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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $952 per month in Managua vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,555 per month in Managua vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Managua vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Managua is about 25% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Managua and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Managua 29% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 NIO 176

$4.70 ฿153

2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.28 NIO 1,292

$45.37 ฿1,482

-22.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 NIO 253

$8.43 ฿275

-18.15%

Cappuccino

$2.44 NIO 89.3

$2.93 ฿95.6

-16.72%

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

$0.80 NIO 29.36

$0.69 ฿22.40

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NIO 25.21

$0.37 ฿11.99

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.60

$2.41 ฿78.6

-44.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 NIO 75.4

$3.72 ฿122

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.85

$2.23 ฿72.9

-43.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 NIO 86.9

$1.83 ฿59.8

29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.8

$2.17 ฿70.8

-16.13%

Eggs

$2.31 NIO 84.6

$2.21 ฿72.3

4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 NIO 403

$19.74 ฿645

-44.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 NIO 238

$3.63 ฿119

79.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 NIO 297

$13.53 ฿442

-40.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 NIO 141

$3.28 ฿107

17.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.77

$1.61 ฿52.6

-44.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 NIO 67.5

$2.41 ฿78.6

-23.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 NIO 83.7

$2.08 ฿68.1

9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 NIO 144

$1.53 ฿49.93

157.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 82.2

$1.48 ฿48.36

51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.98

$0.99 ฿32.29

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 NIO 38.52

$0.51 ฿16.67

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

$4.41 ฿144

-40.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 NIO 532

$19.38 ฿633

-25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NIO 51.7

$1.78 ฿58.1

-20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NIO 79.1

$2.71 ฿88.6

-20.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 NIO 5.81

$1.37 ฿44.79

-88.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 NIO 217

$11.39 ฿372

-47.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.7

$3.02 ฿98.6

-51.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 NIO 19.61

$0.99 ฿32.48

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 NIO 246

$14.10 ฿461

-52.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 NIO 47.27

$1.36 ฿44.51

-5.15%

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

$22.7K NIO 831.7K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-19.48%

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

$26.7K NIO 976.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-18.93%

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

$98.2 NIO 3,595

$122 ฿3,975

-19.35%

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

$17.14 NIO 628

$13.57 ฿443

26.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.51 NIO 1,374

$18.31 ฿598

104.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.85 NIO 1,313

$60.2 ฿1,967

-40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 NIO 543

$17.14 ฿560

-13.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 NIO 290

$8.69 ฿284

-8.86%

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

$122 NIO 4,474

$693 ฿22.6K

-82.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,003 NIO 219.9K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-61.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 NIO 2,862

$59.5 ฿1,944

31.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 NIO 2,605

$34.77 ฿1,136

104.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,802

$115 ฿3,743

14.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,012

$83.3 ฿2,720

31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 NIO 9,348

$613 ฿20.0K

-58.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 NIO 7,000

$437 ฿14.3K

-56.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 NIO 16.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-78.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 NIO 16.3K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-70.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,209 NIO 44.3K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-67.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 NIO 23.7K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-75.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 NIO 13.2K

$508 ฿16.6K

-29.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

5.33

92.31%

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

Last update for Managua: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Managua versus $613 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 $35.00 in Managua versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $293 – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $952 in Managua, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 33% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,428 per month in Managua and $1,898 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 92% less in Managua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $122 per month in Managua and $693 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 $952, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $952 in Managua to $1,265 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.