Cost of Living Report 2020: San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

When we started tracking our expenses at the beginning of March we had no idea that mid-way through the month day to day life as we knew it would suddenly look a little different.

As coronavirus (COVID-19) spread around the world — and with Nicaragua’s first confirmed case announced on March 18th — Gordon and I started practicing social distancing. While it would be logical to think we would end up spending less money this month, this was not the case. For the latter part of the month instead of meeting up with friends for sunset and happy hour drinks — followed by a cheap dinner of fritanga — we were at home treating ourselves to wine and nice dinners.

Our expenses for March 2020 came to a grand total of $1273.14 USD.

For a day by day detailed report — that shows every single purchase we made in the month — click here.

The chart below gives an overview of what we spent in each category:

A BIT ABOUT OUR STANDARD OF LIVING

We are a Canadian couple who has been living in Nicaragua full time since December 2011. Gordon sells real estate and I help people relocate. We have one dog and no children.

In November of 2018 we moved into our newly constructed 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home. We own 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. We also have a 2016 – 180 UM (United Motors) Renegade Sport motorcycle.

We live very well. We are comfortable and content.

Our cost of living is much less than it was when we lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

RENT – $0

We own our home outright and so we don’t have the expense of rent or a mortgage. Before we became Nicaraguan homeowners our single largest monthly expense was always rent.

Pre-COVID a basic “nica-style” home without air conditioning or hot water was renting for as little as $250 to $350 USD. While a 3-bedroom North American style home with a pool averaged anywhere from $850 to $1500 USD and up.

Currently with travel to Nicaragua at a standstill many vacation rentals are sitting empty. Some home owners are offering very desirable long term rates.

ELECTRICITY – $75.07

Our home is very energy efficient. All appliances – everything from our microwave to the washing machine to our air conditioning units – use inverter technology. The lights in our home are all LED. And our windows have dark mirrored tint which helps to keep the house cooler.

Most months of the year we use air conditioning in our bedroom 3 to 4 hours per night with the thermostat set at 27 degrees Celsius. As the temperatures rise in April and May our air conditioning use increases to 8 to 10 hours per night. For these months bills tend to be about $15 – $25 USD higher.

We do an average of 2 to 3 loads of laundry per week. Clothes are always hung to dry as we do not have clothes dryer. Our pool pump runs 1 1/2 hours per day. We have a water pressure pump that runs every time we use the water. While we have an on demand hot water heater, I am the only one that takes hot water showers. We do our dishes and laundry with cold water.

$75.07 USD reflects what we paid for electricity consumed from February 10 to March 12, 2020. We used a total of 263 kWh. Our cost per kWh is $0.29 USD.

NOTE: Keep in mind if you’re budgeting for a family — with more laundry, air conditioning use in multiple bedrooms, more electronic devices, etc. — electricity bills will be higher. Likewise if you plan to live without amenties like hot water, air conditioning or a pool your monthly electricity bill may be as low as $20 or $30 USD.

INTERNET – $57.20 USD

For home internet we have services with Movistar. Our monthly plan costs $57.20 USD. It includes 200 GB of data at an average speed of 15 Mbps. Initial set up involved the purchase of the router which cost us a little more than $100 USD.

TV – $0

We don’t have a TV in our home. Claro is one company that provides cable and satellite TV service here in San Juan. Their packages start at $17.99 USD per month.

WATER – $18.98 USD

Water comes to our home via the city.

Depending on the time of year (dry season vs. rainy season) our monthly bill averages between $10 and $20 USD. During dry season (December to May) we have to top up the water in the pool once a week. We also water our plants more often and so bills end up being twice as much as they are during rainy season (June – November).

NOTE: The cost of water increases if you are living in a development that is not connected to city water. For example: We pay $0.45 USD per cubic meter for water. While many private developments charge $2 USD per cubic meter.

CELL PHONE – $23.39 USD

For cell service we have Pay-As-You-Go service with Movistar. Our weekly cost is $2.94 USD per phone. Yes, that’s right! $2.94 USD per phone per week. Crazy cheap compared to service in Canada or the US.

With this weekly package we get 2 GB of data, unlimited Movistar to Movistar calling minutes, 30 multi-use minutes and 30 text messages. We also get free use of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Twitter. With the multi-use minutes we can call Canada and the US.

For information on how to activate a cell phone in Nicaragua click here.

VEHICLE & TRANSPORTATION – $58.48 USD

We drove a total of 420 kilometers this month which is typical. Since we live in town — and rarely go far from home — our monthly mileage and fuel consumption is consistently low.

Our total cost for vehicle & transportation this month was $58.48 USD. This was for fuel for our truck.

Fuel prices are down a bit from last year. The price of diesel is $0.71 USD per liter. Gas is $0.75 USD per liter.

HOUSEHOLD – $59.69 USD

On a month to month basis our household expenses rarely add up to much. When we were renting they were even less.

