Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Nicaragua 
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| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Nicaragua is 24.7% lower than in Panama (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Nicaragua is 36.4% lower than in Panama | |
| Rent Prices in Nicaragua are 64.3% lower than in Panama | |
| Restaurant Prices in Nicaragua are 40.1% lower than in Panama | |
| Groceries Prices in Nicaragua are 16.7% lower than in Panama | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Nicaragua is 45.7% lower than in Panama | |
Restaurants | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 10.00 $ | 4.14 $ | -58.6 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 50.00 $ | 30.00 $ | -40.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 7.49 $ | 7.00 $ | -6.5 % |
| 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 $ | 2.08 $ | -40.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 1.48 $ | 0.83 $ | -43.6 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.22 $ | 0.66 $ | -45.7 % |
Markets | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 6.85 $ | 4.44 $ | -35.2 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 2.21 $ | 1.85 $ | -16.6 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.04 $ | 0.71 $ | -31.5 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 2.67 $ | 2.08 $ | -22.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.31 $ | 3.92 $ | -26.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 3.29 $ | 2.83 $ | -14.1 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 4.08 $ | 3.60 $ | -11.8 % |
| 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 $ | 0.99 $ | -36.7 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.20 $ | 1.41 $ | +17.2 % |
| 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) | 2.25 $ | 1.01 $ | -55.3 % |
| 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) | 3.51 $ | 5.04 $ | +43.4 % |
| 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 $ | 70.38 $ | -35.4 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 29.47 $ | 17.23 $ | -41.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 48.80 $ | 38.31 $ | -21.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 52.40 $ | 33.03 $ | -37.0 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 37.50 $ | 15.00 $ | -60.0 % |
| 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 $ | 89.33 $ | -80.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 10,425.00 $ | 8,000.00 $ | -23.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 48.27 $ | 66.91 $ | +38.6 % |
| 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 | 920.45 $ | 347.50 $ | -62.2 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 698.62 $ | 271.88 $ | -61.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 1,805.53 $ | 594.87 $ | -67.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,351.92 $ | 491.98 $ | -63.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Panama Edit |
Nicaragua Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 200.90 $ | 113.03 $ | -43.7 % |
| 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: | March 2025 | March 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 90 | 31 |
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