Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Managua Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Managua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Masaya vs $937 in Managua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,126 per month in Masaya vs $1,517 in Managua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Masaya vs $2,097 in Managua, rent included.

Masaya is about 24% cheaper than Managua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Masaya and Managua are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 47% lower, Managua 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 NIO 184

$4.78 NIO 175

4.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.93 NIO 1,279

$35.66 NIO 1,306

-2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 NIO 258

$7.18 NIO 263

-1.95%

Cappuccino

$2.36 NIO 86.4

$2.33 NIO 85.4

1.29%

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

$0.80 NIO 29.29

$0.85 NIO 30.98

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 NIO 25.98

$0.69 NIO 25.41

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 NIO 49.10

$1.27 NIO 46.62

5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 44.77

$1.26 NIO 46.29

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 NIO 87.0

$2.34 NIO 85.7

1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 66.8

$1.86 NIO 68.1

-1.61%

Eggs

$2.22 NIO 81.4

$2.24 NIO 82.0

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 NIO 416

$11.22 NIO 411

1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 NIO 245

$6.81 NIO 249

-1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 NIO 294

$7.88 NIO 289

2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 NIO 142

$3.99 NIO 146

-3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.81

$0.83 NIO 30.45

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.0

$1.84 NIO 67.3

-4.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.6

$2.18 NIO 79.7

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 NIO 143

$3.82 NIO 140

2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$2.18 NIO 79.8

-0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 NIO 38.47

$1.07 NIO 39.10

-1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 NIO 36.67

$1.01 NIO 36.82

-0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 NIO 94.8

$2.62 NIO 96.1

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 NIO 544

$14.59 NIO 534

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NIO 51.0

$1.41 NIO 51.8

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NIO 83.6

$2.23 NIO 81.7

2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 NIO 4.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.04 NIO 221

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 54.0

$1.52 NIO 55.6

-3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 NIO 19.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 NIO 246

$6.86 NIO 251

-1.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.18

$1.36 NIO 49.85

-1.47%

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

$23.1K NIO 845.8K

$23.4K NIO 856.7K

-1.27%

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

$26.4K NIO 967.1K

$26.1K NIO 955.8K

1.19%

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

$97.9 NIO 3,586

$97.7 NIO 3,577

0.26%

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

$17.06 NIO 625

$17.22 NIO 631

-0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 NIO 1,349

$37.67 NIO 1,380

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.30 NIO 1,329

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 NIO 541

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 NIO 294

$8.21 NIO 301

-2.19%

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

$124 NIO 4,535

$124 NIO 4,540

-0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,051 NIO 221.6K

$5,993 NIO 219.5K

0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 NIO 2,850

$77.2 NIO 2,829

0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.2 NIO 2,642

$73.6 NIO 2,697

-2.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,848

$132 NIO 4,830

0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,958

$107 NIO 3,902

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 NIO 9,315

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 NIO 7,041

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 NIO 15.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 NIO 43.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 NIO 24.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

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 Masaya: June 7, 2026

Last update for Managua: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Masaya versus $36.00 in Managua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $260 – making Masaya 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

Masaya vs Managua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $708 in Masaya, $937 in Managua – roughly 32% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,063 per month in Masaya and $1,405 in Managua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $708 in Masaya and $937 in Managua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Masaya and $124 in Managua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $708 in Masaya and $937 in Managua, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – 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 Masaya. 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.