Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Managua: $1,050 a month against $1,813 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Managua
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Managua Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Managua

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

$1,050

/mo nomad

Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,813

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Managua and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Managua and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Managua vs $1,813 in Montevideo, rent included.

Managua $1,050
Montevideo $1,813

A couple spends around $1,629 per month in Managua vs $2,782 in Montevideo, rent included.

Managua $1,629
Montevideo $2,782

A family of three spends $2,207 per month in Managua vs $3,750 in Montevideo, rent included.

Managua $2,207
Montevideo $3,750

Managua is about 42% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Managua sits 22% below the global median, while Montevideo is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 NIO 360

$15.26 UYU 613

-35.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.30 NIO 1,293

$67.4 UYU 2,707

-47.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 NIO 273

$14.37 UYU 577

-48.09%

Cappuccino

$2.57 NIO 94.0

$4.64 UYU 186

-44.61%

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

$0.91 NIO 33.42

$2.73 UYU 110

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.28

$2.09 UYU 83.9

-64.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 NIO 54.0

$4.75 UYU 191

-69.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NIO 80.0

$3.67 UYU 147

-40.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.01

$1.38 UYU 55.4

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 NIO 89.4

$2.77 UYU 111

-11.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NIO 69.2

$1.69 UYU 67.7

11.83%

Eggs

$2.32 NIO 84.8

$4.52 UYU 182

-48.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 NIO 420

$14.17 UYU 569

-19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 NIO 226

$12.07 UYU 485

-48.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 NIO 286

$12.16 UYU 488

-35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 NIO 143

$2.87 UYU 115

35.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.38

$2.75 UYU 110

-78.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.4

$1.73 UYU 69.4

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 NIO 88.5

$3.24 UYU 130

-25.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$2.07 UYU 83.0

85.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.1

$2.07 UYU 83.0

5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 NIO 40.26

$1.38 UYU 55.4

-20.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.22

$1.85 UYU 74.4

-44.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 NIO 102

$5.57 UYU 224

-49.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 NIO 527

$8.89 UYU 357

61.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.0

$2.29 UYU 92.1

-37.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NIO 80.7

$2.70 UYU 108

-18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 NIO 4.42

$1.52 UYU 61.2

-92.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 NIO 216

$73.7 UYU 2,958

-92.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 NIO 60.2

$1.82 UYU 73.3

-9.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NIO 60.2

$0.40 UYU 16.02

310.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 NIO 243

$10.66 UYU 428

-37.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 NIO 50.5

$2.22 UYU 89.0

-37.84%

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

$22.9K NIO 838.8K

$26.7K UYU 1.1M

-14.36%

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

$25.9K NIO 947.8K

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

-29.57%

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

$152 NIO 5,561

$191 UYU 7,662

-20.44%

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

$19.55 NIO 716

$20.40 UYU 819

-4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.50 NIO 1,190

$44.14 UYU 1,772

-26.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.76 NIO 1,273

$54.1 UYU 2,174

-35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 NIO 554

$19.68 UYU 790

-23.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 NIO 333

$12.33 UYU 495

-26.12%

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

$231 NIO 8,466

$613 UYU 24.6K

-62.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,110 NIO 223.8K

$11.0K UYU 443.6K

-44.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 NIO 2,161

$103 UYU 4,128

-42.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 NIO 2,373

$56.1 UYU 2,251

15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NIO 4,415

$124 UYU 4,993

-3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 NIO 5,406

$130 UYU 5,207

13.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 NIO 9,231

$705 UYU 28.3K

-64.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 NIO 6,656

$575 UYU 23.1K

-68.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 NIO 16.5K

$1,139 UYU 45.7K

-60.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 NIO 14.0K

$1,016 UYU 40.8K

-62.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 NIO 43.9K

$3,349 UYU 134.4K

-64.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 NIO 25.1K

$1,942 UYU 78.0K

-64.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 NIO 15.3K

$1,229 UYU 49.4K

-66.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.92

5.74

107.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Managua: October 3, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Managua

$257 24.8%

Montevideo

$332 18.7% 29.2% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Managua

$204 19.6%

Montevideo

$255 14.3% 25.3% $51

Accommodation & Living

Managua

$182 17.5%

Montevideo

$575 32.3% 217% $394

Clothing & Footwear

Managua

$176 17%

Montevideo

$186 10.4% 5.4% $9.4

Eating Out

Managua

$150 14.5%

Montevideo

$271 15.2% 80.6% $121

Sport & Entertainment

Managua

$53 5.1%

Montevideo

$79 4.4% 48.8% $26

Getting Around

Managua

$16 1.6%

Montevideo

$84 4.7% 415% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Managua versus $705 in Montevideo. 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 195% higher in Montevideo, 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 $35.00 in Managua versus $67.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $332 – making Managua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇮 Managua

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🕒 Local time

19:18 7:18 PM

22:18 10:18 PM

3 h ahead of Managua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,039,290 Capital

1,319,108 Capital

💱 Currency

Nicaraguan Córdoba NIO C$

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

100 NIO = 2.73 USD

100 NIO = 2.43 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to NIO – Nicaraguan Córdoba Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇮 Nicaraguan Córdoba (C$)

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 41.08 NIO (100 NIO = 2.43 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.15 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.03 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

USD to NIO in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Managua Montevideo 6,120 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Managua
Montevideo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,050 in Managua, $1,813 in Montevideo – roughly 73% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,575 per month in Managua and $2,720 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Managua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1153% less in Managua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $231 per month in Managua and $613 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Managua, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Montevideo at $1,813. In Managua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,050 in Managua to $1,813 in Montevideo. 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 Managua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.