 9% less than in Durres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Managua 29% lower, Durres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 NIO 176

$9.50 ALL 777

-49.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.28 NIO 1,292

$34.79 ALL 2,846

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 NIO 253

$6.94 ALL 568

-0.58%

Cappuccino

$2.44 NIO 89.3

$1.94 ALL 159

25.77%

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

$0.80 NIO 29.36

$1.64 ALL 134

-51.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NIO 25.21

$0.86 ALL 70.3

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.60

$2.32 ALL 190

-42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 NIO 75.4

$3.34 ALL 273

-38.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.85

$2.04 ALL 167

-38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 NIO 86.9

$0.88 ALL 71.8

169.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.8

$2.02 ALL 165

-9.90%

Eggs

$2.31 NIO 84.6

$2.89 ALL 237

-20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 NIO 403

$10.62 ALL 869

3.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 NIO 238

$7.76 ALL 635

-16.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 NIO 297

$13.50 ALL 1,105

-40.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 NIO 141

$1.21 ALL 99.0

219.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.77

$2.42 ALL 198

-63.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 NIO 67.5

$1.28 ALL 105

43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 NIO 83.7

$1.17 ALL 95.4

94.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 NIO 144

$1.15 ALL 94.0

242.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 82.2

$1.03 ALL 83.9

117.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.98

$1.14 ALL 93.5

-7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 NIO 38.52

$0.63 ALL 51.4

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

$3.99 ALL 326

-34.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 NIO 532

$10.86 ALL 888

33.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NIO 51.7

$1.70 ALL 139

-17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NIO 79.1

$1.73 ALL 142

24.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 NIO 5.81

$0.49 ALL 40.16

-67.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 NIO 217

$18.28 ALL 1,495

-67.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.7

$3.55 ALL 290

-58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 NIO 19.61

$2.03 ALL 166

-73.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 NIO 246

$17.65 ALL 1,444

-62.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 NIO 47.27

$2.18 ALL 178

-40.83%

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

$22.7K NIO 831.7K

$15.3K ALL 1.3M

48.45%

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

$26.7K NIO 976.9K

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

3.77%

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

$98.2 NIO 3,595

$68.6 ALL 5,612

43.08%

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

$17.14 NIO 628

$17.91 ALL 1,465

-4.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.51 NIO 1,374

$15.96 ALL 1,306

135.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.85 NIO 1,313

$37.45 ALL 3,064

-4.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 NIO 543

$58.0 ALL 4,747

-74.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 NIO 290

$7.14 ALL 584

10.92%

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

$122 NIO 4,474

$177 ALL 14.5K

-31.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,003 NIO 219.9K

$4,422 ALL 361.7K

35.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 NIO 2,862

$37.99 ALL 3,108

105.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 NIO 2,605

$39.34 ALL 3,218

80.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,802

$85.1 ALL 6,965

53.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,012

$153 ALL 12.5K

-28.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 NIO 9,348

$428 ALL 35.0K

-40.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 NIO 7,000

$322 ALL 26.4K

-40.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 NIO 16.2K

$604 ALL 49.4K

-26.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 NIO 16.3K

$421 ALL 34.4K

5.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,209 NIO 44.3K

$1,803 ALL 147.5K

-32.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 NIO 23.7K

$1,161 ALL 95.0K

-44.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 NIO 13.2K

$860 ALL 70.3K

-58.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.33

92.31%

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

Last update for Managua: May 30, 2026

Last update for Durres: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Managua and $428 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 139% 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 Managua vs $35.00 in Durres. Groceries flip the comparison at $260 vs $243, with Durres cheaper for home cooking.

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 10% 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, Durres earns 139% less. 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 $428 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $952 per month in Managua versus $1,046 in Durres – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Managua runs roughly 208% less than in Durres. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $952 in Managua versus $1,046 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 10% less than in Durres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.