Essentials to live in Nicaragua

Good Morning,

Firstly best to bring a good attitude , and be willing to adapt. I hear so many people say " In my country we do it different" Yes that is true. We do. However this is a different culture, so alleviate stress, A&A attitude and adapt.

Computer and phones stuff is cheaper in the states. Buy your wardrobe of name brand clothing, in the states. Good clothes last a long time. Name brands are expensive here, same with footwear. There are several shoe manufactures here in Granada, but if you want name brand, you can stock up at DSW.

A friend asked me , what to bring to donate, I said kids clothing, well his daughters, did a donation drive at their school, and they came to Nicaragua with a huge  bag of used & new clothing and used toys too. 

I am health nut somewhat, so I like to order my colloidal minerals, extracts, and vitamins from the internet and my friends bring me stuff 2 or 3 times a year.

Small medical items like a blood pressure machine of check glucose kit , even a first aid kit.

write me off line in need more suggestions. **

I just shipped a container from Vancouver, Canada. It arrived January 14.  It took 21 days to get unpacked and it still hasn't cleared inspection. The inspectors are about 2 weeks behind and just told me it will be another 10-12 days, which in Nicaraguan, translates to about 3 weeks. It is filled mostly with donations to the Ometepe communities (baseball equipment)......but no-one seems to care; I still have to pay daily rent for holding the contents in a warehouse.

As far as useful essentials go.....(which I can't wait to get).....are simple things like good quality door and window latches, hinges, etc.  The ones in Nica easily break or bend. I replaced some in my house already and it makes a huge difference. I'm not sure that electric kettles and cutlery trays exist in Nica either. It may sound trivial..... but you asked.

If you're moving to Nicaragua I recommend adding these 12 items to your packing list.


#1
E-READER

New and used English books are sometimes hard to come by, especially if you’re looking for newer releases. And when you do find them, they aren’t cheap. If you enjoy reading and don’t already have an e-reader you’ll probably want to invest in one. We love our Kindles!

#2
QUALITY KITCHEN KNIFE

Sharpening stones are easy to find outside of Managua, but inexpensive good quality chef knives are not. With more time to enjoy cooking and a bounty of vine ripened fruits and vegetables available a good knife will be a welcomed companion.


#3
ELECTRONICS

With technology outdated by at least two years and items priced 30% to 100% higher than in Canada and the United States you’ll definitely want to bring your laptop, iPad and any other electronic devices you can’t live without.  It’s also a good idea to make sure everything is working well.  Repairs can usually be done in Managua, but don’t come cheap.

#4
SPICES

Although the selection is better than what it was when we first moved to Nicaragua the variety of spices available here is somewhat limited. For example oregano, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes and cinnamon can be found in almost every grocery store, however cardamom, allspice and sage cannot. If you have some not so common favorite spices you can’t live without you may want to stash them in your suitcase.

#5
BEDSHEETS & PILLOWS

I'm someone who appreciates nice linens.  You can find them here but, like many other quality items, they are sold at a higher price than what you can buy them for in North America.  Keep comfy and save yourself some cash by bringing a couple of sets of sheets with you. For added comfort you may want to bring your favorite pillow and a quilted mattress cover. Worried about space in your suitcase? Space saver bags work great!

#6
EAR PLUGS

Here in Nicaragua roosters, barking dogs and fire crackers are common sounds we hear all hours of the day and night.  To avoid sleep disruption you may want to pick up a multi-pack of ear plugs. You’ll be happy to know, that just like those individuals living near an airport or a railway crossing, you too, will eventually desensitize to these sounds.

#7
SUNSCREEN

Although sunscreen is available everywhere here, it's expensive. Very expensive, in fact! At $13.27 USD for a 236 ml bottle it makes sense save some space in your suitcase for not just one, but a few tubes of sunscreen.

#8
INSULATED REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE

Do yourself a favor and bring an insulated water bottle with you. I recently purchased one made by Hydroflask. They are a little pricey, but worth every penny. I love that I no longer have to drink lukewarm water or deal with condensation dripping from a bottle of water I froze in the freezer. Another added bonus of using a refillable water bottle? You're helping the environment.  This is one item in Nicaragua I never want to have to live without!

#9
PORTABLE BLUE TOOTH SPEAKER

Rock out at home, on the beach or poolside with a bluetooth portable speaker. My husband and I purchased the Air Raid by Skullcandy and absolutely love it! In addition to being water resistant and shock proof it also sounds great.

#10
HEAT DIFFUSER

Propane gas stoves are commonplace in Nicaragua. Sometimes when cooking on gas it's just not possible to get the flame low enough for a proper simmer. Whether you do a little or a lot of cooking an inexpensive heat diffuser is certainly handy item to have here.

#11
REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS

Plastic bags are used everywhere in Nicaragua and sadly litter the streets, ditches and beaches in many areas. I much prefer packing my groceries in larger canvas or cloth shopping bags. One -- because I can put way more in them -- and two -- because they also easier to carry, especially if I'm walking to and from the market or grocery store. This is a light weight item that doesn't take up any room in a suitcase and therefore, in my opinion, a good thing to bring with you.

#12
OVEN THERMOMETER

Most oven knobs here have the numbers 1 through 5 marked on them, rather than temperature. This makes using the oven a bit more challenging, especially when it comes to baking. Although I don't use the oven here nearly as often as I did in Canada, I'm glad I packed an oven thermometer.

If you have the luxury of being able to travel. before you get your residency, and if you have to make a visa run, after 6 months. You get 90 days visa when entering Nicaragua, and then you can get an extension for an additional 90 day to stay in the Country.
You might consider a trip to Panama.
There, you can get quite a few things and at a better price than Nicaragua. There is even a bus to Panama direct, mostly merchants take this 5 day trip. It is like a 20 hour bus ride. The owners are nice and helpful.