Short answer: In Nicaragua, plan on roughly $25–65 (about C$900–2,400) per person per day on a hostel-and-street-food budget, $75–200 (C$2,700–7,300) in a colonial or beach hotel shared by two with shuttles and a tour most days, and from about $300 (C$11,000) for boutique hotels, eco-lodges and private drivers. A week therefore costs about $175–455, $525–1,400 or from about $2,100 per person, before flights. Nicaragua is one of the best-value countries in Central America, and San Juan del Sur is its priciest stop.
A classic first trip links the colonial cities of Granada and León, the twin-volcano island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua and the surf beaches around San Juan del Sur, and none of it costs much by US standards. A plate of vigorón in Granada’s main square costs a few dollars, chicken buses cost pocket change, and a boat tour of Las Isletas costs about the price of a lunch at home. The currency is the córdoba (C$), and the official rate on October 2, 2026, was about C$36.62 to the US dollar, according to the Central American Monetary Council; córdoba figures here are rounded at about C$36.6. Hotels and tours usually quote in US dollars, while street food, taxis and buses charge in córdobas. This guide breaks it all down so you can build a realistic budget for your own trip to Nicaragua, and our Money exchange tool has today’s rate.
Nicaragua daily costs at a glance
These example days are built from the prices further down this page: one person, one day in Granada or León, on Ometepe or in San Juan del Sur. They leave out flights to Nicaragua and souvenirs.
| Per person, per day | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | Hostel dorm bed: $10–20 | Half of a colonial or beach hotel double at $50–120: $25–60 | Half of a boutique hotel, beach resort or eco-lodge room: from about $100 |
| Food | Vigorón, a comedor set lunch and a simple dinner: $10–18 | A set lunch, a restaurant dinner and drinks: $25–45 | The best restaurants with cocktails and wine: from about $50 |
| Transport | Chicken buses, short taxi rides, a share of a shuttle: $2–12 | Taxis and tourist shuttles between towns: $10–30 | Private driver for transfers and day trips: from about $70 |
| Sights | Free plazas, beaches and lookouts, or a shared Isletas boat tour: $0–15 | A Masaya volcano evening tour, a surf lesson or a sunset sail: $15–65 | Private guided tours and boat trips: from about $80 |
| Total | About $25–65 (C$900–2,400) | About $75–200 (C$2,700–7,300) | From about $300 (C$11,000) |
Room, meal, transport and tour figures are the typical ranges used in our Granada and San Juan del Sur guides, and comfort allowances are our estimates; the arrival tax is the official charge. Treat them as typical ranges, not quotes, and check whether a hotel price includes tax. San Juan del Sur costs more than Granada, León or Ometepe.
What visitors actually spend in Nicaragua
Nicaragua’s statistics institute (INIDE) surveys what non-resident visitors spend, and the tourism institute (INTUR) publishes the results. In the first quarter of 2026, visitors spent about $49.10 per person per day and stayed an average of 10.1 days. Visitors from North America spent more, about $69 a day, and stayed longer, 12.7 days on average, while Central Americans spent about $42 a day. The figures are steady: in the third quarter of 2025, the same survey found about $52.30 a day and an average stay of 9.6 days. These are averages across all non-resident visitors, so a vacationer staying in hotels and booking tours will usually spend somewhat more, at the low end of our mid-range band.
On our Travel costs by country scale, which compares hotel, restaurant and transport prices with the United States (US = 100), Nicaragua scores 38. In plain words, a typical room, meal or ride costs a little over a third of what it would in the US. That makes Nicaragua far cheaper than its southern neighbor Costa Rica (67), cheaper than Honduras (57) and El Salvador (48), and close to Guatemala (35).
Accommodation costs
Granada and León have hostels and restored colonial hotels built around courtyards and pools; Ometepe has farm stays and lodges; and the coast around San Juan del Sur has surf camps, hillside hotels and eco-lodges. As typical ranges, the same ones we use in our destination guides:
- Hostel dorm bed: about C$370–550 ($10–15) in Granada and C$450–750 ($12–20) in San Juan del Sur.
- Mid-range double room: about C$1,800–3,700 ($50–100) in a colonial hotel in Granada, and C$2,200–4,400 ($60–120) in San Juan del Sur.
- Boutique hotels, beach resorts and eco-lodges: from about $200 a night.
Hotel bills carry Nicaragua’s 15% value-added tax (IVA) and a 2% tourism tax, and many hotels quote in US dollars before tax, so compare totals. The dry season, from about November to April on the Pacific side, is the busiest time, with peaks at Christmas, New Year and Holy Week (March 21–28, 2027).
Food and drink costs
Local food is cheap and filling. In Granada’s Parque Central, a plate of vigorón, boiled yuca with pork crackling and cabbage salad served on a banana leaf, costs about C$100–150 ($2.70–4), and a set lunch at a comedor about C$150–250 ($4–7). Dinner on Granada’s restaurant street, Calle La Calzada, runs about C$370–740 ($10–20) per person, and a local Toña or Victoria beer about C$50–90 ($1.40–2.50). In San Juan del Sur, a fried fish dinner on the beachfront costs about C$370–650 ($10–18), while the market comedores a few blocks inland are cheaper.
Try gallo pinto (rice and beans) at breakfast, nacatamales on weekends, quesillo, and a macuá, the national cocktail of rum with guava and orange juice. Many restaurants add a voluntary 10% tip to the bill, and prices carry 15% IVA. Flor de Caña rum and coffee from the northern highlands around Matagalpa and Jinotega are national prides. Drink bottled or filtered water.
Getting around: shuttles, chicken buses, ferries and taxis
- Tourist shuttles: link Granada, León, San Juan del Sur, the Ometepe ferry at San Jorge, Managua airport and the Costa Rican border. They cost more than buses but save time and hassle.
