Moving to Nicaragua from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Nicaragua? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Nicaragua, you would find that Nicaragua is 35.9% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,152,674 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly NIO1,792,602 in Nicaragua to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,152,674 → NIO1,792,602
To maintain the same standard of living in Nicaragua
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 50.7% less
Groceries
pay 27.5% less
Transportation
pay 50.5% less
Housing
pay 36.6% less
Childcare
pay 57.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 38.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Nicaragua.
Who's moving to Nicaragua?
Top countries of origin for Nicaragua's foreign-born residents.
- 13,110
-
2.11,281
Costa Rica
- 3,775
- 2,557
- 1,843
- 984
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Nicaragua compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Nicaragua performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Nicaragua generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica generally does better on environment, though Nicaragua leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Nicaragua leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Nicaragua leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Nicaragua across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Managua |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | — |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | — |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | — |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | — |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Managua |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | — |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | — |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | — |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | — |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | — |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | — |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | — |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | — |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | — |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | — |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | — |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | — |
Instituto Meteorológico NacionalVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. To live, work, or study long-term in Nicaragua, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nicaragua's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Nicaragua
Visa Free
Nicaragua passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Nicaragua than Costa Rica?
On average Nicaragua is about 35% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Nicaragua?
Budget about NIO448,150 for 3 months in Nicaragua (based on a CRC34,152,674 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Nicaragua?
Connectivity is usually fine (Nicaragua: 4.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Nicaragua offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Nicaragua safe for expats?
Nicaragua performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Nicaragua is 11.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Nicaragua compared to Costa Rica?
Nicaragua generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 6.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Nicaragua, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Nicaragua scores 70 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Nicaragua compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Managua is None°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Managua receives around 78.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Nicaragua?
Both Costa Rica and Nicaragua share the same official language: Spanish.
