Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Managua: $1,042 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

51

Cost of Living Index in Managua
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Managua Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Managua

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

$1,042

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Managua and in Phuket

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 Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,042 per month in Managua vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Managua $1,042
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,629 per month in Managua vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Managua $1,629
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $2,215 per month in Managua vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Managua $2,215
Phuket $2,867

Managua is about 14% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Managua and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Managua 23% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 NIO 360

$4.58 ฿153

114.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 NIO 1,305

$32.48 ฿1,086

9.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 NIO 275

$8.55 ฿286

-12.16%

Cappuccino

$2.58 NIO 94.4

$2.72 ฿91.0

-5.15%

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

$0.91 NIO 33.38

$0.94 ฿31.25

-3.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.07

$0.49 ฿16.39

51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 NIO 54.0

$2.59 ฿86.6

-43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 81.1

$3.83 ฿128

-42.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 44.57

$1.74 ฿58.1

-29.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 NIO 87.5

$1.43 ฿47.82

67.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NIO 68.7

$1.53 ฿51.0

22.88%

Eggs

$2.43 NIO 88.9

$2.17 ฿72.7

11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 NIO 418

$19.15 ฿640

-40.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 NIO 235

$3.30 ฿110

94.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 NIO 283

$11.14 ฿372

-30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 NIO 149

$2.95 ฿98.5

38.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 NIO 21.50

$1.68 ฿56.1

-64.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 NIO 67.4

$2.30 ฿76.8

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 NIO 90.5

$2.13 ฿71.3

15.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 NIO 146

$1.53 ฿51.1

160.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$1.36 ฿45.55

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 NIO 38.08

$1.12 ฿37.44

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.86

$0.55 ฿18.24

83.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.0

$4.26 ฿142

-37.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 NIO 539

$18.19 ฿608

-19.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NIO 52.4

$1.74 ฿58.2

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NIO 83.1

$2.79 ฿93.3

-18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 NIO 5.69

$2.22 ฿74.1

-92.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.99 NIO 220

$22.06 ฿737

-72.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.7

$2.91 ฿97.3

-42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 NIO 58.9

$1.01 ฿33.79

59.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 NIO 252

$3.83 ฿128

79.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 NIO 49.58

$1.49 ฿49.85

-9.40%

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

$23.2K NIO 850.6K

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-12.95%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.2K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-1.85%

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

$150 NIO 5,499

$99.4 ฿3,321

51.09%

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

$19.87 NIO 728

$11.28 ฿377

76.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.01 NIO 1,172

$17.36 ฿580

84.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 NIO 1,296

$52.3 ฿1,747

-32.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 NIO 555

$10.85 ฿362

39.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 NIO 332

$7.57 ฿253

19.68%

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

$235 NIO 8,616

$558 ฿18.7K

-57.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,163 NIO 225.7K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-46.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NIO 2,163

$62.9 ฿2,102

-6.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 NIO 2,408

$28.58 ฿955

130.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NIO 4,494

$96.1 ฿3,213

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NIO 5,394

$88.1 ฿2,943

67.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 NIO 9,407

$729 ฿24.4K

-64.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 NIO 6,678

$460 ฿15.4K

-60.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NIO 15.9K

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 NIO 13.5K

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-69.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,188 NIO 43.5K

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-65.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$681 NIO 24.9K

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-72.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 NIO 15.7K

$493 ฿16.5K

-12.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.92

5.57

114.00%

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

Last update for Managua: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Managua

$260 25%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 2.9% $7.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Managua

$202 19.4%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 36.6% $74

Accommodation & Living

Managua

$182 17.5%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 152% $278

Clothing & Footwear

Managua

$178 17.1%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 30.2% $54

Eating Out

Managua

$150 14.4%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 19.3% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Managua

$54 5.1%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 26% $14

Getting Around

Managua

$16 1.6%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 138% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Managua versus $729 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 15% 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 $36.00 in Managua versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Managua vs $268 in Phuket – so Managua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇮 Managua

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:56 6:56 AM

19:56 7:56 PM

13 h ahead of Managua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,039,290 Capital

79,308

💱 Currency

Nicaraguan Córdoba NIO C$

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 NIO = 2.73 USD

100 NIO = 2.43 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NIO – Nicaraguan Córdoba Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇮 Nicaraguan Córdoba (C$)

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 41.17 NIO (100 NIO = 2.43 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NIO in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Managua Phuket 17,730 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Managua
Phuket

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,042 in Managua, $1,207 in Phuket – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,563 per month in Managua and $1,811 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 268% less in Managua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $235 per month in Managua and $558 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 $1,042, than in Phuket at $1,207. 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 $1,042 in Managua to $1,207 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.