Nicaragua
North America · Central America
Central America's cheapest, under the authoritarian Ortega government.
At a Glance
📈Nicaragua's Human Development Index
0.669
Medium human development#128 of 191 countries worldwide, #20 of 23 in North America.
Higher than 33% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a Central American country of volcanic lakes, colonial cities, Pacific surf beaches, and Caribbean jungle coast that remains one of the region's most affordable and least visited destinations. Granada and León are beautiful colonial cities with distinct characters, and the countryside of the southwest has a lush, vivid quality. Those who travel independently and engage with local life will find it honest, beautiful, and full of character.
- Second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere after Haiti.
- Largest lake in Central America — Lake Nicaragua — contains freshwater bull sharks.
Quick Facts
Capital
Managua
Language
Spanish
Currency
C$ NIO
Area
120,340 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
95Mbps
GDP / Capita
$3K
PPP / Capita
$9K
Inflation
2.1%
Unemployment
5.0%
Innovation (GII)
15.4
GNI / Capita
$3K
Tax Revenue
20.1%
FDI Inflows
6.9%
Education Spend
2.9%
Cost of Living
34.2
Price Level Index
73rd pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.487 → 0.669 (+0.182)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
Thinking about Nicaragua for real?
The matcher weighs your budget, timeline and dealbreakers against the same data on this page, then answers with the places that actually fit.
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💬Quick answers
What is Nicaragua's Human Development Index?
Nicaragua's Human Development Index is 0.669 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #128 of 191 countries.
Is Nicaragua safe?
Nicaragua scores 2.11 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #105 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Nicaragua?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Nicaragua at 34.2 (New York = 100); that is #44 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Nicaragua?
Life expectancy at birth in Nicaragua is 75.1 yrs (World Bank), ranked #87 of 195 countries.