Only City in Nicaragua Worth Living In 🇳🇮

A viewer commented that there was only one city in #Nicaragua that was worth living in. Which one is it? What were his reasons? Do we agree?
#city #relocation #Nicaragua
1 May 2024
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[@donsebera]

I just discovered your videos and I really appreciate your presentation. I am just considering my retirement options and while I am first considering Costa Rica and have a trip planned there that I am open to adjusting, I really appreciate your practical considerations. For me, I would not be concerned about airports or getting out of town so to speak but being a sports fan, it would offer me a way to connect with locals while also feeding my own interests. I am sure as I continue watching your videos there are already things out there about cost of living, healthcare costs, transportation etc, so I will continue watching but I am very much appreciative of what you are sharing.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Welcome to our little community!

[@JamesScalf-rn7kl]

Interesting perspective. I have lived in Nicaragua for the last 9 years ( before that Costa Rica 5 years) as a resident. Comparing different cities I personally found Leon (lived there 2 years) my least favorite. Just my personal opinion. So far I have lived in Laguna de Apoyo, Granda, out side of Masaya in Sierra Doradas, Leon and now in Monte Tabor. The problem with Leon outside of very high heat is the quality of the air. During January, February and March the high winds start. This is also the time the farms around Leon harvest their peanut crops. The soft soil gets blow high into the atmosphere. The sky would turn brown. I could clean my house and within an hour all my furniture would be covered with dirt again. Not good to breath. You would have to close off your home and relay on A/C which is very expensive. There are a lot of other areas I have not lived at but so far Monte Tabor being much cooler, cleaner, more Rural, quite but still close to all shopping needs meets my needs much better. It is always best to rent and live in different places before making a final move. For some Leon is great but other no so much.

[@ask-mw5hk]

Any town or city in Nicaragua is good.

[@mugwump5949]

Visited Nicaragua first time recently (took my e-cig away from me in customs). Stayed in Granada. I enjoyed it very much. I agree with you about what you're saying. Is Granada THE PLACE in Nicaragua? No. But it is a great place for a first time visit and I recommend it. I also enjoy the company of expats because, like you said, you get the lay of the land so to speak before you move on. I also spent a day in Leon while I was there. Interesting, but not the place for a first time stay FOR ME. Kind of hot too compared to Granada, and I'm from Florida! My first time in Mexico was Ajijic. Love that place. Got comfortable with Mexico there and moved on. I could care less about beaches so SJDC holds zero interest for me at all. I will be in Nicaragua again soon. Preferably for the season. Amazing country. Keep up the good work.

[@10sandovalallan]

Yea they take you e cig you gotta keep in pockets not 🧳

[@treasurethetime2463]

My university was located near NYC. That was supposed to be a big deal. By the time we graduated, we had partied "in the city" twice.😂 Real life should always be the priority. I personally feel in love with Rivas, Leon, and Granada and Big corn Island for different reasons.

[@1stLukecifer]

Scott, have you posted one of your barrio-treks of Masaya before? Interested in the living culture of the artisans and hand-crafters. Looking to add them to a list of 90 day rentals.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

The artisans are MOSTLY not in Masaya but in the Witch Villages. I've only done the smallest amount of Masaya. I really need to do some trips there and do some serious walks. Lots to cover.

[@miguelpalma8389]

Leon is very nice if you like the Univetsity vibe.

[@RedOctober2011]

Good info. Thanks.

[@GenERICexpats]

Loved the phantom of the opera comparison, SAM. And yea i totally agree about Granada being a 1st stop for newbies. After my 6 weeks on a farm in the Granada outskirts i would have loved to have lived in Leon instead. Your city is amazing. IMHO granada should only be considered as a 3 or 4 day tourist stop max... not to live long term

[@mathieutallard6328]

Negative shit is always what we remember first ! Good happens also. I was at UNO in Rivas and a family was eating on the back of their truck and they invited me to join ! They came from Leon, claiming it's the best city in the world !!! Nicaragua can be expensive if someone wants to. There are resorts at a thousand dollars a night near Majagual and the road is awful !

[@dallasbarkman1261]

19:00 minute mark.. I m wondering if they'll run a ferry from.the new airport to Managua

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Hmm.... interesting thought. I think that they might, personally. There is a ferry there currently BUT it is super shallow water the ferry seats like three people. I kid you not. They'd have to build a new port at the new airport to handle a ferry. Personally I LOVE ferries conceptually and I'd fine excuses to use it for sure even though it would never go somewhere that is useful for me. So I love this idea. However, I think it's a long shot. There WAS a ferry on the lake when the old train was in service, but not from that location. Managua has a ferry terminal today, but nowhere else on the lake does. If they added an amazing connection from the ferry to the airport to Matagalpa somehow... boom, total success.

