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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $934 per month in Managua vs $699 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,546 per month in Managua vs $1,127 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Managua vs $1,556 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 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 NIO 177

$4.82 NIO 177

0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.38 NIO 1,259

$35.70 NIO 1,307

-3.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 NIO 260

$7.03 NIO 258

1.00%

Cappuccino

$2.45 NIO 89.7

$2.44 NIO 89.3

0.41%

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

$0.86 NIO 31.52

$0.78 NIO 28.63

10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NIO 27.39

$0.69 NIO 25.42

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 NIO 47.34

$1.28 NIO 46.82

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 74.0

$2.06 NIO 75.3

-1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 NIO 46.34

$1.22 NIO 44.67

4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 NIO 86.9

$2.35 NIO 85.9

0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NIO 68.8

$1.80 NIO 65.9

4.44%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 82.1

$2.23 NIO 81.8

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 NIO 416

$11.10 NIO 407

2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 NIO 248

$6.67 NIO 244

1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 NIO 287

$7.98 NIO 292

-1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 NIO 145

$3.82 NIO 140

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 NIO 32.40

$0.84 NIO 30.79

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.7

$1.75 NIO 64.0

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.8

$2.25 NIO 82.3

1.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 NIO 142

$3.95 NIO 145

-1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$2.22 NIO 81.5

-1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 NIO 37.36

$1.05 NIO 38.54

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 NIO 38.53

$1.05 NIO 38.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.5

$2.64 NIO 96.8

-1.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 NIO 545

$14.73 NIO 539

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NIO 51.4

$1.41 NIO 51.8

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$2.26 NIO 82.8

-3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 NIO 4.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.08 NIO 223

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 NIO 54.5

$1.54 NIO 56.4

-3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 NIO 19.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$6.79 NIO 249

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 48.16

$1.37 NIO 50.1

-4.38%

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

$23.0K NIO 841.8K

$22.6K NIO 829.2K

1.53%

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

$25.9K NIO 947.2K

$26.3K NIO 962.1K

-1.56%

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

$99.7 NIO 3,649

$98.4 NIO 3,603

1.30%

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

$17.27 NIO 632

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.55 NIO 1,375

$37.71 NIO 1,381

-0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 NIO 1,301

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.12 NIO 554

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 NIO 298

$8.21 NIO 301

-0.85%

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

$122 NIO 4,482

$124 NIO 4,526

-0.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,884 NIO 215.5K

$5,952 NIO 218.0K

-1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

$76.7 NIO 2,810

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$71.7 NIO 2,625

0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,896

$131 NIO 4,807

1.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,040

$108 NIO 3,942

2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 NIO 9,226

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 NIO 6,834

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 NIO 16.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,189 NIO 43.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$654 NIO 23.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 NIO 13.1K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Masaya: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Managua versus $36.00 in Masaya. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Managua vs $259 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: $934 in Managua, $699 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 $1,401 per month in Managua and $1,049 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $934 in Managua and $699 in Masaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $122 per month in Managua and $124 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 $934 in Managua and $699 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.