Where should I live in Nicaragua?

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and has one of the lowest cost of living in the world. It is a spectacular country with a lot to offer and is a popular destination for expats looking to move overseas. With so many different experiences available, one of the first things a foreigner looking to move to Nicaragua will need to consider is “Where should I live in Nicaragua?”. In this Nicaragua blog we will give you all the information you need to answer that question.

How we unexpectedly started living in Nicaragua

In March 2020 we crossed the border from Honduras into Nicaragua as part of a year long adventure around the world. Little did we know that for the rest of 2020 the world would still be effectively shut down due to Covid and that we’d still be living in Nicaragua!

We called Granada Nicaragua our home for a year. It’s an inland city on the coast of Lake Nicaragua and is home to around 120,000 people. Conveniently, it is less than an hours drive from the capital Managua and is well serviced with 3 main supermarkets, and plenty of restaurants. Moreover, as Nicaragua’s 6^th most populous city, it has a rich history, beautiful colonial style architecture and is a popular choice for expats looking to move to Nicaragua.

During our year and a half living in Nicaragua we travelled extensively throughout the country and have experienced almost all that the country has to offer. We therefore have a unique perspective to be able to provide you the best advice on where to live in Nicaragua. Nicaragua has something for everyone and your choice of ideal location will come down to your particular needs. We’ll highlight the pros and cons of some of the most popular destinations in Nicaragua so you are well informed to make the best choice about where to live in Nicaragua.

Where to live in Nicaragua: If you like beaches

Nicaragua is blessed with many amazing beaches with coastlines on both the Pacific and the Caribbean coast. Additionally, Nicaragua is also home to many islands. Of particular note is one of the Nicaragua’s most famous islands, Ometepe Island, which is located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua.

Living in Nicaragua: San Juan del Sur

For a beachside retreat which also has a strong expat community, high quality schools and plenty of shops and restaurants we recommend San Juan del Sur. Located on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, San Juan del Sur is one of the most popular places for expats in Nicaragua. Keep in mind that this does translate to slightly higher prices than other parts of Nicaragua.

San Juan del Sur is a bit over an hour drive from the border with Costa Rica and less than an hour from the city of Rivas. Some of the best beaches in Nicaragua are half an hour drive north or south of the main town of San Juan del Sur. Being a major tourist area, it has plenty of activities to offer, a vibrant cafe scene and the best nightlife in Nicaragua.

San Juan del Sur has a wide variety of accommodation options available, from condos to gated communities and luxury waterfront mansions. Internet speed in the area is some of the fastest we’ve seen in Nicaragua.

One thing to consider with San Juan del Sur is whether you want to live closer to the main part of town or closer to the beaches. One one hand, the main part of town has more conveniences as well as potable water. However the beaches have a lot more natural beauty and wildlife. Outside of the main part of town in San Juan del Sur the roads aren’t paved and shops are limited. If you decide to live closer to the beaches, there is a fruit and vegetable van that comes by the beach areas a couple of times a week. And in order to get to the beach areas a 4WD will be essential and the roads get particularly difficult to navigate during rainy season.

Pros of living in San Juan del Sur:

• Large expat community
• Great schools
• Plenty of Restaurants, Cafes and Shops
• Activities – surfing and other water activities
• Wildlife such as howler monkeys and turtles
• Fast internet

Cons of living in San Juan del Sur:

• Best beaches aren’t close to the main part of town
• 4WD is necessary in beach areas

Where to Live in Nicaragua: Popoyo

Another beach area that is gaining popularity with expats is Popoyo. This is our favourite beach area in Nicaragua. Guasacaste beach has a long sweeping stretch of white sand, which makes it the perfect place for sunset walks. Another great feature is its world class surfing. Finally, there are plenty of swimming options including a lagoon, rock pools and hot springs.

Popoyo beach has a more relaxed feel than San Juan del Sur. It does have a few great restaurants and is serviced by a vegetable van that comes by every couple of days, but for most conveniences you will need to drive to Rivas or Managua. One thing to keep in mind is that the area is prone to flooding, both from the beach as well as the nearby river. The roads are not paved and during rainy season it may be difficult to get in and out of the area. The internet in the area is surprisingly good but the water is not potable.

Pros of living in Popoyo:

• Excellent surfing
• Beautiful beaches
• Relaxed atmosphere

Cons of living in Popoyo:

• Roads around here are BAD!
• Prone to flooding
• Not many shops or restaurants

Where to live in Nicargua: El Transito

El Transito is one of the closest beaches to Managua, a short drive from the highway between León and Managua. It has some spectacular waterfront properties and a relaxed atmosphere.