This month we had house cleaning service 1 time. Cost was $15 USD. We also had hammock hooks installed and our water pressure pump repaired. For both jobs our cost was $21.64 USD. Other expenses in this category this month include a couple of cans of spray paint for some DIY projects and pool chemicals.

NOTE: When you arrive in Nicaragua you will likely need to buy a few household items to make your rental more comfortable. Make sure to add extra in your first and second month’s budget for these purchases.

GROCERIES & SNACKS – $320.23 USD

We enjoy cooking at home and eating in, more so than eating out. And we actually eat better at home.

Buying fruits and vegetables that are locally grown help keep grocery costs down. Buying a lot of imported products, canned goods and pre-packaged foods drive the cost of groceries up. For example: 1 Royal Gala apple costs more than a watermelon. A 14 oz can of diced tomatoes cost more than a couple of pounds of fresh tomatoes.

Some of the more expensive groceries we buy on regular basis include almond milk, peanut butter, boxed cereal, nuts and imported cheese. This month we treated oursevles to tenderloin. We bought a 3.58 lb filet for $18.86 USD.

For a complete guide to grocery shopping in San Juan del sur — with examples of food costs — click here.

RESTAURANT – $117.45 USD

We don’t eat out a ton. When we do dine out meals are never expensive.

Currently a whole fried fish dinner is the most costly meal we eat out. It usually runs us $8 or $9 USD per plate. A chicken and tajada plate at our favorite fritanga stand is $3.80 USD. A classic burger and fries at Dale Pues costs just over $6 USD.

Due to the fact that we were social distancing after March 18th the amount we spent on restaurant this month was lower than usual.

ALCOHOL – $140.84 USD

$140.84 USD reflects the amount we spent on alcohol when we were out for drinks only and for alcohol that was purchased to drink at home.

We rarely pay more than $1.50 USD for a beer at a bar or restaurant. 7-year Flor de Caña drinks cost just under $2 USD.

We buy our beer from a local distributor. A case of 24 bottles of Toña costs $17.19 USD. Currently at the Pali a 12-pack of cans of Toña costs $12.10 USD. A 750 ml bottle of 7-Year Flor de Caña rings in at $9.91 USD.

We buy our wine in Managua at La Casa Mediterranea. With a business account we are able to save 20%. And by paying cash we also save the 15% tax. Our go-to is usually a Sangiovese that costs us $6.19 USD per bottle.

PET – $0 USD

Since we were stocked up on dog food (and tick and heartworm preventative) we didn’t have any pet expenses this month.

For flea and tick preventative we give Maggie Bravecto, which provides protection for 12 weeks. It’s available locally here in San Juan at a cost of $52.00 USD. This is for dogs that weigh 4.5 – 10 kgs.

Currently we feed Maggie Kirkland Signature food that we buy at Pricesmart in Managua. Cost for a 20 lb bag is $21.52 USD. This bag of food lasts her a few months.

A general check up with our vet Dr. Faran Dometz of Ometepe Vet Clinic costs just $12 USD. This past October Maggie had dental exam and cleaning done under aesthesia. Cost was $75.00 USD.

For more information about life with a dog in Nicaragua — including details on what’s required to bring a pet into the country — click here. 

HEALTH & BEAUTY – $168.67 USD

Of the $168.67 USD spent on Health & Beauty this month $123.41 USD was the cost to replenish a bunch of my MAC cosmetics.

While I don’t spend this much on make-up every month I thought it was important to include this expense in our report. Whether it be something like make-up, a truck repair or extra money spent because we have friends or family visiting we always have monthly incidental expenses.

Gordon has been surfing, instead of going to the gym. We’ve also been doing free yoga classes online, which is saving us a bit of cash. A monthly membership at Fight Club Gym is $30 USD and includes a variety of classes. Private boxing classes are available for $15 USD per hour. A 10-pack of classes at Zen Yoga costs $60 USD

CLOTHING – $39.77 USD

It’s really difficult to find inexpensive quality clothing here and so pretty much all of my clothes shopping is done when I go back home to Canada to visit family. Gordon has a much easier time than me, but still gets his board shorts and running shoes out of country.

Not having to buy work attire or clothes for different seasons means we spend much less on clothing here than we did when we lived in Canada. Yet living in a hot climate means more wear and tear on clothes. We definitely end up replacing clothes more frequently here than we did when we lived in Canada.

The $39.77 USD that we spent on clothing this month was for t-shirts that Gordon bought from WE ARE ROAM.

GIFTS – $25.00 USD

Aside from a birthday gift for our nephews and the occasional $10 or $20 birthday gift for a friend here we don’t really buy gifts. We do cover tuition for part-time English classes for a little girl that used to be our neighbor. Our total spend on gifts this month was $25.00 USD which was entirely tuition for the English classes.

ENTERTAINMENT – $61.73 USD

Month to month we spend very little on entertainment as most of what we like to do to keep ourselves entertained is free. Our Spotify membership and Adobe Lightroom subscription are two monthly recurring expenses in this category.