[@kellyannthomas5727]

I love in Cardenas along the CR border, one of four full time expats in the pueblo. i would much rather live in the countryside than a city. I lived in San Juan del Sur for 12 years. I love my friends and neighbors, but it was too loud, too much traffic and more expensive than other cities.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Most people only know that town because it has a sign on the highway and everyone says "what town now?" lol That's awesome. I need to visit there sometime. It looks nice but I've never been. Is that far enough from the border that you can buy there? or is that in the rental only zone by the frontera?

[@kellyannthomas5727]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog That is why I love living there. It is a beautiful place unspoiled by expat bars, hostels, and barely clothed foreigners. If you want to live in a city, Leon or Granada are fine. I have 263 acres of gorgeous jungle on the lake, a waterfall tucked in an old growth forest, and views of 9 volcanoes from my mirador. The scenery and wildlife make up for the lack of amenities. Plus I can drive 45 minutes to Rivas or spend a day or weekend in Granada if I need a reprieve.

[@timothyirwin8974]

Saw the dress rehearsal for Phantom of the Opera at the newly renovated and reopened Pantages Theatre in Toronto in 1989. Everyone involved in the reno was invited to the event. Packed house. Great night, great project. Was given seats right next to Garth and his guests for some reason.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Wow, that's pretty cool. Boy do I remember Pantages re-opening for that. What a big deal it was.

[@timothyirwin8974]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog From complete gutting to finished for Phantom in September was nine months. Pressure was on. How do youthful single seniors fare in your city?

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

They fare pretty well. Dating scene here is good. Going out for drinks and to see a band with friends is good. Hanging on the beach is good. It's a lively scene in Leon. Youthful city, but lots of older expats hanging out, too.

[@dontimoteo2416]

The troubles in 2018 led to Granada having far less USA expats and far more tourists from Costa Rica and other parts of Nicaragua. The Costa Rica tourists are usually families which has changed the tone of the tourist parts of the city (improvement). The downside is that many of them drive to Granada. That leads to crazy traffic around Christmas and easter. Also, there is talk of new airport on the other side of lake Managua.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

The airport (runway) is already there. It's an existing airport being upgraded for passenger service.

[@kiddtuffnuff]

Im still tryin to figure out what city is best

[@yamilflores2381]

I think he meant for tourist to inhabit a new place in nicaragua

[@nihil6128]

Newsies is the best musical. Thanks for another great vid.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

I do love Newsies!

[@luisbilbao8693]

Bluefields ❤

[@mathieutallard6328]

In the coming days, i will go check what kind of affordable hostal room i can find in Managua. Any suggestions ? Private room with private bathroom and windows that open on the outside....

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Sadly no, I never do hostal stays in Managua. If I'm staying cheap, I crash with friends. Major advantage of living here. If I'm going for something fancy like when my kids want to go as a treat, then we stay at the Hilton properties.

[@mathieutallard6328]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog I found a 450 Cordoba near the airport and it sucks. Saw a few others that should be cheap and wasn't. And the city is dirty etc . I don't know how the locals can live with what they earn and the cost of things. Outside of town,in Pica Pica,i needed help and it cam from a policeman and his family. The level of comfort...well,humans can addapt to anything...I think it's true...

[@dallasbarkman1261]

If I were to live there , not just visit, I'd like to see what Matagalpa/Esteli are like . I can also envision, if I was financially independent, building an adobe home w/ air conditioning & an inground pool near Chinandega ( I think the beaches are probably beautiful that way ) Finally, I'd like to visit Ometepe, if I was single I'd consider living in a small home there & just veggng by myself. I've been to Granada , but I really didn't care for it, other than, yes it's interesting to get to know it, visit it

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

For sure, those mountain towns are so nice. Adobe homes exist, but are uncommon here. Very specialty. Only issue is a lack of construction and maintenance knowledge because it isn't the norm. Chinandega has some beautiful stuff for sure. And gonig into "town" yields a good restaurant selection if you are feeling more spendy - even for us in Leon, it's a high cost food destination. We go there when we want a fancy night out.

[@dallasbarkman1261]

Yeah the ongoing maintenance of a modern adobe home w a pool makes sense that itd be rough . Because of hurricane mitch in 99' i had a different perception of Chinandega, but thats cool that ive learned that it has some higher dollar reataurants & probably housing though Even though its so hot there id like to visit there next time i m there if i can ​@@ScottAlanMillerVlog

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

It's a nice town. Great central park. Great restaurants. But it is small and hot.