A distinctive feature of El Transito is the series of lava flows that have created rock walls just off the shore. This provides nice protected areas to swim and plenty of rock pools.

There are a couple of shops and restaurants in town and the area is serviced by a vegetable van that comes by a couple of times a week. The internet is good, but we did experience quite a few blackouts during our time in the area. The roads around here aren’t as bad as the roads around the beaches of San Juan del Sur and Popoyo, but you will still need a 4WD to get around. There are a few buses a day in each direction between El Transito and Managua.

A big plus for us is that the water here is potable.

Pros of living in El Transito:

• Short drive from major cities
• Beautiful rockpools
• Potable water

Cons of living in El Transito:

• Electricity outages

Nicaragua Living: Las Peñitas

Las Peñitas is a short 30 minute drive from the city of León. A key attraction is its beautiful black sand beaches. It has a number of restaurants and bars and its convenient location makes it a popular stop on the tourist trail. Conveniently, the area is serviced by fruit and vegetable trucks.

Pros of living in Las Peñitas:

• Close to the conveniences of a city while having the beach lifestyle

Cons of living in Las Peñitas:

• The weather can be quite hot!

Best place to live in Nicaragua: For an Island Retreat

Expats in Nicaragua: The Corn Islands

The Corn Islands are Carribean Islands off the east coast of Nicaragua. We haven’t been to the Corn Islands ourselves, but we hear that it is an incredible place. This side of Nicaragua is more prone to mosquito borne illnesses such as malaria, so be sure to take preventative measures if you decide to live here. There are flights to the Corn Islands from Managua or you can catch a ferry from the Corn Islands to the mainland city of Bluefields.

Pros of living in the Corn Islands:

• Tropical location

Cons of living in the Corn Islands:

• Malaria risk
• Hard to get to
• Hurricane risk during the wet season

Life in Nicaragua: Ometepe Island

Ometepe Island is a picture perfect island which is home to two volcanoes. This island is a magical place and has to be seen to be believed. We love the laidback lifestyle on the island and the amazing natural beauty of the area.

Ometepe Island is large enough to have plenty to do while being small enough to be able to travel around the island in under a day. There are two main towns in Ometepe Island – Moyogalpa and Altagracia. Outside of these towns there are beautiful beaches and waterholes and a number of eco retreats. The island attracts people looking for an alternative lifestyle. We were pleasantly surprised to find high speed internet on some parts of the island. The tap water however isn’t potable and there are only a handful of ATMs on the island. There is a paved ring road that runs around much of the island, from Moyogalpa to Santa Cruz.

Pros of living in Ometepe Island:

• One of the most beautiful parts of Nicaragua

Cons of living in Ometepe Island:

• ATMs only at Moyogalpa and Altagracia

Moving to Nicaragua: Las Isletas

Ever wanted to own your very own island? You could make that dream a reality if you decide to live on one of the islands of Las Isletas. Las Isletas is a series of 365 islands in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. These islands are close to the city of Granada and are the location of choice for some of Nicaragua’s most rich and famous. Being a short boat ride from a major city, you have all of the conveniences of Granada with the privacy of being on an island.

Pros of living in Las Isletas:

• Your very own island!

Cons of living in Las Isletas:

• You’ll need a boat

Where to Live in Nicaragua: Best Colonial City in Nicaragua

Expats of Nicaragua: Granada

For us, the best place to live in Nicaragua has got to be the city of Granada. This charming colonial city has all of the conveniences that a city offers while being just a short drive from some of Nicaragua’s best attractions.

There aren’t many places in the world where you are less than an hour from 2 volcanoes as well as some of the worlds most beautiful lakes and lagoons. Granada is also less than an hour from the capital Managua as well as the international airport. It is a very walkable city and being a major transport hub you really don’t need a car to live here.

The internet speeds in Granada Nicaragua are not as fast as some of the other parts of the country. The water is potable and the roads around here are excellent. Furthermore, there are plenty of shops and restaurants and plenty of community events throughout the year. Granada has a large expat community as well as accommodation options to suit all budgets.

Pros of living in Granada:

• Very livable city
• Close to many attractions
• Many community events

Cons of living in Granada:

• Internet could be faster

Where to live in Nicaragua: Best shopping in Nicaragua

Expat Life in Nicaragua: Managua

The capital of Nicaragua is the best place to live in Nicaragua if you want all of the conveniences of a large modern city. Managua has the best shopping in Nicaragua, the widest range of restaurants as well as world class hospitals. The internet speeds in Managua are fast and reliable and power outages are rare. Furthermore, the water is potable and the roads are well maintained.

