Nicaragua
Compared with South Africa, using real observed prices.
Baseline: 
South Africa = 1×
Nicaragua
vs
South Africa
Overall verdict
Nicaragua is about 0.98× South Africa.
Average across 3 categories, 4 items with data
The shape of prices (vs South Africa = 1×)
How to read this
The centre line is South Africa. A bar running right means Nicaragua is pricier; running left means cheaper. The thin bar behind shows the range from the cheapest to the priciest item in that category.
← Cheaper than South Africa
South Africa = 1×
Nicaragua is pricier →
South Africa
South Africa = 1×
Nicaragua is pricier →
Thin bar shows the range (cheapest to priciest item in the category)
In Nicaragua, Big Mac costs 1.4× what it does in South Africa — but Diesel 1L costs only 0.7×. What is expensive here is labour, not the goods that carry a world price.
Real prices. Real sources. Real dates.
-
Big Mac 1 burger ×1.41Nicaragua
ZAR 77.67
NIO 174South Africa
ZAR 54.90
ZAR 54.9
-
Gasoline 1L 1 L ×0.86Nicaragua
ZAR 21.97
USD 1.337South Africa
ZAR 25.62
USD 1.559
-
Electricity 1kWh (household) 1 kWh ×0.84Nicaragua
ZAR 2.95
USD 0.176South Africa
ZAR 3.51
USD 0.209
-
Diesel 1L 1 L ×0.71Nicaragua
ZAR 19.38
USD 1.179South Africa
ZAR 27.44
USD 1.67
See what really changed
Big Mac, 2021 → 2026At the timeUsing the exchange rate of each date
+36%
in NIO
128 → 174
128 → 174
vs
At today's rateUsing today's exchange rate
+46%
in ZAR
It rose 36% in local currency, but 46% in yours. Most of what you feel is the exchange rate, not Nicaragua's inflation.
United States
United Kingdom
India
Canada
Australia
Germany