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

Updated:

Livingcost

Managua San Jose
🚶 Cost of living one person
$774
$1239
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1875
$3174
🏠 One person rent
$314
$555
🏘️ Family rent
$537
$1038
🍽️ Food expenses
$303
$479
🚐 Transport expenses
$70
$75
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$429
$923
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
11 km
7 km
🎓 Higher education
33
60
😀 Quality of life
28
65
🏙️ Population
937K
342K

The cost of living in Managua is 37% less expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica. Cities ranked 6545th and 4497th ($774 vs $1239) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 5th in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, respectively. Check Nicaragua vs Costa Rica comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.6 months in Managua compared to 0.7 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 8326th and 4226th 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
$4.78
$10.6
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$22.9
$49.2
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.03
$9.49
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.34
$3.03
☕ Cappuccino
$2.78
$4.75
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.65
$1.91
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$277
$645
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$218
$417
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$565
$1229
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$391
$842
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$47.5
$47.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$73.6
$73.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$37.4
$44.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
10.54%
11.24%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1072
$1929
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$903
$1540
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.2
$0.94
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$29
$40.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$7.95
$15.2
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.32
$1.41
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.2
$1.93
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.59
$2.27
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.55
$1.93
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.96
$3.34
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.78
$10.2
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.14
$9.11
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.97
$14
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.03
$3.89
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.39
$1.37
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.16
$3.47
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$2.75
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.85
$2.6
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.74
$2.6
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.77
$1.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.36
$3.05
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$12
$16.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.27
$2.28
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.94
$4.96
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.49
$8.1
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4
$6.99
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.56
$2.75
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.71
$3.91
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$35
$55.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.72
$8.01
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$25
$66.7
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.29
$12.8
👖 Brand Jeans
$65.5
$70.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$99.8
$119
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$126
$501
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4840
$12846

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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
$712
42 km or 26 mi Granada
$697
74 km or 46 mi Leon
$639
93 km or 58 mi Matagalpa
$550
95 km or 59 mi Juigalpa
$664
104 km or 65 mi Esteli
$593
108 km or 67 mi Chinandega
$638
108 km or 67 mi Jinotega
$457
109 km or 68 mi San Juan del Sur
$890
192 km or 119 mi Liberia
$898
211 km or 131 mi Tamarindo
$1687
239 km or 148 mi Tegucigalpa
$829
255 km or 159 mi San Miguel
$1081
272 km or 169 mi Usulutan
$1088
288 km or 179 mi Puntarenas
$1277
297 km or 185 mi Comayagua
$715
303 km or 188 mi Santa Teresa
$1310
326 km or 203 mi Alajuela
$1233
335 km or 208 mi Heredia
$1246
343 km or 213 mi San Jose
$1239
345 km or 214 mi Yoro
$734
361 km or 224 mi Soyapango
$1173
361 km or 224 mi San Salvador
$1192
361 km or 224 mi Cartago
$961
365 km or 227 mi Mejicanos
$1161
365 km or 227 mi Apopa
$1145
369 km or 229 mi Santa Tecla
$1202
398 km or 247 mi El Progreso
$883
400 km or 248 mi Villanueva
$866
406 km or 252 mi La Lima
$870
408 km or 253 mi La Ceiba
$650
408 km or 254 mi Santa Ana
$709
412 km or 256 mi Sonsonate
$882
418 km or 260 mi San Pedro Sula
$1038
427 km or 265 mi Limon
$1201
430 km or 267 mi Choloma
$599
435 km or 270 mi Ahuachapan
$1455
453 km or 282 mi Puerto Cortes
$720
489 km or 304 mi Jalapa
$904
533 km or 331 mi San Miguel Petapa
$900

Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1246
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1233
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$961
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$1277
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1201
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1310
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$898
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1687
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$890
246 km or 153 mi David
$833
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$664
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$697
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$712
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$774
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$550
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1056
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$457
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$639
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$593
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1098
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$638
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1091
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1182
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$953
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1249
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1384
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1231
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1249
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$829
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1081
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1088
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$715
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$734
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1192
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1173
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1161
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1145
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1202
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$650
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$883