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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $935 per month in Managua vs $700 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,511 per month in Managua vs $1,148 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Managua vs $1,595 in Masaya, rent included.

Managua costs about 34% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Managua and Masaya are more affordable than the global median – Managua 30% lower, Masaya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 NIO 185

$4.86 NIO 179

3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.78 NIO 1,278

$34.40 NIO 1,265

1.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 NIO 251

$7.17 NIO 263

-4.88%

Cappuccino

$2.47 NIO 90.6

$2.36 NIO 86.8

4.66%

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

$0.78 NIO 28.65

$0.85 NIO 31.30

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.04

$0.75 NIO 27.42

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NIO 46.75

$1.33 NIO 48.97

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 72.1

$1.95 NIO 71.7

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 NIO 45.16

$1.26 NIO 46.26

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NIO 87.4

$2.44 NIO 89.9

-2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 NIO 65.9

$1.89 NIO 69.4

-5.29%

Eggs

$2.28 NIO 83.7

$2.30 NIO 84.6

-0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 NIO 414

$11.37 NIO 418

-1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 NIO 241

$6.42 NIO 236

2.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 NIO 299

$8.15 NIO 299

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 NIO 140

$3.97 NIO 146

-4.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 31.05

$0.84 NIO 30.84

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.1

$1.82 NIO 66.7

0.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 NIO 83.7

$2.18 NIO 80.0

4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 NIO 141

$3.81 NIO 140

0.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 83.2

$2.24 NIO 82.2

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.94

$1.03 NIO 37.75

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 NIO 36.82

$1.02 NIO 37.32

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 NIO 99.4

$2.58 NIO 94.9

4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 NIO 535

$14.61 NIO 537

-0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.1

$1.44 NIO 53.0

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NIO 80.7

$2.21 NIO 81.1

-0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 NIO 4.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 NIO 218

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 NIO 54.5

$1.49 NIO 54.6

-0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 NIO 20.10

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 NIO 246

$6.89 NIO 253

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 NIO 50.2

$1.32 NIO 48.35

3.79%

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

$23.2K NIO 852.6K

$22.9K NIO 840.5K

1.44%

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

$26.2K NIO 964.0K

$26.1K NIO 959.0K

0.52%

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

$96.8 NIO 3,558

$98.2 NIO 3,610

-1.44%

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

$37.90 NIO 1,393

-1.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 NIO 1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 NIO 548

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 NIO 295

$8.12 NIO 299

-1.11%

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

$124 NIO 4,543

$122 NIO 4,500

0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,969 NIO 219.4K

$6,052 NIO 222.5K

-1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 NIO 2,828

$76.8 NIO 2,824

0.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 NIO 2,705

$73.0 NIO 2,685

0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,948

$133 NIO 4,880

1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,939

$108 NIO 3,983

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 NIO 9,341

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NIO 6,926

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NIO 16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.5K

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

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 Masaya: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Managua versus $34.00 in Masaya. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Managua vs $261 in Masaya – so Managua 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: $935 in Managua, $700 in Masaya – roughly 34% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,402 per month in Managua and $1,050 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Managua and $700 in Masaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Managua and $122 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 $935 in Managua and $700 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.