Just Landed in Nicaragua? Your First 7 Days

Claro and Tigo are the two national networks and both sell prepaid SIMs cheaply with passport registration at branded shops and the airport. Coverage is solid across the Pacific cities and towns but weak, slow or absent in rural areas and much of the Caribbean coast. Fixed home internet is available from Claro and Tigo in towns, though speeds are modest and outages common, so always keep a mobile data plan as backup.

Typical cost: A prepaid SIM with a monthly data bundle runs roughly 300-600 NIO (about USD 8-16); home fibre or cable packages start around 800-1,200 NIO per month.

The córdoba is the everyday currency, but US dollars are widely accepted for rent, tours and larger purchases, usually at a slightly worse rate than the bank. Nicaragua runs heavily on cash and cards are only reliable in supermarkets such as La Colonia and Pali, mid-range hotels and city restaurants; assume markets, buses and fondas are cash-only. Keep an eye on the rate, which sits near 36-37 NIO per USD.

Opening an account: Opening a local account at BAC, Banpro, Lafise or Ficohsa as a foreigner is slow and normally requires residency (a cédula), proof of address and local references. Many expats live for months on ATM withdrawals and USD cash before bothering with a bank, and rely on Wise or their home-country cards for transfers.

Cash: Cash is king; carry small córdoba notes because markets, buses, fondas and rural areas take nothing else and rarely have change for large bills. ATMs (BAC and Banpro are the most foreigner-friendly) cap withdrawals per transaction, charge fees and often run dry on weekends, so top up during the week.

Tipping: Restaurants add a 10% service charge (propina) to the bill by law; an extra 5-10% for genuinely good service is appreciated but optional. Round up for taxis, tip hotel and tour staff a couple of dollars, and keep small notes for the youths who watch your parked car.

There is no local town-hall or address registration for arrivals, and no equivalent of a European residents' register. Most visitors enter under CA-4 rules for up to 90 days, with the clock starting on the entry stamp date. Staying beyond that means applying for temporary residency (residencia temporal) through the immigration authority, a slow process requiring apostilled documents; the alternative of "border runs" to reset the 90 days still works for many but is increasingly scrutinised and not guaranteed.

Where: Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) offices in Managua and departmental capitals.

Intercity travel runs on cheap old US school buses ("chicken buses"), faster and pricier microbuses or expresos, and shared taxis (colectivos); within cities you flag down taxis and negotiate the fare before boarding, as meters do not exist. There is no metro and no dependable app-based ride-hailing, so cultivating one or two known local drivers you reach by WhatsApp is genuinely worth the effort. Tourist shuttle services also link Granada, León, San Juan del Sur and Ometepe for those who prefer door-to-door.

From the airport: From Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (MGA) use the official airport taxi cooperative desk: central Managua is around USD 15-20 and Granada roughly USD 40-50, agreed before you leave. Budget travellers can taxi to Mercado Huembes and catch a frequent bus to Granada for a couple of dollars, though this is less appealing on arrival day with luggage.

Most expats rent in Granada, San Juan del Sur, León or around Managua's Carretera Masaya, finding places through local Facebook groups, Encuentra24 listings and word of mouth rather than estate agencies. Furnished long-term rentals are common and cheap by Western standards, but quality varies wildly, so view in person and check water pressure, a plan for the frequent blackouts, mosquito screening and air conditioning before signing.

Typical rent: A modest furnished one-bedroom in an expat town runs about USD 300-500 per month, or USD 400-600 in a central or tourist-heavy spot; colonial courtyard houses and beachfront homes cost far more.

Deposit norm: Expect one month's rent as a deposit plus the first month upfront, almost always paid in US dollars and often to a private landlord rather than through a formal agency contract.

Public hospitals are free but under-resourced and frequently short of supplies and staff, so expats rely on private clinics in Managua such as Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas and Hospital Bautista, which are the best-equipped in the country. Care outside the capital is basic, and serious or complex cases are routinely evacuated to Costa Rica or Panama, which is why evacuation cover matters so much.

How to access it: Walk into a private clinic or hospital and pay cash or card at the point of care, then claim back through your insurer; keep every receipt and report. Pharmacies dispense many medicines without a prescription, but stock a personal supply of anything you take regularly, as specific drugs are inconsistently available outside Managua.

Insurance: Buy international private health insurance that explicitly includes medical evacuation, because local cover is limited, the best facilities are pay-first, and getting to advanced care may mean flying out of the country.

• Greet with a handshake or a cheek kiss and use "usted" with people you do not know well; Nicaraguan Spanish also uses "vos" rather than "tú" among friends.
• Even basic Spanish is expected and warmly received, since English is rare outside tourist zones and the Caribbean coast; a friendly "buenas" opens most doors.
• Punctuality is loose socially ("hora nica"), so do not expect guests or tradespeople on the dot, but turn up on time for banks, migration and official appointments.
• Dress modestly in towns and villages; beach and gym wear belongs at the beach and gym, and neat clothing earns you more respect in offices.
• Family, faith and courtesy matter deeply here, so accept hospitality graciously, greet everyone in a room, and avoid loud, brash or entitled behaviour.
• Bargain politely at markets and with taxis but without aggression; a smile and patience get better prices than confrontation.
• Learn people's names and use titles like "don" and "doña" for older neighbours and shopkeepers, which is a small courtesy that goes a long way.

• Avoid discussing politics, the government or the 2018 protests in public or online; the subject is genuinely sensitive and conversations can be monitored.
• Do not photograph police, military, checkpoints or government buildings, as this can lead to detention or confiscated devices.
• Steer clear of any demonstration, march or gathering, which can be shut down forcefully and put foreigners at risk.
• Be careful what you post on social media about Nicaragua; foreigners have been denied entry or expelled over perceived criticism.
• Do not assume services, offices or transport will run to schedule; blackouts, closures and last-minute changes are routine, so keep plans flexible.