- Chicken buses and minibuses: the cheapest way between towns, though crowded and slow.
- Taxis: a ride within Granada’s center costs about C$40–80 ($1–2.20). Use authorized taxis with red license plates, and agree the fare first.
- Ferry to Ometepe: boats leave from San Jorge, near Rivas, for Moyogalpa, about an hour across Lake Nicaragua.
- Beach shuttles in San Juan del Sur: a round trip to Playa Maderas costs about C$180–370 ($5–10).
- Domestic flights: link Managua with the Corn Islands on the Caribbean side.
Many travelers combine Nicaragua with Costa Rica, crossing at Peñas Blancas on the Pan-American Highway, about 30 km (19 miles) from San Juan del Sur and 1.5 hours from Granada. International buses and shuttles run between Granada or San Juan del Sur and Guanacaste or San José; remember the $10 arrival tax in cash when you enter Nicaragua, and cross in daylight.
Our Nicaragua itinerary shows how to link Granada, León, Ometepe and the coast in one or two weeks.
Sightseeing fees, tours and free things to do
Nicaragua’s tours are cheap by regional standards. As typical prices from our destination guides:
- Las Isletas boat tour from Granada: about C$370–740 ($10–20) per person on a shared boat, among hundreds of tiny islands in Lake Nicaragua.
- Masaya volcano evening tour: about C$900–1,500 ($25–40), to look into the active crater of Masaya Volcano National Park, which charges its own entrance fee at the gate.
- Surfing in San Juan del Sur: board rental about C$370–550 ($10–15) a day, and a group lesson about C$1,100–1,850 ($30–50). See our surfing guide.
- Sunset catamaran sail: about C$2,200–3,300 ($60–90).
Free or nearly free:
- Granada’s colonial center, its cathedral and the Parque Central; the bell tower of La Merced, with one of the best views over the city’s tiled roofs, charges a small fee.
- León’s streets and its huge white cathedral, the largest in Central America. Our city sightseeing guide has tips.
- The beaches north and south of San Juan del Sur, and the hilltop statue of Christ above the bay, which charges a small entrance fee. See our beaches guide.
- Farm roads, waterfalls and petroglyphs on Ometepe; climbing its volcanoes requires a local guide. Our hiking guide has tips.
Our Top 10 places to visit in Nicaragua covers the highlights in more detail.
Taxes and visitor fees
- Arrival tax: $10 in cash when you enter Nicaragua, by air or overland, according to the UK government. Keep small US dollar notes ready.
- Departure tax: $35 when you fly out, normally included in your airfare.
- Value-added tax: 15% IVA on goods and services.
- Tourism tax: 2% on hotel bills, for the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute (INTUR).
Tipping in Nicaragua
Many restaurants add a 10% propina to the bill, which you can decline; otherwise tip about 10%. Tip guides and drivers for good service, including volcano and boat guides. Our tip calculator does the math.
Money and payments
US dollars are the only foreign currency that is freely exchangeable, and banks don’t change British pounds or Canadian dollars, so bring dollars or a card. ATMs in cities and tourist towns dispense córdobas or US dollars, but they are scarce outside the main towns, and the few in San Juan del Sur can run out on busy weekends. Credit cards are usually accepted in hotels and larger restaurants. Change money at banks or with official money changers carrying ID, often found in front of banks.
Money-saving tips for Nicaragua
- Eat at comedores and markets. A set lunch costs a few dollars.
- Mix buses and shuttles. Chicken buses for short hops, shuttles for long or awkward legs.
- Spend more nights in Granada, León and Ometepe and fewer in San Juan del Sur, the dearest stop.
- Base yourself in Granada for day trips. Las Isletas, the Masaya volcano and the Laguna de Apoyo are all close by.
- Travel in the green season. May to October brings lower prices and fewer visitors, and the best surf. Our best time to visit Nicaragua guide has the month-by-month details.
- Check whether rates include tax. IVA and the tourism tax add 17% to a room price.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day plan for Nicaragua from our guides, starting with Granada and San Juan del Sur. The Nicaragua itinerary shows how to fit the colonial cities, the volcanoes and the beaches into one or two weeks, and the Money exchange tool turns córdobas into your own currency.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for a week in Nicaragua?
Using the example days above, seven days cost roughly $175–455 (C$6,400–16,700) per person on a tight budget, $525–1,400 (C$19,200–51,200) mid-range and from about $2,100 (C$76,900) in comfort, before flights. Add the $10 arrival tax in cash.
Is Nicaragua expensive?
No. On our travel cost scale Nicaragua scores 38 against 100 for the United States, so rooms, meals and transport cost a little over a third as much. It is far cheaper than Costa Rica, and San Juan del Sur is the only stop where prices approach those of beach towns elsewhere in the region.
Do I need cash in Nicaragua?
Yes. You pay the $10 arrival tax in cash, and buses, taxis, street food and markets work in cash, usually córdobas. Bring US dollars in small notes, and use ATMs in the main towns, as they are scarce elsewhere.
Can I pay in US dollars in Nicaragua?
Often. Hotels, tours and many restaurants quote and accept US dollars, and some ATMs dispense them. Street food, taxis and buses usually charge in córdobas, at about C$36.62 to the dollar in early October 2026.
Is the departure tax included in my plane ticket?
Normally yes. The $35 departure tax is usually part of your airfare. The $10 arrival tax is separate and paid in cash when you enter the country.
What is the cheapest month to visit Nicaragua?
The green season, from May to October, brings lower prices and fewer visitors; September and October are the wettest and quietest months. The dry season from November to April, and especially Holy Week, Christmas and New Year, is the busiest and dearest time.