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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Masaya vs $935 in Managua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Masaya vs $1,511 in Managua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,595 per month in Masaya vs $2,087 in Managua, rent included.

Masaya is about 25% cheaper than Managua, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Masaya and Managua are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 48% lower, Managua 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 NIO 179

$5.03 NIO 186

-3.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.40 NIO 1,268

$34.78 NIO 1,282

-1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 NIO 264

$6.82 NIO 252

5.13%

Cappuccino

$2.36 NIO 87.0

$2.47 NIO 90.9

-4.45%

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

$0.85 NIO 31.38

$0.78 NIO 28.73

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NIO 27.49

$0.74 NIO 27.11

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 49.10

$1.27 NIO 46.88

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.9

$1.96 NIO 72.3

-0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.39

$1.23 NIO 45.28

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 NIO 90.1

$2.38 NIO 87.6

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NIO 69.6

$1.79 NIO 66.1

5.59%

Eggs

$2.30 NIO 84.8

$2.28 NIO 83.9

0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 NIO 419

$11.25 NIO 415

1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 NIO 237

$6.57 NIO 242

-2.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 300

$8.14 NIO 300

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 NIO 146

$3.80 NIO 140

4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.92

$0.84 NIO 31.14

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.9

$1.83 NIO 67.3

-0.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 80.2

$2.28 NIO 83.9

-4.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 NIO 141

$3.82 NIO 141

-0.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 82.4

$2.26 NIO 83.4

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 NIO 37.86

$1.06 NIO 39.04

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.42

$1.00 NIO 36.92

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 NIO 95.2

$2.70 NIO 99.7

-4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 NIO 538

$14.55 NIO 536

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NIO 53.2

$1.42 NIO 52.3

1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 81.3

$2.20 NIO 81.0

0.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 NIO 4.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 NIO 219

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 NIO 54.7

$1.48 NIO 54.6

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 NIO 20.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 NIO 254

$6.70 NIO 247

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 NIO 48.48

$1.37 NIO 50.3

-3.65%

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

$22.9K NIO 842.8K

$23.2K NIO 854.9K

-1.42%

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

$26.1K NIO 961.6K

$26.2K NIO 966.6K

-0.52%

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

$98.2 NIO 3,620

$96.8 NIO 3,568

1.46%

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

$16.94 NIO 625

$16.79 NIO 619

0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.90 NIO 1,397

$37.50 NIO 1,382

1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 NIO 1,306

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 NIO 550

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 NIO 299

$8.03 NIO 296

1.12%

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

$122 NIO 4,513

$124 NIO 4,555

-0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,052 NIO 223.1K

$5,969 NIO 220.0K

1.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 NIO 2,832

$76.9 NIO 2,836

-0.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.0 NIO 2,692

$73.6 NIO 2,713

-0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,894

$135 NIO 4,962

-1.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,994

$107 NIO 3,949

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 NIO 9,366

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NIO 6,945

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NIO 16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 NIO 16.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,233 NIO 45.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$643 NIO 23.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 NIO 13.2K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Managua: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Masaya versus $35.00 in Managua. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Masaya vs $259 in Managua – 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

Masaya vs Managua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $700 in Masaya, $935 in Managua – roughly 34% apart. Managua costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,050 per month in Masaya and $1,402 in Managua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $700 in Masaya and $935 in Managua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $122 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 $700 in Masaya and $935 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.