Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicaragua and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Nicaragua: $946 a month against $1,190 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Nicaragua
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Nicaragua Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

$946

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Nicaragua is 5.6% cheaper than Phuket without rent, and 20.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Nicaragua is 2.8% cheaper than Phuket without rent, and 27.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 NIO 181

$4.35 ฿146

13.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.88 NIO 1,131

$32.45 ฿1,087

-4.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 NIO 286

$8.42 ฿282

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$2.36 NIO 86.5

$2.81 ฿94.0

-16.01%

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

$0.89 NIO 32.75

$0.87 ฿29.29

2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NIO 24.09

$0.46 ฿15.39

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 NIO 48.91

$2.59 ฿86.6

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.6

$3.64 ฿122

-46.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 NIO 44.22

$1.71 ฿57.2

-29.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 NIO 76.0

$1.45 ฿48.42

43.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 NIO 60.7

$1.56 ฿52.3

6.41%

Eggs

$2.25 NIO 82.5

$2.10 ฿70.3

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 NIO 342

$19.53 ฿654

-52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 NIO 218

$3.40 ฿114

75.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 NIO 295

$11.14 ฿373

-27.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 NIO 173

$2.83 ฿94.8

67.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 NIO 29.68

$1.62 ฿54.3

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 NIO 71.6

$2.22 ฿74.5

-12.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 NIO 85.7

$2.15 ฿71.9

8.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 NIO 139

$1.49 ฿49.95

155.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$1.33 ฿44.40

72.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 NIO 39.44

$1.07 ฿35.72

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NIO 37.95

$0.51 ฿17.01

103.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 NIO 132

$4.38 ฿147

-17.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.20 NIO 483

$18.77 ฿629

-29.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$1.74 ฿58.3

-15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$2.78 ฿92.9

-22.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 NIO 5.36

$2.17 ฿72.6

-93.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.02 NIO 221

$22.28 ฿746

-72.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 NIO 56.5

$3.02 ฿101

-49.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$1.06 ฿35.43

39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 NIO 243

$3.71 ฿124

78.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 48.15

$1.43 ฿47.88

-8.39%

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

$23.1K NIO 845.1K

$26.3K ฿882.1K

-12.42%

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

$25.9K NIO 947.3K

$26.2K ฿877.3K

-1.29%

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

$113 NIO 4,138

$96.7 ฿3,236

16.87%

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

$17.92 NIO 656

$11.41 ฿382

57.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.87 NIO 1,350

$17.11 ฿573

115.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.42 NIO 1,260

$52.8 ฿1,768

-34.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 NIO 556

$11.07 ฿371

37.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 NIO 340

$7.65 ฿256

21.44%

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

$234 NIO 8,583

$555 ฿18.6K

-57.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,687 NIO 244.9K

$11.3K ฿377.7K

-40.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 NIO 1,981

$63.4 ฿2,123

-14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.45 NIO 1,628

$28.61 ฿958

55.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NIO 4,155

$96.7 ฿3,238

17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NIO 4,514

$88.6 ฿2,967

39.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 NIO 13.1K

$735 ฿24.6K

-51.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 NIO 7,768

$458 ฿15.3K

-53.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 NIO 22.4K

$2,102 ฿70.4K

-70.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 NIO 17.0K

$1,187 ฿39.7K

-60.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,205 NIO 44.1K

$3,493 ฿116.9K

-65.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$671 NIO 24.6K

$2,491 ฿83.4K

-73.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 NIO 12.9K

$501 ฿16.8K

-29.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

5.57

114.36%

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

Last update for Nicaragua: October 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Nicaragua

$249 26.1%

Phuket

$268 22.3% 7.5% $19

Accommodation & Living

Nicaragua

$212 22.2%

Phuket

$458 38.1% 116% $246

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nicaragua

$168 17.5%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 25.4% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Nicaragua

$151 15.8%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 17.3% $26

Eating Out

Nicaragua

$108 11.3%

Phuket

$119 9.9% 10.3% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Nicaragua

$53 5.5%

Phuket

$68 5.7% 28.5% $15

Getting Around

Nicaragua

$16 1.6%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 153% $24

Good to know

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

01:33 1:33 AM

14:33 2:33 PM

13 h ahead of Nicaragua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,676,948

79,308

💱 Currency

Nicaraguan Córdoba NIO C$

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 NIO = 2.73 USD

100 NIO = 2.43 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NIO – Nicaraguan Córdoba Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇮 Nicaraguan Córdoba (C$)

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 41.08 NIO (100 NIO = 2.43 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NIO in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nicaragua Phuket 17,730 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Nicaragua
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Nicaragua vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicaragua and Phuket

THB, USD, EUR to NIO – Nicaraguan Córdoba Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Nicaragua

Phuket

Nicaragua

Phuket

Nicaragua vs other spots: cost of living compared

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