Cost of Living in Nicaragua - Updated Prices & Insights

40.54

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $583 (excluding rent), and $937 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,404 (excluding rent), and $1,950 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.2 NIO 154

$3.26 NIO 119

$9.97 NIO 365

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.69 NIO 1,087

$23.75 NIO 870

$69.3 NIO 2,537

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 NIO 245

$5.62 NIO 206

$8.24 NIO 302

Cappuccino

$2.2 NIO 80.6

$1.13 NIO 41.25

$4.18 NIO 153

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

$0.8 NIO 29.37

$0.55 NIO 20.08

$1.38 NIO 50.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.56

$0.52 NIO 18.89

$0.9 NIO 32.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.4 NIO 51.3

$1.12 NIO 41.09

$1.8 NIO 66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.2

$1.84 NIO 67.5

$3.14 NIO 115

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 NIO 42.58

$0.84 NIO 30.67

$1.39 NIO 50.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 NIO 70.6

$0.59 NIO 21.61

$2.41 NIO 88.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 NIO 57.9

$0.98 NIO 35.94

$2.06 NIO 75.5

Eggs

$2.03 NIO 74.3

$1.4 NIO 51.2

$2.42 NIO 88.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NIO 302

$1.96 NIO 71.8

$13.78 NIO 505

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 NIO 218

$2.86 NIO 105

$6.55 NIO 240

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 NIO 290

$6.5 NIO 238

$11.21 NIO 411

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 NIO 148

$2.72 NIO 99.6

$5.43 NIO 199

Banana (1kg)

$1.2 NIO 43.93

$0.56 NIO 20.48

$2.25 NIO 82.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 NIO 86.2

$1.51 NIO 55.3

$5.46 NIO 200

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 NIO 77.2

$0.9 NIO 32.81

$3.11 NIO 114

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 NIO 126

$1.73 NIO 63.4

$4.13 NIO 151

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 NIO 74.7

$1.01 NIO 37.15

$2.75 NIO 101

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 NIO 33.91

$0.74 NIO 27.05

$1.73 NIO 63.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NIO 37.26

$0.77 NIO 28.21

$1.73 NIO 63.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 NIO 120

$2.81 NIO 103

$3.7 NIO 135

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 NIO 373

$8.03 NIO 294

$14.92 NIO 547

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52

$1.1 NIO 40.37

$1.73 NIO 63.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 81.1

$1.54 NIO 56.6

$2.45 NIO 89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 NIO 4.76

$0.26 NIO 9.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.91 NIO 216

$8.34 NIO 305

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 NIO 41.44

$0.62 NIO 22.61

$1.68 NIO 61.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 NIO 23.17

$0.57 NIO 20.93

$1.66 NIO 60.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 NIO 248

$5.44 NIO 199

$9.96 NIO 365

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 NIO 48.08

$1.23 NIO 45.19

$1.48 NIO 54.2

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

$23K NIO 840.7K

$22K NIO 805.1K

$23K NIO 840.7K

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

$27.4K NIO 1M

$27K NIO 990.6K

$27.4K NIO 1M

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

$76.8 NIO 2,814

$42.61 NIO 1,561

$111 NIO 4,054

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

$17.06 NIO 625

$10.74 NIO 394

$23.98 NIO 878

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.02 NIO 1,392

$29.87 NIO 1,094

$47.29 NIO 1,732

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.07 NIO 1,284

$16.46 NIO 603

$45.23 NIO 1,656

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 NIO 557

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 NIO 287

$6.02 NIO 221

$11.75 NIO 430

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

$108 NIO 3,952

$50.1 NIO 1,833

$200 NIO 7,333

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,301 NIO 304K

$4,226 NIO 154.8K

$15.1K NIO 552.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 NIO 2,458

$15.05 NIO 551

$90.3 NIO 3,307

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 NIO 1,856

$30.42 NIO 1,114

$122 NIO 4,456

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NIO 3,718

$34.84 NIO 1,276

$149 NIO 5,468

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 NIO 3,428

$35.2 NIO 1,289

$149 NIO 5,448

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 NIO 12.8K

$198 NIO 7,252

$495 NIO 18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 NIO 9,891

$149 NIO 5,457

$447 NIO 16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 NIO 22.4K

$301 NIO 11K

$1,210 NIO 44.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 NIO 18.1K

$302 NIO 11.1K

$1,007 NIO 36.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 NIO 42.9K

$987 NIO 36.1K

$1,283 NIO 47K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 NIO 19.2K

$370 NIO 13.6K

$910 NIO 33.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$281 NIO 10.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.75

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

Cost of Living in Nicaragua - Frequently Asked Questions

In Nicaragua, cost of living tends to be lower than in many other Central American destinations, making it attractive for travelers, expats, and digital nomads seeking longer stays. You'll typically find affordable housing options – from simple apartments to co-living spaces – plus inexpensive street food and local markets. Public transport is budget-friendly, while ride-hailing and casual taxis are common. Internet quality varies by area, so choose established expat-friendly neighborhoods for reliability. Overall, Cost of Living in Nicaragua can feel comfortable if you plan around seasonal tourism ebbs and local price variations. Tip: shortlist a few neighborhoods with reliable Wi‑Fi before committing to a long-term stay.

When you start your housing search, target cities with steady expat communities – Granada, León, or Managua suburbs – where rentals range from compact studios to larger apartments. For daily meals, you can balance street eats with local markets and occasional groceries. Public buses are common and inexpensive, while ride-hailing offers faster options when you’re short on time. For errands and coworking, look for areas with reliable power and solid internet; many venues offer day passes or coworking memberships. Nicaragua living cost tends to stay predictable when you anchor your stay to a neighborhood with consistent services. Tip: test a few coworking spaces during your first week to gauge connectivity and community.

To maximize value, adopt a simple budgeting framework: split your monthly spend into housing, food, transport, and activities, then set flexible targets for each category. For housing, look beyond price and assess location, safety, and internet reliability. Seasonal patterns matter: prices in tourist zones crest during holidays, while inland towns stay steadier. Save by cooking most meals, using local markets, and negotiating longer-term rents. Neighborhood fit matters more than sheer cost – choose areas with easy access to transport, groceries, and coworking spaces that fit your workflow. Tip: build a short 'trial map' of two to three neighborhoods to compare quality of life over two to four weeks.