Managua vs San Jose, Costa Rica - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Managua San Jose
🚶 Cost of living one person
$787
$1169
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1881
$3119
🏠 One person rent
$341
$496
🏘️ Family rent
$540
$1078
🍽️ Food expenses
$297
$471
🚐 Transport expenses
$54.9
$71.8
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$337
$877
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
11 km
7 km
🎓 Higher education
33
60
😀 Quality of life
32
67
🏙️ Population
937K
342K

The cost of living in Managua is 33% less expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica. Cities ranked 6418th and 4518th ($787 vs $1169) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 3rd in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, respectively. Check Nicaragua vs Costa Rica comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.4 months in Managua compared to 0.8 months in San Jose, Costa Rica. Managua ranked 1st best city to live in Nicaragua vs San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st in Costa Rica, while ranked 8211th and 4043rd among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Managua vs San Jose, Costa Rica infographic

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Prices in Managua vs San Jose, Costa Rica

Prices for goods and services in Managua and San Jose are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Managua San Jose
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$5.57
$10.8
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$23.4
$51.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.99
$9.47
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.48
$3.31
☕ Cappuccino
$2.63
$4.21
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.76
$1.78
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$318
$597
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$214
$368
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$661
$1266
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$345
$901
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$47.5
$42.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$73.4
$64.2
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$58.5
$40
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
13.05%
8.83%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$733
$1778
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$660
$1310
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.19
$0.88
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$14.5
$40.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$7.15
$13.9
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.32
$1.45
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.15
$1.96
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.59
$2.32
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.53
$2.15
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.98
$3.59
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.82
$9.52
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.32
$9.16
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.98
$13.2
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.54
$4.79
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.61
$1.38
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.96
$2.62
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.7
$2.58
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.81
$2.45
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$2.21
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.62
$1.45
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.34
$3.02
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$11.2
$15.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.31
$2.25
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.09
$4.81
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.54
$6.97
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.98
$8.01
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.56
$3.06
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.73
$3.18
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$45.3
$57.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.46
$7.43
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$25.2
$62.4
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.29
$13.6
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.7
$84.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$125
$113
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$251
$369
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4879
$9894

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Managua

Distance City Cost of living
27 km or 17 mi Masaya
$699
42 km or 26 mi Granada
$680
74 km or 46 mi Leon
$614
93 km or 58 mi Matagalpa
$548
95 km or 59 mi Juigalpa
$647
104 km or 65 mi Esteli
$593
108 km or 67 mi Chinandega
$627
108 km or 67 mi Jinotega
$458
109 km or 68 mi San Juan del Sur
$805
192 km or 119 mi Liberia
$1220
211 km or 131 mi Tamarindo
$1473
239 km or 148 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
255 km or 159 mi San Miguel
$1107
272 km or 169 mi Usulutan
$1031
288 km or 179 mi Puntarenas
$1024
297 km or 185 mi Comayagua
$702
303 km or 188 mi Santa Teresa
$1114
326 km or 203 mi Alajuela
$1163
335 km or 208 mi Heredia
$1040
343 km or 213 mi San Jose
$1169
345 km or 214 mi Yoro
$738
361 km or 224 mi Soyapango
$1117
361 km or 224 mi San Salvador
$1147
361 km or 224 mi Cartago
$1009
365 km or 227 mi Mejicanos
$1112
365 km or 227 mi Apopa
$1093
369 km or 229 mi Santa Tecla
$1153
398 km or 247 mi El Progreso
$892
400 km or 248 mi Villanueva
$854
406 km or 252 mi La Lima
$857
408 km or 253 mi La Ceiba
$676
408 km or 254 mi Santa Ana
$702
412 km or 256 mi Sonsonate
$866
418 km or 260 mi San Pedro Sula
$983
427 km or 265 mi Limon
$1147
430 km or 267 mi Choloma
$595
435 km or 270 mi Ahuachapan
$915
453 km or 282 mi Puerto Cortes
$713
489 km or 304 mi Jalapa
$900
533 km or 331 mi San Miguel Petapa
$902

Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1040
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1163
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1009
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$1024
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1147
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1114
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$1220
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1473
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$805
246 km or 153 mi David
$789
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$647
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$680
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$699
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$787
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$548
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$961
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$458
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$614
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$593
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$940
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$627
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$980
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1157
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$917
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1189
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1316
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1171
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1182
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1107
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1031
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$702
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$738
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1147
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1117
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1112
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1093
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1153
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$676
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$892