Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Bluefields Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Bluefields

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 NIO 1,238

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 NIO 202

Cappuccino

$2.35 NIO 86.0

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

$0.85 NIO 31.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 25.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 NIO 47.48

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.20

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.88

Eggs

$1.96 NIO 71.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 NIO 285

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 NIO 234

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 NIO 292

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.90

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 NIO 115

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 NIO 354

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 NIO 250

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.66

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

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

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

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

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

$41.71 NIO 1,528

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

$10.58 NIO 388

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 NIO 1,339

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 NIO 1,087

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 NIO 286

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

$123 NIO 4,505

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 NIO 2,884

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 NIO 2,702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,761

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,025

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 NIO 16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 NIO 15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NIO 35.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 NIO 35.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 NIO 10.2K

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 San Juan del Sur: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bluefields: May 31, 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

San Juan del Sur vs Bluefields: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Bluefields is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Juan del Sur, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Bluefields wins on affordability, San Juan del Sur on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.