Moving to Nicaragua from Venezuela

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Venezuela to Nicaragua? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Venezuela to Nicaragua, you would find that Nicaragua is 23.9% more expensive than Venezuela overall. A VEF748,088 salary in Venezuela would need to be roughly NIO2,826,609 in Nicaragua to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Venezuela and Nicaragua.

What does your salary buy?

VEF748,088 NIO2,826,609

To maintain the same standard of living in Nicaragua

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 36.8% less

Groceries

pay 7.1% less

Transportation

pay 2.4% less

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 47.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 VEF = 3.69 NIO (July 2026)

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 Venezuela to Nicaragua.

Living there in 2020
165 ↑ 4% vs 2015

people born in Venezuela live in Nicaragua · UN DESA

Who's moving to Nicaragua?

Top countries of origin for Nicaragua's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Nicaragua compared to Venezuela.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

VE
12.6
NI
11.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VE
13.2
NI
13.6

Venezuela generally does better on safety, though Nicaragua leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VE
$186
NI
$689
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

affects wait times and access to care

VE
16.6
NI
6.6

Venezuela generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nicaragua leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VE
32.0
NI
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VE
3.4t
NI
0.8t

Venezuela generally does better on environment, though Nicaragua leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

VE
9.6
NI
4.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

VE
7.5%
NI
2.2%

Venezuela generally does better on infrastructure, though Nicaragua leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

VE
5.5%
NI
4.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

VE
$7,704
NI
$7,300

Venezuela generally does better on employment & economy, though Nicaragua leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

VE
73.3 yrs
NI
74.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VE
17.7
NI
19.1

Venezuela generally does better on family life, though Nicaragua leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministerio del Poder Popular de Finanzas, SENIAT, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Caracas Rain: 35.9 in/yr (913 mm)
86° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Managua Rain: 78.3 in/yr (1989 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Caracas Managua
Jan–Mar 87°/58°F (31°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/64°F (31°/18°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/62°F (30°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C)
View all months
Month Caracas Managua
Jan 84°/56°F (29.0°/13.1°C)
Feb 88°/58°F (31.0°/14.5°C)
Mar 89°/60°F (31.7°/15.3°C)
Apr 88°/61°F (31.1°/16.2°C)
May 89°/65°F (31.8°/18.2°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.1°C)
Jul 88°/62°F (31.0°/16.9°C)
Aug 85°/62°F (29.3°/16.6°C)
Sep 86°/62°F (30.1°/16.8°C)
Oct 85°/62°F (29.7°/16.4°C)
Nov 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.7°C)
Dec 83°/58°F (28.4°/14.2°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (INAMEH) Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (INAMEH)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Venezuela 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.

Venezuela passport

Venezuela passport holder visiting Nicaragua

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Venezuela passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Nicaragua.
Nicaragua passport

Nicaragua passport holder visiting Venezuela

Visa Free
Nicaragua passport holders can enter Venezuela without a visa.

Data: 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 Venezuela?

Nicaragua and Venezuela are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Nicaragua?

Budget about NIO706,652 for 3 months in Nicaragua (based on a VEF748,088 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?

Venezuela generally does better on safety, though Nicaragua leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Nicaragua is 11.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.6 in Venezuela.

How is healthcare in Nicaragua compared to Venezuela?

Venezuela generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nicaragua leads in adult obesity rate. There are 6.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Nicaragua, compared to 16.6 in Venezuela. Nicaragua scores 70 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Venezuela: 75).

What's the weather like in Nicaragua compared to Venezuela?

The average high temperature in Managua is None°F, compared to 86°F in Caracas. Managua receives around 78.3 in of rainfall per year, while Caracas gets 35.9 in.

What language do they speak in Nicaragua?

Both Venezuela and Nicaragua share the same official language: Spanish.

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At a Glance

VE NI
Population 29,789,730 6,301,880
Currency Venezuelan Bolívar Fuerte (VEF) Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO)
Languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +58 +505
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 171 118