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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Managua vs $883 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,547 per month in Managua vs $1,251 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,101 per month in Managua vs $1,619 in Granada, rent included.

Managua costs about 12% more than Granada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Managua and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Managua 27% lower, Granada 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 NIO 312

$4.26 NIO 156

99.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 NIO 1,397

$23.87 NIO 874

59.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 NIO 271

$7.04 NIO 258

5.11%

Cappuccino

$2.49 NIO 91.1

$1.77 NIO 64.9

40.68%

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

$0.89 NIO 32.66

$0.87 NIO 31.97

2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.44

$0.64 NIO 23.40

4.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 NIO 51.2

$1.28 NIO 46.72

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NIO 74.7

$1.96 NIO 71.8

4.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.70

$1.22 NIO 44.82

2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 NIO 87.6

$1.60 NIO 58.6

49.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 NIO 65.8

$0.53 NIO 19.56

239.62%

Eggs

$2.42 NIO 88.5

$1.19 NIO 43.53

103.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 NIO 432

$4.89 NIO 179

140.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 NIO 248

$4.98 NIO 182

35.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 NIO 270

$7.29 NIO 267

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NIO 132

$3.63 NIO 133

-0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.36

$0.63 NIO 22.93

-7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.8

$1.82 NIO 66.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NIO 82.6

$0.97 NIO 35.61

131.96%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 NIO 147

$2.80 NIO 103

43.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NIO 81.4

$0.98 NIO 35.76

126.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.68

$1.03 NIO 37.62

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.92

$1.08 NIO 39.53

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 NIO 100

$2.74 NIO 100

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 NIO 544

$10.17 NIO 372

46.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NIO 53.2

$1.41 NIO 51.5

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NIO 85.0

$1.80 NIO 65.9

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 NIO 5.50

$0.11 NIO 4.08

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.18 NIO 226

$3.89 NIO 143

58.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.9

$0.59 NIO 21.44

181.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NIO 40.45

$1.12 NIO 40.98

-1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

$6.98 NIO 256

-1.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 NIO 50.5

$1.34 NIO 49.05

2.99%

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

$23.2K NIO 851.3K

$23.3K NIO 854.7K

-0.39%

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

$25.9K NIO 949.6K

$26.6K NIO 973.0K

-2.40%

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

$113 NIO 4,149

$110 NIO 4,032

2.90%

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

$16.71 NIO 612

$17.23 NIO 631

-3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.41 NIO 1,334

$36.60 NIO 1,340

-0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.22 NIO 1,326

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 NIO 546

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 NIO 311

$8.57 NIO 314

-1.05%

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

$172 NIO 6,313

$176 NIO 6,430

-1.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,111 NIO 223.8K

$6,107 NIO 223.7K

0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 NIO 2,471

$14.90 NIO 546

352.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.7 NIO 2,698

$30.18 NIO 1,105

144.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,795

$34.43 NIO 1,261

280.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,928

$36.05 NIO 1,320

197.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 NIO 9,361

$417 NIO 15.3K

-38.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 NIO 7,018

$347 NIO 12.7K

-44.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 NIO 16.0K

$795 NIO 29.1K

-45.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 NIO 13.3K

$515 NIO 18.9K

-29.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,190 NIO 43.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 NIO 24.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$347 NIO 12.7K

$136 NIO 4,970

156.04%

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: August 3, 2026

Last update for Granada: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Managua versus $417 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 156% 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 $38.00 in Managua versus $24.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $189 – 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: $992 in Managua, $883 in Granada – roughly 12% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,488 per month in Managua and $1,325 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 59% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $172 per month in Managua and $176 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 $992 in Managua and $883 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 $883 in Granada to $992 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.