Retire

A safe and democratic country

Nicaragua has become one of the safest countries in the Western Hemisphere, and has been ranked as the safest country in Central America, with a very low crime rate. In the capital city of Managua, the minor crimes targeted against the tourists are uncommon. There are always a couple of neighborhoods to avoid like in any other country, but in general it is safe to wander around Managua as well as around the other regions of the country.

A high quality of life at a low cost

Nicaragua offers a high quality of life and standard of living at very affordable costs. At a low cost, it is possible to have many commodities such as a live-in maid which can cost between 120 to 150 USD per month and a driver which can cost between 200-250 USD per month. In fact Nicaragua has the lowest cost of living in Central America, which is between 30 to 60 percent lower than in the United States.

High quality health services

Nicaragua also offers high quality health services at affordable prices. There are well trained physicians and also some of the most modern medical facilities in the region. In fact one of the hospitals in Managua called “The Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital” has emerged as one of the most modern hospitals in Central America, and has been accredited by the Joint Commission International. There are only 21 hospitals in Latin America with this accreditation. In this hospital, a consult with an expert may cost you between 40 to 60 USD without insurance. However if you obtain an insurance with this hospital, all prices for healthcare services are reduced.  If you get the “Silver” insurance and are between 40 to 65 years old, you will have to pay $18 a month for the insurance and you will get various discounts in emergency services, medical exams, operating room, etc, and a consult with an expert will cost you 5.00 USD. Nevertheless it is not an obligation to have an insurance with this hospital since they accept many international insurances, such as Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, Bupa, Eurocenter, Unicare, Global Excel Intl, just to name a few.

Nicaragua has a tropical climate

The climate in Nicaragua is divided into two seasons: the rainy season (from May to Ocotber) and the dry season (between November and April). The heaviest rainfalls arrive during the months of September and October. The hottest months of the year are March, April and May.

The climate of Nicaragua consists of three temperature zones: The lowlands (Pacific and Atlantic coast), the central highlands and the northern mountains. In the lowlands, the daytime temperatures varies from 76°to 91° F (30° to 33° C) but can reach 95°F (35°C) and the night temperatures varies from 69° to 75° F (20° to 24° C). In the central highlands of Nicaragua, the daytime temperatures range from 75° to 80°F (24° to 27° C) and the night temperatures range from 59° to 68° F (15° to 20° C). In the northern mountains, the daytime temperatures range from 71°F to 75°F (21° to 24° C) and the night temperatures are below 59° F (15°C).

A close destination to the USA

Flight times from the USA to Nicaragua are very short, between 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the departure site. There are various daily flights that go straight from Miami, Atlanta and Houston to Managua and vice versa. There are also many flights from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington that go to Nicaragua either by Panama or El Salvador.

Easy access to all parts

In Nicaragua there are many attractions in other cities and towns, which are all easy to reach since there are many well-built roads in the country. Also since the roads are fairly straight and there are many signs, it is quite easy to find these places. Most places in the western area can be reached within 30 minutes and 4 hours. A few examples are Masaya, which houses the largest National Park of Nicaragua as well as the Masaya Volcano and is 30 minutes from Managua. Granada, on of the colonial cities, is 10 minutes from Masaya. San Juan del Sur, the most popular coastal town and tourist port, is about a 2 hour trip from Managua, and all on a perfectly paved road.

The telecommunication sector is one of the most modern in Central America

There are a few companies, namely CLARO and MOVISTAR that can offer modern technology in terms of Television channels and internet.  Regarding the television system, these companies can provide cable TV, Satellite TV, and digital TV, which offer many channels that are seen in the USA such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc. These services can cost you 21.00 USD + tax, 18.00 USD + tax and 25.00 USD + tax respectively. The internet service can cost you between 15.00 to 60.99 USD + tax depending on the speed. It is also possible to obtain the internet service on cellphones.

The Nicaraguan people are very friendly and helpful

The Nicaraguan people are often said to be very generous and welcoming. They will always give a lending hand to whoever is having a problem and are eager to make friends with foreign visitors. It is easy to feel at home in Nicaragua.

Facility to purchase a property

In Nicaragua it is quite easy to buy a house and there is a variety of regions to choose from, whether it’s in the capital, in a city, a town, by the sea or on the mountain. There’s also a range of property, from houses, to apartments to condos. The requirements are minimal and the prices are the best in the whole Central American region, which makes property purchase much easier.

Easy to get residency

In Nicaragua the immigration laws are much simpler than in other countries, making it easier to acquire the residency. If you are retiring, then it is easy to obtain the retired status that will enable you to reside in the country. There is a special law to promote foreigners to retire in Nicaragua, granting them special benefits.

Benefits for retirees

Here the law exempts the retirees from many taxes and the government offers them many benefits and discounts in various services.

Good electricity and water service

There´s a good electricity and water service in Nicaragua at a low cost. An electric bill could be between 50 to 100 USD depending on the location and on the use of electricity, so it could be more. The water bill is twice as cheaper as the electric bill.

Great food at a great price

Since Nicaragua is a multi-racial country, there’s a large variety of cuisine to choose from, whether it is chicken, pork, meat dishes and seafood as well as various vegetarian dishes. Each region of Nicaragua has its specialty. In addition, there are many international restaurants to choose from, such as Italian, Argentinian, Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, etc. And if you are homesick there are also American fast-food restaurants such as TGIF, McDonalds, Subway, Burger King, Pizza hut, Quiznos, etc.Prices are very affordable.

Many places to visit

Nicaragua has a wide range of attractions to visit, from natural beauties like volcanoes, waterfalls, lakes, lagoons, beaches to man-made ones like colonial cathedrals, churches, and museums. All these are further explained in the “Explore” page.

Rich Culture and Traditions

Nicaragua has strong folklore, music, dance, and religious traditions influenced mostly by Iberian culture but also enriched with the Amerindian flavors. The western part of the country was colonized by Spain and therefore this region has a similar culture to the other Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. The eastern part of the country use to be a British protectorate, and therefore the culture here is similar to other Caribbean nations that were once a British colony, such as Jamaica. Here English is still predominant and there are a large number of people who bear African descent.  You can even find a small group of people that have managed to maintain their tribal customs and languages and are therefore ethnically separated from the rest of the country.

Although the official currency is Cordoba, it is possible to use US Dollars in supermarkets, shops, restaurants, hotels, etc.

In Nicaragua Spanish is the official language; however English has become increasingly popular.