This month we took part in a michelada tasting event. While the event itself was free, the micheladas we drank were not. On occasion I will take in one of the weekly workshops offered at the Art Warehouse. They range in price from $8 – $15 USD. During baseball season we enjoy going to games in the town of Rivas, which is a 30 minute drive from San Juan. Tickets behind home plate are only $3 USD and beers are less than a dollar.

Live music at El Social, Trivia Tuesday and Name that Tune at Republika and open mike night at the Cerveceria are a couple examples of free things to do in the evenings here in San Juan.

MOTORCYCLE ROAD TRIP – $44.74 USD

This month Gordon went to Jinotepe to watch an MMA fight. He stayed overnight in a hostel and shared a very basic room with is buddy. He rode his motorcycle there. Total cost for transporation, event ticket, food, alcohol and accommodations was $44.74 USD.

Gordon and I take an in-country trip away 3 to 4 times per year. We’ll spend 1 to 3 nights in hotels that range in price from $30 to $60 USD per night. We usually go with friends and split the cost of gas. If we average out what we spend on road trips in a year it works out to be about $75 to $100 USD per month.

DAY TO DAY SPENDING VS. TOTAL COST OF LIVING

Besides day to day expenses it’s also important to consider and budget for the following:

Trips to Your Home Country & Elsewhere

Even though our life feels like a vacation at times we still enjoy traveling. Every couple of years we take a two-week holiday together outside of Nicaragua. And every other year I go back home to Canada to visit family. As mentioned above we also go on an in-country road trip every 3 to 4 months.

NOTE: If you plan to do any traveling after moving to Nicaragua – whether it be to your home country or elsewhere – don’t forget to add this expense into your budget.

Health & Dental Care

In Nicaragua public health care is free, even for foreigners. That being said the quality standard of care is not that of which we are accustomed to in North America.

If we needed stitches or an x-ray we’d go to the local hospital here in San Juan. For things like minor digestive issues or a throat infection we’d visit Dr. Denis Solis. A consultation with him costs $15 USD.

For more complex illness or issues our hospital of choice would be the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital in Managua. It is a private hospital that provides North American quality standard health care. An appointment with my gynecologist there costs $40 USD. A friend of ours pays for $45 USD a visit with her diabetic doctor.

Since neither Gordon or I have health issues we choose to live without health insurance. Should one or both of us need medical attention, emergency surgery, etc. we are prepared to pay out of pocket.

Dental care is dirt cheap here compared to what we would pay in Canada. A check up and cleaning at our dentist in Rivas costs a mere $15 USD.

Researching options for health care while living abroad? Foyer Global Health specializes in International health insurance for expats. For information on their plans and services visit their website.

Vehicle Maintenance & Insurance

Here in Nicaragua you can’t buy full coverage insurance for a vehicle that is more than 10 years old. So in our case we have basic coverage only. We pay $55 USD per year to insure our SUV. Motorcycle insurance is $35 USD. Full coverage insurance is more in line with what it would be in Canada or the US.

Maintenance wise we have had very good luck with our Prado since we bought it 2 1/2 years ago. And so thankfully the amount of money we are spending on vehicle repairs right now is minimal. If you own an older vehicle you will likely be making regular trips to the mechanic. Don’t forget to factor car maintenance and repairs into your budget.

NOTE: Vehicles – whether new or used – are expensive here compared to what you’d pay for them in Canada or the US. The good thing is they hold their value well. When we bought our 2006 Toyota Prado Land Cruiser in 2018 we paid $12 500 USD for it. You can see examples of current pricing for used vehicles on Encuentra24.

Tourist Visa Renewal

If you are living in Nicaragua and you don’t have residency you will be required to renew your tourist visa every 90 days. The cheapest and easiest way to do this is by crossing the border to Costa Rica. Cost per person for tourist visa renewal (via Costa Rica border) — not including transport — is $24 USD.

For detailed information on tourist visa renewal and border crossing to Costa Rica click here.

Domestic Help

While we do our own gardening and pool cleaning, from time to time we do hire a housekeeper to do a top to bottom clean of the house. She works between 4 and 6 hours and we pay her between $12 and $15 USD.

NOTE: If you’re planning to hire a full time domestic worker (nanny, housekeeper, gardener, etc.) you should know that the current minimum monthly salary is $175 USD. In addition to this base salary employers are required to pay a percentage to the government for the employee’s social security and health insurance plans. They are also required to pay aguinaldo (an extra month’s pay) and 4 weeks of vacation pay. All said and done you’re looking at a total expense of around $270 USD per month per employee.

BOTTOM LINE

So there you have it! A complete breakdown of expenses for an expat couple with no kids living well in San Juan del Sur.

Many people are looking for the magic answer to the question, “How much does it cost to live in Nicaragua?” Unfortunately, with so many variables there is no definitive answer. It could cost a little or a lot. It all depends on what you as an invidual or family needs to be comfortable.

Whether you’ve been dreaming about relocating, seriously thinking about a move or already in the planning phase we hope the information we’ve provided in this cost of living report has given you some valuable insight to how much it would cost YOU to live in Nicaragua.