Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Managua Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Managua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,646 per month in Mexico City vs $998 in Managua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $1,576 in Managua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Mexico City vs $2,154 in Managua, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 65% more than Managua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 20% above the global median, while Managua is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$9.91 NIO 363

22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$36.90 NIO 1,351

41.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$7.40 NIO 271

47.30%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.49 NIO 91.3

62.65%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.84 NIO 30.78

104.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.68 NIO 24.75

102.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.45 NIO 53.3

139.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.03 NIO 74.5

186.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.30 NIO 47.46

42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$2.40 NIO 87.7

34.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.77 NIO 65.0

18.08%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$2.29 NIO 84.0

27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$11.71 NIO 429

6.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.70 NIO 246

50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$7.07 NIO 259

124.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.76 NIO 138

-11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$0.57 NIO 21.03

273.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.77 NIO 65.0

23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$2.18 NIO 79.9

12.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.82 NIO 140

-42.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$2.16 NIO 79.2

-12.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.99 NIO 36.31

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$1.03 NIO 37.65

31.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.69 NIO 98.5

101.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$14.82 NIO 543

18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.48 NIO 54.2

39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.32 NIO 84.8

104.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.15 NIO 5.64

126.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$6.15 NIO 225

250.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$1.66 NIO 60.8

22.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$1.67 NIO 61.0

-65.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$6.61 NIO 242

-9.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.36 NIO 49.89

19.12%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$23.2K NIO 851.4K

-1.87%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$25.9K NIO 947.5K

3.05%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$117 NIO 4,282

-44.20%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$16.96 NIO 621

76.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$36.52 NIO 1,338

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$32.97 NIO 1,208

85.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$15.06 NIO 552

77.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$8.54 NIO 313

-19.79%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$234 NIO 8,562

93.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$6,050 NIO 221.6K

121.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$70.0 NIO 2,563

7.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$73.4 NIO 2,687

-24.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$133 NIO 4,881

-14.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$109 NIO 4,009

12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$255 NIO 9,341

344.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$191 NIO 7,009

272.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$439 NIO 16.1K

485.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$366 NIO 13.4K

258.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,192 NIO 43.7K

234.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$642 NIO 23.5K

226.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$357 NIO 13.1K

193.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.25

10.24%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Managua: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Mexico City versus $255 in Managua. 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 193% higher in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $37.00 in Managua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $257 – 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

Mexico City vs Managua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City, $998 in Managua – roughly 65% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in Mexico City and $1,497 in Managua. 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 251% less in Managua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $453 per month in Mexico City and $234 in Managua. 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 $998, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Managua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $998 in Managua to $1,646 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Managua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.