Nicaragua is by far the cheapest country we have been to so far, however this does not mean we spent less as we tended to go for better value hostels, more comfortable travel and allowed ourselves a few luxuries. We are now considering changing our tagline to “not so budget backpacking as a couple”. Regardless of the fact we spent more than we could have we had an amazing time. If you have the money to spend in Nicaragua you can live like a king for very little.

We found Nicaragua a really interesting, safe and friendly country to travel around. Its small and there are only a few key places to visit but it certainly offers more than its fair share of unique experiences to rival any other country in Central America.

Average Cost per Day for a Couple – US$100

Our average cost includes;

• Transport 
• Hotels/Hostels
• Daily spends 
• Treks/excursions
• Return Flights from Managua to the Corn Islands

In total we spent 25 days in Nicaragua. One week of that was spent on the Corn Islands. The cost of the flight did increase the average daily spend.

Typical Costs

Hotels/Hostels: We stayed in some of the best hostels of our trip in Nicaragua, costing on average $20 per night for a double room with private bathroom. We have listed our favourites below as we think they offer excellent value for money;

1. San Juan del Sur – Buena Onda 
2. Leon – Hostel Casa Ivana 
3. Granada – Hostel El Momento 

There are plenty of other options offering double rooms from $10-15 and dorms from $5 per night.

Food

You will not be able to go to Nicaragua without coming across the national dish Gallo Pinto which is simply rice and beans. This can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The typical breakfasts will come with eggs and lunches and dinners with chicken and veg and maybe some fried plantains. All cost approximately $2 per meal and are very filling. Another local dish Cerdo con Yucca which is pork and yucca served on a banana leaf with salad and spicy sauce. Worth a try at $2 per meal.

Beer

Nicaragua is the cheapest place in Central America for beer. In a restaurant a 330ml bottle of beer is $1. Flor de Cana rum is also popular and extremely cheap. You can pick up a decent litre bottle of 5 year aged for $7.

Entrance Fees and Activities

Activities will take up the biggest chunk of your budget and there is a lot on offer. Below are some examples of costs based on our trip.

• Volcano Boarding Leon - $30pp
• Masaya Volcano Tour - $25pp
• Half day snorkelling tour Corn Island - $20pp 
• Bike hire Ometepe - $5 per day 
• Scooter/Motorbike hire Ometepe - $25 per day 
• Bell Tower Granada - $1pp
• Chocolate Museum Granada – Free (tours and chocolate making classes can be arranged at additional costs) 
• Cathedral Leon Roof access - $1pp
• Art Museum Leon - $1pp
• Museum of legends and traditions Leon - $2pp

Transport

Chicken busses are an easy way to get around and tend to be safer in Nicaragua than other Central American countries. On our trip we tended to go for convenience over price.

• Leon to Managua Airport – Private shuttle - $15pp
• Managua to the Corn Islands – Return flight - $165pp
• Managua Airport to Grandad – Taxi - $40
• Granada to San Juan – Private shuttle - $15pp
• San Juan to San Jorge (for ferry to Ometepe) – Taxi - $20
• Ferry San Jorge to Island Ometepe - $1.50
• Ometepe Local Busses - $1 per journey

Highlights

We enjoyed everywhere we went as they offered a different Nicaraguan experience. Our advice would be not to miss out Leon as this was a particular gem.

• Leon – Beautiful colonial city full of culture and history.
• Corn Islands – Relax by the pristine Caribbean waters on these stunning islands.
• Granada– It may be touristy but it is worth a visit and the trip to Volcano Masaya is not to be missed
• San Juan del Sur – Nicaragua’s party town. Go for sun, sand and surf.
• Island Ometepe – Experian real Nicaraguan life on this unique volcanic island.