Retire in Nicaragua
To retire in Nicaragua most people apply for temporary residence as a jubilado, with no fixed minimum pension since 2024, and foreign pensions are not taxed. Prices run at about 37% of the US.
What it takes, what it costs, and where retirees settle, from Nicaragua's law and official data. Checked on Oct 8, 2026.
- Retiree visa
- No fixed minimum No law sets a minimum pension since Law 694 was repealed in August 2024. The migration regulation asks for a certificate of the origin and the monthly or yearly amount of your pension from the body that pays it; DGME decides. Law 1228; Law 1210; Migration Regulation. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Price level
- ~37% of the US Household consumption, 2025. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Tax on a foreign pension
- 0% Foreign pensions are not taxed. PwC Tax Summaries; Law 1210. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Travel advisory
- Level 3 of 4 Reconsider Travel. US State Department. Updated May 13, 2026.
- Health spending
- $217/person Per year; US $13,473. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- US tax treaty
- None No income tax treaty with the US. IRS. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Do you qualify?
Retirees with a pension from abroad apply to the Migration Directorate (DGME) for temporary residence in the jubilado subcategory. Since 2024 no law sets a minimum pension or age: the old pensionado law was repealed, and the residence is granted for 3 months to 1 year and renewed.
Jubilado visa: documents and feesRetiring in Nicaragua, topic by topic
Visa
Jubilado visa requirements
Documents, government fees and the other routes to residency.
Healthcare
Healthcare for retirees
The hospitals retirees use, what insurance covers, and Medicare abroad.
Money
Banking, pensions and tax
How US, UK and Canadian pensions reach a local bank, and what you report at home.
Budget
Cost of living
Official prices and a budget built from your own rent.
What it costs
Household prices in Nicaragua run at about 37% of US levels. Rent is the line nobody publishes officially, so the cost of living page builds your budget from your own rent; food starts from the official basket.
Build your budgetOfficial basic basket, food part (23 foods), July 2026
INIDE. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Where retirees settle
Managua
- Capital, about 973,000 people in the municipality (2025)
- On Lake Managua, 83 m above sea level
- Hospital Vivian Pellas, Hospital Militar and Hospital Salud Integral
Granada
- Colonial city on Lake Nicaragua, about 105,000 people (2005)
- 73 m above sea level
San Juan del Sur
- Rivas Department, about 14,700 people (2005)
- 9 m above sea level
León
- About 212,500 people (2021)
- 104 m above sea level
Wikidata; Hospital Vivian Pellas; Hospital Militar; Hospital Salud Integral. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Visiting Nicaragua first
Most people spend a few weeks in Nicaragua before they apply for anything. Two things to sort out for that trip:
Kiwi.com
Flights to Nicaragua
Compare routes and dates before a scouting trip.
Airalo
eSIM for Nicaragua
Mobile data from the day you land, without a local SIM.
Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. How this works.
Retiring in Nicaragua: questions
Is Nicaragua safe for retirees?
The US State Department rates Nicaragua Level 3, reconsider travel.
Do I pay tax in Nicaragua on my pension?
No. Nicaragua taxes only income that originates in Nicaragua, so a pension paid from abroad is not taxed there. Income earned in the country is taxed. US citizens still file a US return.
How do I retire in Nicaragua?
Most retirees apply to the Migration Directorate for temporary residence as a jubilado, showing a certificate of their pension from abroad. No law sets a minimum pension since Law 694 was repealed in 2024; the residence lasts 3 months to 1 year and is renewed.
Where do retirees live in Nicaragua?
Many settle in Managua, the capital on Lake Managua; Granada, the colonial city on Lake Nicaragua; San Juan del Sur in Rivas Department; and León.
Is Nicaragua good for American retirees?
Foreign pensions are not taxed, Social Security can be paid by direct deposit, and prices run at about 37% of US levels. The US State Department advises travelers to reconsider travel to Nicaragua (Level 3).
