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

$33.73 NIO 1,235

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 88.8

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

$0.79 NIO 28.88

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.32

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.74

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 NIO 285

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 NIO 237

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 298

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.35

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.2

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 NIO 118

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.4

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 NIO 366

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.37

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

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

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

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

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

$42.79 NIO 1,567

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

$10.45 NIO 383

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.21 NIO 1,326

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 NIO 1,111

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

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

$123 NIO 4,499

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,668

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,914

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 NIO 17.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 NIO 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 NIO 35.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 NIO 35.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bluefields: July 12, 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.