Nicaragua Travel Budget: My Experience • Expert Vagabond

Traveling in Nicaragua on a Budget

Budget Travel

Is it possible to travel in Nicaragua on a budget? Learn how much it cost me to backpack in Nicaragua — along with my favorite tips & highlights.

Overview

I think I’m in love. The Central American country of Nicaragua was a big surprise. I quickly got sucked into it’s laid-back pace of life, incredibly friendly people, and low cost of living.

I wasn’t planning on spending much time here. That scenario soon changed once I got to know the place!

Do you want to travel back in time? It’s possible in Nicaragua.

Venture into any of the many small towns to experience rural farming communities where water is collected with buckets, horses are the only way to get around, and even basic electricity can be hard to find.

Living in Nicaragua for a while was a refreshing pause in my journey, and I became captivated by it’s magic.

Nicaragua Travel Costs:

Nicaragua travel budgets can vary greatly. Here is a breakdown of how much money I spent over 4 months of travel there.

Food & Drink: $1,444 US (groceries, restaurants, water, alcohol)
Accommodation: $595 US (hostels, hotels, camping fees)
Transportation: $92 US (buses, taxis, boats)
Activities: $110 US (entrance fees, rentals, classes, tours, etc.)
Miscellaneous: $299 US (laundry, sundries, souvenirs, visas, etc.)

TOTAL DAYS = 121

TOTAL SPENT = $2,540 US

DAILY AVERAGE = $21 US

Budget Notes: I stayed almost 2 months at a hostel in Granada called La Casita that charged only $4 a night because it was low-season.

Highlights

– Watching my first cock fight
– Volcano boarding down Cerro Negro
– Building ovens out of poop
– Hitchhiking to visit Alberto
– Chicken buses

Lowlights

– The heat of Leon
– Sleeping on the deck of a cargo boat
– Crashing a motorcycle
– Witnessing how people live at La Chureca
– Chicken buses

Surprises

– How cheap the country is
– How friendly the people are
– Chicken buses!

Stories & Adventures From Nicaragua

Planning to travel to Nicaragua soon? Browse all my blog posts from Nicaragua to get ideas & recommendations for your own adventures!

Final Thoughts

Nicaragua has a little bit of everything. Beautiful beaches, great surfing, active volcanoes, nature preserves, freshwater lakes, jungle rivers, quaint colonial cities, and a good chunk of the country is not easy to access and off the beaten track (just the way I like it).

Traveling in Nicaragua won’t break the bank either. I know I’ll be back again some day soon.

Additional Examples?

My last trip to Nicaragua was in 2011. Prices have probably changed a bit since then. We don’t all travel the same way either. So to help you get a better picture, here are a few Nicaragua travel budgets from others:

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Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip.

Book Your Flight

Ready to fly? Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal.

Cheap Accommodation

Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read why you should always carry travel insurance.
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