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Nicaragua: What kinda beach life on 4k a month:
4k a month is more than probably 95% of expats here have to spend.
Your dirt bike may be a problem since unlicensed vehicles including quads are not allowed on public streets in every city I know including San Juan del Sur. But there is usually a legal route out to back rods which allow them.
Worse is that unlike the US Nicaragua does not have big public lands for things like that, camping, etc.
The San juan del Sur area is the center hub of a lot of good surfing beaches but you are in for a trip on bad roads minimum 30 minutes when it's dry & more when muddy. Some good beaches are a lot further.
You will have a huge choice for homes to rent & a high end place can be had for $1K range.
Talanguera is close to the beach but is north - not south of town. It's not that popular because there are a lot of other good spots. The foot bridge came down a long time ago when Managua tourists all jumped in unison. That crossing area sees a lot of assaults at night so if you look rich it's prudent to take a taxi or car on the short road that circles the east of SJDS.
There are many good places here in beach areas to live. Come down and shop around for a while.
Nicaragua: Workers vacation days (double pay):
KeyWestPirate you have the 6 day rule wrong you do not pay extra for the 7th day.
The labor board defines the normal work week as 6 days @ 8 hrs = 48 hours total
Pay is based on a 30 day month. Monthly pay is 4.33 X weekly pay (or simply 26 times the pay you give them daily ).
This monthly pay includes pay for the 7th day. Legally pay per day is calculated as 1/30 of monthly pay which including pay for the 7th day.
In other words a portion of pay you give then for each day worked is part of the 7th day pay.
ONE CAVEAT - Some local labor boards make their own rules. You can beat the local rules in court or going up the ladder but that's not wise either for obvious reasons.
But pay is so well defined in the labor law this should not be an issue working 6 days per week.
Nicaragua: Mortgages in Nica:
These people post a lot in the Facebook groups & claim to also auction houses & property that includes their loans. But who knows the real story?
https://www.facebook.com/The-Mortgage-Store-Nicaragua-143979275643965/?fref=nf
http://www.mortgagestorenica.com/spanish/index.php
Whether you like it or not & you probably don't forums like this with mostly BSers are a 99% waste of time compared to Facebook groups, Group for Nicaragua & several groups for individual areas too.
Nicaragua: Seeking Work:
Too much misinformation here.
-- Language schools routinely get work permits for their teachers on a contract with a passport only.
-- Lots of Nicaraguans know English well enough to compete with you so don't expect a salary an expat can live on. But obviously there are exceptions.
-- A job teaching at a university with a BA in English is a wet dream
-- Minimum wage here is about $200 & that about what public school teachers earn. Doctors in the public health system at clinics & hospitals typically earn $500. Gives you an idea what you are worth
You are wasting your time here. Go to the Facebook Group "Expats in Nicaragua" where real teachers & schools looking for help post.
Tons of posts use the search or ask the same old question they hear over & over.
Nicaragua: 30 year old considering moving to Nicaragua:
Most people who run from the "awful" life in the states have a tough time here too.
It's not the pioneering adventure it was 10 ,15 or more years ago most of the country has more modern infrastructure now. Property prices are way up from then too.
But compared to the states property here is very cheap but everything else is more expensive. Much of that you have to bring or buy online & pay shipping & import taxes etc.
Compared to California Nicaragua is retiree rocking chair country and a near perfect vacuum for recreation available there. No marinas, launch ramps for water sports ocean, lakes, rivers and no winter sports in the mountains. No public land for recreation. Kiss off virtually every hobby you had except in your home and it's sometimes hard & expensive to fined supplies for those.
If course if you did nothing there you can enjoy doing that here too.
Many of us really enjoy life by having a project. Build a house to live in & maybe sell it if a profit is easy to build more. An interesting life is to start a hobby farm & two I know do that.. And of course with the cash to make yourself legal you can always start a business. A few do well most just buy a very low paying job. Best is this all is very inexpensive and almost no rules compared to Calif or much of the US.
