Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Managua vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,576 per month in Managua vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,154 per month in Managua vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Managua is about 20% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Managua and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Managua 27% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 NIO 363

$4.56 ฿150

117.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 NIO 1,351

$32.62 ฿1,073

13.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 NIO 271

$8.90 ฿293

-16.85%

Cappuccino

$2.49 NIO 91.3

$2.80 ฿92.2

-11.07%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.78

$0.88 ฿28.94

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 24.75

$0.49 ฿16.08

38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NIO 53.3

$2.39 ฿78.5

-39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$3.71 ฿122

-45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.46

$1.79 ฿58.8

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NIO 87.7

$1.44 ฿47.40

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 65.0

$1.58 ฿52.1

12.03%

Eggs

$2.29 NIO 84.0

$2.13 ฿69.9

7.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 NIO 429

$19.92 ฿655

-41.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 NIO 246

$3.43 ฿113

95.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 NIO 259

$11.33 ฿372

-37.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NIO 138

$2.95 ฿97.0

27.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 21.03

$1.72 ฿56.6

-66.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 65.0

$2.32 ฿76.5

-23.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$2.08 ฿68.4

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 NIO 140

$1.47 ฿48.34

159.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$1.36 ฿44.65

58.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 NIO 36.31

$1.10 ฿36.13

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NIO 37.65

$0.57 ฿18.89

80.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 NIO 98.5

$4.27 ฿140

-37.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 NIO 543

$18.42 ฿606

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NIO 54.2

$1.87 ฿61.5

-20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NIO 84.8

$2.92 ฿96.1

-20.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 NIO 5.64

$2.22 ฿73.0

-93.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.15 NIO 225

$22.90 ฿753

-73.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$3.03 ฿99.6

-45.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NIO 61.0

$1.07 ฿35.32

56.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 NIO 242

$3.93 ฿129

68.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 49.89

$1.49 ฿49.06

-8.72%

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

$23.2K NIO 851.4K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-14.31%

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

$25.9K NIO 947.5K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-5.75%

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

$117 NIO 4,282

$103 ฿3,380

13.73%

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

$16.96 NIO 621

$10.99 ฿361

54.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 NIO 1,338

$17.51 ฿576

108.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.97 NIO 1,208

$53.5 ฿1,760

-38.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 NIO 552

$11.20 ฿368

34.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 NIO 313

$7.48 ฿246

14.17%

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

$234 NIO 8,562

$557 ฿18.3K

-58.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,050 NIO 221.6K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-48.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 NIO 2,563

$64.1 ฿2,107

9.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 NIO 2,687

$29.07 ฿956

152.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,881

$96.0 ฿3,155

38.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 4,009

$90.3 ฿2,970

21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 NIO 9,341

$730 ฿24.0K

-65.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 NIO 7,009

$500 ฿16.4K

-61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 NIO 16.1K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 NIO 13.4K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-69.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,192 NIO 43.7K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-66.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$642 NIO 23.5K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-74.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 NIO 13.1K

$503 ฿16.6K

-29.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.57

84.02%

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

Last update for Managua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Managua versus $730 in Phuket. 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 41% higher in Phuket, 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 $37.00 in Managua versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Managua vs $273 in Phuket – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $998 in Managua, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 26% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,497 per month in Managua and $1,880 in Phuket. 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 272% less in Managua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $234 per month in Managua and $557 in Phuket. 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 $998, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Managua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $998 in Managua to $1,253 in Phuket. 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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.