Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Nicaragua 
Sign up for free* to continue using Numbeo
Or please fill:
* Free use is limited to personal, academic and journalistic purposes only.
For commercial purposes, please obtain a Commercial License, Insights or API access
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Nicaragua is 24.6% lower than in Panama (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Nicaragua is 36.1% lower than in Panama | |
| Rent Prices in Nicaragua are 63.7% lower than in Panama | |
| Restaurant Prices in Nicaragua are 40.6% lower than in Panama | |
| Groceries Prices in Nicaragua are 17.5% lower than in Panama | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Nicaragua is 45.9% lower than in Panama | |
Restaurants | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 10.00 $ | 4.21 $ | -57.9 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 50.00 $ | 30.00 $ | -40.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 7.49 $ | 6.50 $ | -13.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 2.00 $ | 1.36 $ | -32.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 3.50 $ | 2.00 $ | -42.9 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 3.47 $ | 2.15 $ | -38.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 1.48 $ | 0.79 $ | -46.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.22 $ | 0.65 $ | -46.4 % |
Markets | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 6.85 $ | 4.47 $ | -34.8 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 2.21 $ | 1.78 $ | -19.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.04 $ | 0.73 $ | -30.1 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 2.67 $ | 2.09 $ | -21.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.31 $ | 3.70 $ | -30.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.29 $ | 2.77 $ | -16.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 4.08 $ | 3.53 $ | -13.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.83 $ | 1.87 $ | +2.0 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.60 $ | 0.53 $ | -11.1 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.27 $ | 1.06 $ | -16.8 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.33 $ | 0.94 $ | -29.5 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 0.95 $ | 1.59 $ | +66.7 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.05 $ | 0.91 $ | -13.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.08 $ | 0.89 $ | -57.0 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.56 $ | 1.03 $ | -33.8 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.20 $ | 1.39 $ | +16.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.15 $ | 2.15 $ | +0.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 5.92 $ | 3.17 $ | -46.4 % |
Transportation | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 0.55 $ | 0.14 $ | -74.9 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 25.00 $ | 6.01 $ | -76.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 2.00 $ | 1.10 $ | -45.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 3.22 $ | 1.01 $ | -68.8 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 21.00 $ | 6.80 $ | -67.6 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.50 $ | 5.04 $ | +43.8 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 20,000.00 $ | 22,973.64 $ | +14.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 21,464.58 $ | 27,106.26 $ | +26.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 109.00 $ | 75.33 $ | -30.9 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 29.47 $ | 17.37 $ | -41.1 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 48.89 $ | 38.18 $ | -21.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 52.30 $ | 34.89 $ | -33.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 35.71 $ | 15.00 $ | -58.0 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 7.00 $ | 8.00 $ | +14.3 % |
Childcare | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 446.67 $ | 107.78 $ | -75.9 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 10,425.00 $ | 8,250.00 $ | -20.9 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 48.21 $ | 66.91 $ | +38.8 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 41.15 $ | 49.97 $ | +21.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 83.67 $ | 101.98 $ | +21.9 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 110.45 $ | 94.38 $ | -14.6 % |
Rent Per Month | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 914.84 $ | 352.78 $ | -61.4 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 698.62 $ | 271.88 $ | -61.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 1,778.87 $ | 605.41 $ | -66.0 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,355.77 $ | 491.98 $ | -63.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 193.28 $ | 110.16 $ | -43.0 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 143.56 $ | 48.22 $ | -66.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 826.28 $ | 285.37 $ | -65.5 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.30 | 10.25 | +62.7 % |
| Last update: | 22 May 2025 | 19 May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 94 | 37 |
Moving to Panama? Explore:
Moving to Nicaragua? Explore: