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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $937 per month in Managua vs $804 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,517 per month in Managua vs $1,203 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,097 per month in Managua vs $1,602 in Granada, rent included.

Managua costs about 16% 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

$4.78 NIO 175

$4.36 NIO 160

9.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$32.69 NIO 1,197

9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 NIO 263

$6.82 NIO 250

5.28%

Cappuccino

$2.33 NIO 85.4

$2.01 NIO 73.8

15.92%

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

$0.85 NIO 30.98

$0.84 NIO 30.82

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NIO 25.41

$0.63 NIO 22.97

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NIO 46.62

$1.33 NIO 48.85

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.3

$1.98 NIO 72.6

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.29

$1.14 NIO 41.63

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 NIO 85.7

$1.23 NIO 44.98

90.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NIO 68.1

$0.74 NIO 27.20

151.35%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 82.0

$1.44 NIO 52.9

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 NIO 411

$3.83 NIO 140

192.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 NIO 249

$4.86 NIO 178

40.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 NIO 289

$8.16 NIO 299

-3.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 NIO 146

$3.89 NIO 142

2.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.45

$0.84 NIO 30.84

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 NIO 67.3

$1.81 NIO 66.4

1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$0.92 NIO 33.60

136.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 NIO 140

$2.30 NIO 84.2

66.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.8

$1.09 NIO 39.84

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

$1.01 NIO 37.12

5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.82

$1.01 NIO 36.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 NIO 96.1

$2.74 NIO 100

-4.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 NIO 534

$10.13 NIO 371

44.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NIO 51.8

$1.46 NIO 53.5

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.7

$1.58 NIO 58.0

41.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 NIO 4.74

$0.11 NIO 3.89

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.04 NIO 221

$4.09 NIO 150

47.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 NIO 55.6

$0.58 NIO 21.27

162.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 NIO 19.75

$0.58 NIO 21.20

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$6.83 NIO 250

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 49.85

$1.26 NIO 46.07

7.94%

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

$23.4K NIO 856.7K

$22.9K NIO 839.7K

2.02%

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

$26.1K NIO 955.8K

$25.9K NIO 950.0K

0.61%

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

$97.7 NIO 3,577

$98.5 NIO 3,608

-0.87%

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

$17.22 NIO 631

$16.72 NIO 612

2.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.67 NIO 1,380

$36.72 NIO 1,345

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.30 NIO 1,329

$35.06 NIO 1,284

3.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 NIO 541

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 NIO 301

$8.19 NIO 300

0.24%

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

$124 NIO 4,540

$126 NIO 4,625

-1.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 NIO 219.5K

$6,021 NIO 220.5K

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 NIO 2,829

$14.79 NIO 542

422.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 NIO 2,697

$30.31 NIO 1,110

142.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,830

$35.57 NIO 1,303

270.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,902

$35.87 NIO 1,314

197.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 NIO 9,315

$380 NIO 13.9K

-33.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 NIO 7,041

$277 NIO 10.1K

-30.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 NIO 15.7K

$609 NIO 22.3K

-29.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.4K

$451 NIO 16.5K

-0.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 NIO 43.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 NIO 24.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

$171 NIO 6,246

107.45%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Granada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Managua versus $380 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 107% 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 $36.00 in Managua versus $33.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 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: $937 in Managua, $804 in Granada – roughly 16% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,405 per month in Managua and $1,206 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 48% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Managua and $126 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 $937 in Managua and $804 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 $804 in Granada to $937 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.