Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and San Rafael del Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Managua and San Rafael del Sur

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 NIO 313

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.72 NIO 1,382

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 NIO 281

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

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

$0.84 NIO 30.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 24.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 NIO 53.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 44.79

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 NIO 84.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.5

Eggs

$2.39 NIO 87.4

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 NIO 427

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 NIO 235

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 NIO 258

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 NIO 139

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 NIO 22.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.2

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NIO 82.5

Potato (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 NIO 37.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NIO 37.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NIO 96.5

Wine (Bottle)

$14.64 NIO 536

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NIO 54.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 NIO 4.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.02 NIO 221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 NIO 59.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 NIO 40.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 NIO 256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 47.97

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

$23.0K NIO 843.3K

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

$26.5K NIO 969.1K

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

$111 NIO 4,072

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

$17.05 NIO 624

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.74 NIO 1,346

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 NIO 1,291

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 NIO 545

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 NIO 320

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

$173 NIO 6,338

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,019 NIO 220.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 NIO 2,535

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 NIO 2,685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NIO 4,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 3,997

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 NIO 9,434

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 NIO 7,192

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 NIO 16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 NIO 13.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 NIO 44.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$641 NIO 23.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.8K

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for San Rafael del Sur: August 17, 2026

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 San Rafael del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward San Rafael del Sur – 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 San Rafael del Sur. 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.