Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Masaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Masaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,005 per month in Managua vs $791 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,590 per month in Managua vs $1,238 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,174 per month in Managua vs $1,685 in Masaya, rent included.

Managua costs about 27% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Managua and Masaya are more affordable than the global median – Managua 27% lower, Masaya 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.80 NIO 359

$10.18 NIO 373

-3.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.22 NIO 1,400

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 NIO 284

$7.43 NIO 272

4.58%

Cappuccino

$2.49 NIO 91.1

$2.54 NIO 93.1

-1.97%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.34

$0.89 NIO 32.49

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.86

$0.69 NIO 25.11

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.41 NIO 51.7

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.9

$1.96 NIO 71.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 NIO 47.41

$1.25 NIO 45.70

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 NIO 88.4

$2.39 NIO 87.5

0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NIO 63.3

$1.74 NIO 63.6

-0.57%

Eggs

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$2.33 NIO 85.3

-1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 NIO 416

$11.49 NIO 421

-1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 NIO 249

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 NIO 267

$7.04 NIO 258

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 NIO 135

$3.80 NIO 139

-2.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 20.92

$0.57 NIO 20.94

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.2

$1.82 NIO 66.8

-2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 NIO 83.1

$2.18 NIO 79.9

4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 NIO 146

$3.87 NIO 142

3.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.8

$2.15 NIO 78.8

1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.56

$1.04 NIO 38.23

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.27

$1.03 NIO 37.64

3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 NIO 98.5

$2.70 NIO 98.8

-0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.42 NIO 528

$14.73 NIO 540

-2.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.3

$1.43 NIO 52.4

2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NIO 82.0

$2.30 NIO 84.2

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 NIO 5.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.95 NIO 218

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.9

$1.64 NIO 60.1

1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NIO 60.3

$1.67 NIO 61.2

-1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 NIO 245

$6.83 NIO 250

-2.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 NIO 50.1

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

$23.2K NIO 851.0K

$23.1K NIO 846.0K

0.58%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.5K

$26.8K NIO 982.0K

-2.19%

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

$120 NIO 4,410

$121 NIO 4,419

-0.21%

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

$17.32 NIO 634

$16.90 NIO 619

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.41 NIO 1,370

$36.49 NIO 1,336

2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.71 NIO 1,235

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 NIO 552

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 NIO 320

$8.75 NIO 320

-0.11%

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

$238 NIO 8,706

$237 NIO 8,689

0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,082 NIO 222.8K

$6,081 NIO 222.7K

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 NIO 2,638

$69.8 NIO 2,557

3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.7 NIO 2,699

$73.8 NIO 2,701

-0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,819

$133 NIO 4,881

-1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 3,996

$109 NIO 3,977

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 NIO 9,545

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 NIO 6,968

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 NIO 13.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 NIO 44.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$638 NIO 23.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.8K

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Masaya: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Managua versus $38.00 in Masaya. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Managua vs $256 in Masaya – so Masaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Masaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,005 in Managua, $791 in Masaya – roughly 27% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,508 per month in Managua and $1,187 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,005 in Managua and $791 in Masaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $238 per month in Managua and $237 in Masaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,005 in Managua and $791 in Masaya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Masaya. 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.