Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Granada Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Granada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $935 per month in Managua vs $809 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,511 per month in Managua vs $1,217 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Managua vs $1,625 in Granada, rent included.

Managua costs about 15% more than Granada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Managua and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Managua 30% lower, Granada 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 NIO 185

$4.34 NIO 160

15.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.78 NIO 1,278

$33.10 NIO 1,217

5.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 NIO 251

Cappuccino

$2.47 NIO 90.6

$2.06 NIO 75.9

19.90%

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

$0.78 NIO 28.65

$0.83 NIO 30.68

-6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.04

$0.63 NIO 23.20

17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NIO 46.75

$1.27 NIO 46.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 72.1

$2.04 NIO 75.2

-3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 NIO 45.16

$1.20 NIO 44.22

2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NIO 87.4

$1.18 NIO 43.48

101.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 NIO 65.9

$0.82 NIO 30.10

118.29%

Eggs

$2.28 NIO 83.7

$1.49 NIO 54.8

53.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 NIO 414

$3.86 NIO 142

191.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 NIO 241

$4.97 NIO 183

32.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 NIO 299

$7.99 NIO 294

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 NIO 140

$3.83 NIO 141

-0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 31.05

$0.85 NIO 31.18

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.1

$1.77 NIO 65.1

3.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 NIO 83.7

$0.96 NIO 35.23

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 NIO 141

$2.22 NIO 81.5

72.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 83.2

$1.07 NIO 39.32

111.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.94

$0.98 NIO 36.06

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 NIO 36.82

$1.06 NIO 38.79

-5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 NIO 99.4

$2.63 NIO 96.8

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 NIO 535

$9.81 NIO 361

48.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.1

$1.40 NIO 51.3

1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NIO 80.7

$1.59 NIO 58.3

38.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 NIO 4.50

$0.10 NIO 3.64

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 NIO 218

$3.92 NIO 144

51.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 NIO 54.5

$0.57 NIO 21.08

159.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 NIO 20.10

$0.59 NIO 21.59

-6.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 NIO 246

$6.90 NIO 254

-2.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 NIO 50.2

$1.26 NIO 46.32

8.73%

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

$23.2K NIO 852.6K

$22.9K NIO 841.6K

1.31%

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

$26.2K NIO 964.0K

$26.3K NIO 965.4K

-0.15%

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

$96.8 NIO 3,558

$98.5 NIO 3,619

-1.69%

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

$16.79 NIO 617

$16.94 NIO 623

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.50 NIO 1,378

$36.97 NIO 1,359

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 NIO 1,302

$34.38 NIO 1,264

3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 NIO 548

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 NIO 295

$8.18 NIO 301

-1.83%

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

$124 NIO 4,543

$125 NIO 4,583

-0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,969 NIO 219.4K

$5,941 NIO 218.4K

0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 NIO 2,828

$15.17 NIO 558

407.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 NIO 2,705

$29.92 NIO 1,100

145.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,948

$34.48 NIO 1,268

290.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,939

$36.20 NIO 1,331

195.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 NIO 9,341

$384 NIO 14.1K

-33.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NIO 6,926

$277 NIO 10.2K

-31.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NIO 16.0K

$601 NIO 22.1K

-27.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.5K

$440 NIO 16.2K

2.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,233 NIO 45.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 NIO 23.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 NIO 13.2K

$168 NIO 6,174

113.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

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

Last update for Managua: April 28, 2026

Last update for Granada: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Managua versus $384 in Granada. 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 114% higher in Managua, 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 $35.00 in Managua versus $33.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $185 – making Granada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $935 in Managua, $809 in Granada – roughly 15% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,402 per month in Managua and $1,214 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Granada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Managua and $125 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Managua and $809 in Granada, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Granada has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $809 in Granada to $935 in Managua. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Granada. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Managua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.