Managua - Post Report Question and Answers
What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is fantastic. We have a large house with a gi-normous yard and a swimming pool. Commute from Santo Domingo/ La Estancia to U.S. Embassy takes 35 minutes in the morning and in the evening about twice that. However, if there is a road accident, construction, police check point or some other random event, your commute will be affected. If there is an accident, vehicles have to remain where they are until the police arrive. - Feb 2024
Two main neighborhoods. Most families live in an area close to movies, mall, most restaurants, and after-hour social activities, but you'll have a 30-60+minute commute to the embassy, depending on traffic, construction, accidents and rain. Carretera Sur is much closer to the embassy, 15 minutes. It's a little higher elevation, and therefore a little cooler than downtown. This neighborhood puts you closer to the german school, french school, and the Christian school. Housing is mostly great, most houses have pools, many are new and modern, most have garden areas that you can turn into a lush garden. Many houses have mango and lime trees, and banana plants! We live in Carr Sur, and have the best view of the lake and volcanoes. - Sep 2023
All housing is moving to single family homes (for earthquake safety). We live in a beautiful apartment that will no longer be in use after we leave. A shame, really. Commute times are 15-40 minutes to anywhere in Managua, depending on traffic. Main roads are excellent, secondary roads are often not excellent. - Dec 2021
Housing ranges from apartments to single-family houses, and are spread out across a few different areas. The single family homes seem to be spacious, and most have pools and large gardens. Most of the houses are about a 30 min drive to the Embassy, but a few are closer. The apartments are smaller but more modern, and have better access to amenities (less than 5 min drive to shopping, restaurants, grocery stores, etc). Anecdotally, singles and couples tend to choose the apartments while families prefer the houses. There is a private gym, tennis court, and a small pool within the apartment compound for residents, which has been a lifesaver during COVID stay-at-home orders. - Jun 2020
Most housing is very nice, spacious with nice yards, often with fruit trees. Many houses have pools. If you request a pool, keep in mind that it costs about $80 per month to maintain. The apartments are beautiful and have access to a pool, gym and tennis courts for $100 per month. The Embassy is building its own apartment building that will have ten units. Most live off of Masaya highway on the east side of town, but six embassy employees live on the west side of town off of the South highway (Carretera Sur). The advantage of Carretera Sur is that it is much closer to the embassy; nine minutes with no traffic (on a Sunday morning) and 20 minutes with traffic during rush hour. From the Masaya highway it is more like 40 minutes, but that side of town has the shopping, movie theaters, hospital, and veterinarians. The American Nicaraguan School is closer to the east side, but the Nicaraguan Christian Academy is close to Carretera Sur. - Apr 2018
The expat community is spread out throughout the city. Families with kids tend to get spacious houses, with large backyards and pools. Everyone lives in decent-sized houses as there are no apartments or condos for expats. Most American expats lives in neighborhoods about 15-20 minutes from the embassy. - Mar 2012
Most U.S. Embassy homes are 20 mins from work. The houses tend to be large and nice, though with small kitchens. - Mar 2011
Houses prevail with small or larger yards. Some luxury apartments are available. Three main residential areas are common among expats. The city is spread out with dispersed communities, and the commute time from your residence to the Embassy is typically 25-35 minutes during rush hour. - Apr 2009
Good, mostly with pools and big gardens and about a 20-minute drive to our embassy. - Mar 2008
Crummy USAID housing but OK to great for State Department housing. - Feb 2008