Despite being a sprawling, traffic filled city you can find some nice leafy neighbourhoods. Additionally, there are many gated communities. Specifically, the neighbourhoods of Los Robles and Las Colinas are popular areas to live and there are a wide range of accommodation options available.

Managua is in the middle of the country and is well connected to other areas by bus and minivan. It is in the centre of the country, so most areas in Nicaragua can be reached from Managua within a couple of hours.

We found Managua to be one of the more expensive areas in Nicaragua, although with so much on offer if you look around enough you’ll be able to find some bargains.

Pros of living in Managua:

• Best shopping and restaurants in Nicaragua
• Convenient location
• Well connected to the rest of the country

Cons of living in Managua:

• Traffic
• Not as much natural beauty compared to other areas in Nicaragua

Top place to live in Nicaragua: For Foodie Paradise

Nicaragua Expats: Estelí

We loved Estelí, so much so that it would be our number 2 choice for where to live in Nicaragua. It has a great food scene with plenty of cafes and international cuisine. Estelí is in the northern highlands of Nicaragua, and as such it has a milder climate that most areas of Nicaragua. It is in coffee country, so you won’t have a problem getting your caffeine fix!

Estelí is one of the larger cities in Nicaragua, so it has all of your modern conveniences including fast internet, potable water, good roads and transport. Furthermore, it is a walkable city and has a great art scene. However the downside of Estelí is that we couldn’t find many fully furnished short term rentals. Additionally, Estelí has a lot of well-heeled Nicaraguans living in the area, so prices are on the high side by Nicaraguan standards. There is a small expat community in the Estelí/Matagalpa/Jinotega area.

Pros of living in Estelí:

• Excellent food as well as coffee
• Mild climate
• Great amenities

Cons of living in Estelí:

• Lack of short term rentals
• Expensive by Nicaraguan standards

Best place to live in Nicaragua: Milder Climates and Rural Estates close to a city

Where to Live in Nicaragua: Jinotepe / Diriamba / Masatepe / Diriomo

Jinotepe, Diriamba, Masatepe and Diriomo are small but charming cities within a short drive of each other. Moreover, if you drive 10 minutes out of these cities you are surrounded by beautiful rural estates. These cities are located within easy reach of some beautiful Pacific beaches as well as the conveniences of the larger cities of Masaya and Managua.

Rural estates generally have less reliable internet and electricity, but if you like the slow pace of rural lifestyle while still having the conveniences of being close to a city then this could be a good option. Another plus is that these areas generally have milder climates than other parts of Nicaragua.

Pros of living in Jinotepe, Diriamba, Masatepe or Diriomo:

• Central location – close to beaches and larger cities
• Mild climate
• Peaceful

Cons of living in Jinotepe, Diriamba, Masatepe or Diriomo:

• Services such as internet and electricity may not be as stable

Most livable area in Nicaragua: For mountain retreat

Move to Nicaragua: Matagalpa / Jinotega

These cities are in the mountains and are subsequently in the prime coffee growing region of Nicaragua. There is a small but passionate expat community who are adamant that there is no better place to live in all of Nicaragua.

The cities of Matagalpa and Jinotega have some great restaurants and cafes. Additionally, there are some beautiful rural properties nearby. Other selling points include its nice mild climate as well as the wide range of of outdoor activities to enjoy in the area.

It is possible to get decent internet here. Also, depending on how far you stray from the main town areas the roads are reasonably good. One consideration is that this area is a bit further from Managua than other parts of Nicaragua. So depending on how often you need to get to the capital for errands or to get to fly out of the country this might be a bit less convenient than some of the other options. Regardless, this is a very nice part of the country.

Pros living in Matagalpa or Jinotega:

• Mild Climate
• Beautiful mountain area
• Peaceful

Cons living in Matagalpa or Jinotega:

• Services such as internet and electricity may not be as stable

Final thoughts about living in Nicaragua

We are so grateful that we were able to experience what it’s like to live in Nicaragua. Our time here has been one of the highlights of our lives and we will forever have a warm spot in our hearts for this beautiful country. We hope this guide has helped you narrow down your search for where to live in Nicaragua. And before you make any big decisions we’d recommend you try out an area first to make sure it suits your needs.

What would be top place to live in Nicaragua? Were there anything areas we missed on our list? Let us know in the comments below.

Also, if you want to learn more about living in Nicaragua, check out our playlist of Nicaragua videos.

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