[@arosalesmusic]

And that would be the capital, Managua. At least for a musician like me.

[@loafgaming4624]

Or Leon, the city of non-stop live music.

[@mrnogood]

Also if i could find. Mountain town with a swimming hole, like Ojos de Agua, id go there. But my daughter wont like a city with no natural place to swim.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Lots of the mountain towns have like public pools. But I don't know of any real city with something like Ojos de Agua. That's a pretty unique spot. Natural places to swim are rare because many rivers are polluted.

[@mrnogood]

My Fair Lady is hands down the best musical of all time. A close second is The Wiz. Honorable mention is Annie Get Your Gun and Grease 2.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

OMG ... The Wiz. I saw that on its original broadcast! I do love My Fair Lady.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Downloading "the Wiz" now. Man, that was 1978!! How was it so long ago? I'd have guessed more like 1986!

[@mrnogood]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog my mother took me to see it in the theater as a kid.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

@@mrnogood nice.

[@MrsAllieMac]

Question, my husband and I are seriously considering Nicaragua as a new home for our family from the US. We have 4 young children, (7,5,3,1) and my husband will need good internet to work. I’m a professional artist, so being close to an art scene would also be a plus. We would only fly to the states once a year and want to be immersed in the culture, we don’t need to necessarily be in a large city either. (Our goal is to be able to homestead in the long run.) All the cities look amazing, and we would like to be able to be in a very walkable city where we can homeschool, and have access to transportation and a house that is safe, could you make any recommendations? Leon actually seems like a good contender for us. We are just unsure how it will work to be able to get there and find a place to stay. Would we need to find a real estate agent? We are applying for passports this week and hope to be down there in a matter of months, depending on when they come through. Thank you for all your information! 😊

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Answered this with its own video. Basically just posting this comment for my own records, lol.

[@buddist1210]

Do you find that expats are clickish? Just a question not an observation.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

I'd say that generally that tends to be the case, yes.

[@CandyLV72]

Where BESIDES San Juan del Sur should you If you love the Beachside Lifestyle and want to live in Nicaragua?

[@LeoJaramaz]

Las Penitas and Poneloya !

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Those are my favourites!

[@GoochGooch-cc7sj]

Those are all perfect. SJDS is the best. I live in the worst place in Nicaragua, no expats. I am the only immigrant that I have seen in my town. Stick to the Expat communities, do not even consider an area that isn’t full of expats.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

What area are you in? Zero expats is tough. But light expats, often just fine.

[@GoochGooch-cc7sj]

⁠@@ScottAlanMillerVlogsmall costal town in the south. There is an area a few km away that is full of them, some do venture out this way though. I just hope the new road doesn’t change that too much. “Real Estate” agents are already playing the game in the area as well. I think the thing that keeps them away is that they would have to travel in order to get to the restaurants that sell poor imitations of American and Canadian food. I am happy to stick to my C$200 langosta.

[@jamesmcgowan5933]

Al considered. If it's about your expat community stay in your own country. If airport is so important why would you move to Nicaragua. Different topic. There was a supposed e-mail leak from a major Canadian bank that migration has become a problem of skilled people. That federal government is studying a exiting tax of 28k if you leave to work in another country. With holding money or attach a marker on passport so when returning you will have to pay up or get passport seized.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

I"m going to guess that a "travel tax" of that nature will never fly. You can imagine the complications it would cause. Innocent travelers would suddenly be getting taxed in weird ways. It would cause a mass exodus of Canada. The idea that you cannot travel freely as a Canadian is pretty abhorrent and will be met with some serious pushback. It could happen, but I'm betting not. The risks would be big.

[@jamesmcgowan5933]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog it's a exit - departure tax to stop the mass exodus of skilled Canadians leaving to work in other countries due to the affordability crisis. If you where a Canadian and a digital nomad living in Nicaragua it would apply to you.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

That's different from a tax on workers. That's just a tax on residency.

[@jamesmcgowan5933]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog this just happened.a foreign student on a visa was found by a judge to be guilty of sexual assault. The judge rule for probation cause if the person was sentenced they would of been deported. Sexual assault if your on a visa is ok.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

In canada?

