Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Managua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Managua

🙂 Solo nomad: Medellin is 16.3% cheaper than Managua without rent, and 5.2% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Medellin is 10.9% cheaper than Managua without rent, and 0.9% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.14 COP 22.1K
$4.98 NIO 183
23.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.05 COP 119.0K
$34.77 NIO 1,279
-4.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.32 COP 26.4K
$6.85 NIO 252
6.86%
Cappuccino
$1.66 COP 5,971
$2.42 NIO 88.9
-31.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COP 3,977
$0.81 NIO 29.74
35.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COP 2,815
$0.70 NIO 25.58
11.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.71 COP 6,172
$1.34 NIO 49.33
27.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 11.4K
$1.98 NIO 72.8
60.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 COP 4,002
$1.27 NIO 46.83
-12.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.31 COP 4,707
$2.45 NIO 90.1
-46.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COP 4,967
$1.80 NIO 66.1
-23.33%
Eggs
$2.22 COP 7,989
$2.32 NIO 85.2
-4.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.34 COP 15.6K
$11.24 NIO 414
-61.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.80 COP 20.9K
$6.44 NIO 237
-9.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.98 COP 32.3K
$7.77 NIO 286
15.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 COP 8,143
$3.83 NIO 141
-40.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 4,013
$0.91 NIO 33.56
21.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 COP 5,271
$1.83 NIO 67.4
-20.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COP 4,916
$2.19 NIO 80.6
-37.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,999
$3.99 NIO 147
-72.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COP 4,188
$2.17 NIO 79.8
-46.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COP 3,202
$1.06 NIO 39.02
-16.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 COP 3,116
$1.00 NIO 36.76
-13.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35 COP 8,473
$2.62 NIO 96.5
-10.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.86 COP 39.1K
$14.57 NIO 536
-25.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 4,319
$1.41 NIO 51.9
-14.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 COP 8,923
$2.27 NIO 83.5
9.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Managua
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COP 2,835
$0.16 NIO 5.77
393.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.77 COP 146.8K
$5.90 NIO 217
591.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 5,124
$1.52 NIO 55.9
-6.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 COP 6,882
$0.58 NIO 21.15
229.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.65 COP 27.5K
$6.66 NIO 245
14.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.97 COP 3,481
$1.32 NIO 48.44
-26.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COP 65.2M
$22.9K NIO 841.7K
-20.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K COP 94.7M
$25.9K NIO 953.7K
1.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 COP 292.8K
$98.7 NIO 3,630
-17.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.63 COP 34.7K
$16.80 NIO 618
-42.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.36 COP 87.7K
$37.75 NIO 1,389
-35.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.02 COP 93.7K
$35.12 NIO 1,292
-25.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92 COP 68.1K
$15.12 NIO 556
25.13%
Cinema Ticket
$3.89 COP 14.0K
$7.82 NIO 288
-50.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 COP 1.1M
$125 NIO 4,581
144.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,902 COP 21.3M
$6,058 NIO 222.9K
-2.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COP 211.3K
$78.3 NIO 2,880
-25.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.48 COP 116.9K
$71.9 NIO 2,646
-54.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 COP 366.3K
$131 NIO 4,830
-22.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 389.4K
$106 NIO 3,903
1.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Managua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$474 COP 1.7M
$260 NIO 9,566
82.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$371 COP 1.3M
$193 NIO 7,116
91.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$848 COP 3.1M
$435 NIO 16.0K
94.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 COP 2.6M
$451 NIO 16.6K
58.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,871 COP 10.3M
$1,214 NIO 44.7K
136.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,375 COP 5.0M
$639 NIO 23.5K
115.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Managua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$542 COP 1.9M
$359 NIO 13.2K
50.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
10.25
31.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Managua: April 13, 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

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