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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $941 per month in Managua vs $722 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,530 per month in Managua vs $1,130 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,119 per month in Managua vs $1,539 in Masaya, rent included.

Managua costs about 30% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Managua and Masaya are more affordable than the global median – Managua 29% lower, Masaya 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 NIO 176

$4.81 NIO 176

-0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.71 NIO 1,271

$35.51 NIO 1,301

-2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 NIO 263

$6.82 NIO 250

5.13%

Cappuccino

$2.37 NIO 86.9

$2.34 NIO 85.8

1.28%

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

$0.85 NIO 31.02

$0.81 NIO 29.54

4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 26.92

$0.69 NIO 25.20

7.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 NIO 46.71

$1.33 NIO 48.66

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

$1.99 NIO 72.8

1.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 NIO 44.10

$1.21 NIO 44.27

-0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 NIO 86.1

$2.43 NIO 89.2

-3.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 66.9

$1.87 NIO 68.5

-2.14%

Eggs

$2.31 NIO 84.4

$2.26 NIO 82.9

2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 NIO 409

$11.07 NIO 406

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 NIO 247

$6.67 NIO 244

1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 NIO 296

$8.18 NIO 300

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 NIO 142

$3.96 NIO 145

-1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 NIO 33.02

$0.88 NIO 32.34

2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.1

$1.83 NIO 67.1

-2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.7

$2.29 NIO 83.8

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 NIO 143

$3.87 NIO 142

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.6

$2.17 NIO 79.3

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.67

$1.02 NIO 37.30

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NIO 38.22

$1.01 NIO 36.95

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 NIO 98.8

$2.63 NIO 96.2

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 NIO 535

$14.78 NIO 541

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.39 NIO 50.8

5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

$2.17 NIO 79.5

1.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 NIO 5.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.15 NIO 225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$1.47 NIO 53.7

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 NIO 19.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.99 NIO 256

$6.76 NIO 248

3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 49.73

$1.37 NIO 50.1

-0.73%

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

$23.0K NIO 840.7K

$23.0K NIO 842.1K

-0.17%

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

$26.4K NIO 965.4K

$26.4K NIO 965.8K

-0.04%

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

$100.0 NIO 3,662

$97.4 NIO 3,568

2.63%

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

$16.76 NIO 614

$17.07 NIO 625

-1.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.86 NIO 1,350

$36.88 NIO 1,351

-0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 NIO 1,328

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 NIO 546

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 NIO 301

$8.15 NIO 298

0.74%

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

$126 NIO 4,622

$122 NIO 4,465

3.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,011 NIO 220.1K

$6,031 NIO 220.9K

-0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 NIO 2,888

$78.6 NIO 2,879

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 NIO 2,691

$72.9 NIO 2,670

0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,886

$131 NIO 4,789

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,917

$110 NIO 4,040

-3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 NIO 9,221

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 NIO 6,980

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 NIO 15.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 NIO 16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,178 NIO 43.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 NIO 23.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 NIO 13.0K

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 16, 2026

Last update for Masaya: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Managua versus $36.00 in Masaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $261 – making Managua 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 Masaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $941 in Managua, $722 in Masaya – roughly 30% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,411 per month in Managua and $1,082 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $941 in Managua and $722 in Masaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $126 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 $941 in Managua and $722 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.