[@kevinadams9468]

I am so sick of these people... North Americans who come to a foreign country only search for the closest thing to their previous comfort level (housing standard, shopping, transportation, medical care, etc.) and dump on everything else they feel does not meet their avacado toast standards. I just watched a superlatively nauseating video by 'Rancho Santana' and a make-believe Real Estate agent (thanks for educating us, Scott, about the non-existent career field) in SJDS, easily the least 'authentic' Nicaraguan town at the current time. Uber-wealty expats hiding behind secured gates, sending their entitled kids to schools that only children of expats attend, etc. They extolled the wonders of the 'Rancho' and how it had 'everything' - without going outside the gates! I knew a guy who lived with a wall around his mansion and armed guards in Port-au-Prince, but he never dared say he lived in the authentic Haiti! Granada is of course a gem, but it is also losing its charm catering to drunk, entitled tourists. They say that SJDS has the highest rate of robberies and assaults (against American and Canadians), and I can only imagine why ( Well, actually I know why, and I honestly understand a certain degree of animosity the locals harbor against these folks.). Hopefully the recent news you mentioned about COVID shot mandates will help keep this crowd away. Great work, as always! Cheers.

[@mathieutallard6328]

Im back to Nicaragua and I liked it more in covid times. And they are building a new highway instead of fixing the ones already there and who sucks a lot most of the time . Prices for rooms are up too and i travel equipped for camping, so fuck it, im camping witch is pretty fun because its warm. I met a friend i made while covid and he has plenty of land to camp. Also, i let a luggage where I was staying in covid time and went back to get something . The guy didn't want to keep the luggage because i wasn't renting a room, a room in the middle of the street for $15 a night !! I asked a few places but none wanted to keep my luggage. Im surprised, in SJDS, people are not very helpful. This is a deception. Had to ask someone i know who agreed to keep the luggage . Next trip, fuck Nicaragua and viva Mexico or Vietnam !! Nicaragua, building a 4 lines highway that will scrap nice isolated beaches building but keeps its bad fucken roads. as they are . Bravo Nicaragua

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

SJDS is disliked by most of the country for being un-Nicaragua, and just a predatory playground for tourists and expats who try to take advantage of each other. It's expected that finding friendly folks there is a challenge. They exist, of course. But no one should be surprised there... the culture is nothing like the rest of Nicaragua.

[@mathieutallard6328]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog You skip my comment on the new highway and the bad road conditions !! Freedom of speech is limited especially for residents !!

[@Urineil]

​@mathieutallard6328 i dont know that he skipped it, as much as the rest of your comment, in regards to the airport have nothing to do with the subject of the video...but i could be wrong

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Freedom of speech is limited in that one very specific thing that no on should ever want to do, in any country (be a foreigner and attempt to interfere with the democracy of the country.) It's purely a good thing and absolutely terrible that places like the US make it protected speech for foreign actors to come in and spread disinformation. There's no ethical time that that type of freedom of speech is a good thing. Protecting the populace from outside manipulation is a mandate of any country claiming to be a democracy.

[@mathieutallard6328]

@@Urineil Where did I mention an airport !! 4:lines new highway instead of improving already existent roads was part 2 of my comment .

[@luisaragon9926]

The guy that posted the comment. It appears. Was mine? I have traveled most of Nicaragua I adventure ride motorcycles? Every 6 km approximately There are police checkpoints. And it is extremely annoying. So if you wanna send people outside of the main tourist area? In my opinion you're exposing them to all the drama. Of the corrupt police. Every 6 km. If you don't believe me go from Granada to san juan count stops. And yes. I can walk to the beach in Granada. Why can't you swim there? It's a fresh water Lake yes they have bullsharkd. However Florida is full of bullsharks and millions of people swim there.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

I don't do that drive weekly or anything. But I do it every few months and never once in all these years have I had more than two stops between Granada and the Costa Rican border. That's not normal. Worth noting that bike stops are easily twice as frequent as car stops. That said, that particular drive is the only one in the country of which I am aware that has a permanent stop. So assume you'll always go through a checkpoint on that particular drive because it's the main highway chokepoints for the whole country. But I've driven it often and I'm not sure I've been asked to stop at a checkpoint more than twice on that drive in the last decade. If you drive any long highway on a holiday, expect loads of stops.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Actually the reason you get those checkpoints is not because you left the tourist area, it's because you are inside it. It's the tourism areas that have nearly all the checkpoints. Certainly not all, but that's where they are most common. That's where you get drunk drivers, speeding, and other common problems. So that's where they "patrol" the most. The more "away from expats and tourists" that you get, the fewer checkpoints you'll run into. Generally. Some places just attract them. Western Managua departmento is well known for having way more than similar areas in other departmentos.