I enjoy SJDS & manage a business which is pretty common to keep from being bored. There are several boats that run for sailing, fishing, snorkeling, or diving but the wast coast water is seldom clear. A few hang a boat on a buoy access is not easy & security is a huge problem. Local beaches are crowded but Surfing is hobby many enjoy. There are a interesting locals that are fun to hang out with including many who have risen above poverty.
If you are a barfly you will love SJDS. Romance is usually with a local & is easy for a gringo who is not broke. They will love you for your charm, wit, & good looks even if you are a complete goober. Expats here enjoy having new friends so you will easily be accepted. Rents & property by comparison to most other areas are high.
It's not as negative as that but it's usually best to bring money if you want any luxuries here or buy property. A few do well with a business for most life is usually pretty spartan.
Security & petty crime & getting ripped off is a whole other subject.
The east coast is usually not recommended for beginners but some do have a good time there especially on the Corn Islands which are nice.
Nicaragua: Thinking of moving to Nica:
The bottom line is simple. Listen to those who warn you and then tell you how to protect yourself and you usually will be OK.
Ignore the most dangerous advice of all from morons who say crime in Nicaragua is no worse than ............Usually not true & it's meaningless anyhow.
If you act like you did back home you will be robbed. Use your smart phone to text or anything else at a bus stop in Managua (plus many other cities) & it's gone. Same for leaving it on a table in an open air restaurant or carrying it n your shirt pocket.
For your local area learn where, when, and what is safe to be & do & what is not.
There are iron bars on windows & doors in the most crime ridden slums in the US and there is a reason for that.
There are iron bars on windows & doors in Nicaragua and there is the same reason for that.
I have been hit too many times to count. Sometimes following all the right advice is a PIA so I pay the crime tax instead.
Nicaragua: Nicaragua employment:
A good salesman can make it anywhere. Small telemarketing guys here do well here as well as customer service folks.
There is always the chance of an advanced fee scam but just avoid anything that smellls like that.
From FB:
Jonathan Kirby
Once again we are hiring for a telesales/telemarketing position. It's a full time tele-commute position doing counseling/sales. Base is approximately $1,026 US per month and top counselors make about $2,000 on top of this in bonuses and commissions. Total take home is about $3,026+ per month. Responsibilities would be to take inbound chats, calls and internet generated leads to convert into sales for tax and debt relief. For more information, please send a brief introduction about your sales experience / results or questions to company hrmanager@gmail.com
Nicaragua: Cost to build in Nicaragua:
What's "the average building cost" is very easy,
Start at the bottom for a really poor expat:
"real cost of class A building is $300.00 per square meter = $30.00 per square foot."
Class A Nica with a 2" slab instead of a floor.
Your cost $45-$56 is a typical guess for an expat's choice.
But add $10 or $20 for nice doors, windows, flooring, & roof.
Near to code wiring & plumbing instead of Nica.
And nice fixtures for house, bathroom & kitchen & attic insulation.
Plus hot water plumbing, water heater, & a few split ACs. Then front & back yards including a patio.
Maybe septic, backup water & tower & room for backup generator.
A 20' shallow well is a reasonable cost but if necessary $50/ft for a 100' - 200' deep safe water well. Add the pumps needed for both.
Of course there is always the pool to impress the friends or grow algae.
Nearer to the top a more quality..
Foam Insulated FRP Panels for walls, double or triple glass windows. Reflective roofing to cut down on heat Most fixtures & things added imported from the states.
$100 minimum more like $150
When it's finished & you move in & enjoy the price was right no matter how much.
Nicaragua: Safety??:
If you mean San Juan del Sur check with the ones that live here for all your answers:
Expats in San Juan del Sur Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/206311666199794/
Nicaragua: Water tower:
Altitude gives you about .45 psi/ft so to fill a washing machine or decent flow for an electric shower head a lot of altitude is nice. But altitude/pressure works against you to fill at the highest point the top of the tank and if your Nica style city pressure is low you won't fill as KWP said.
But a lot of people get by with tanks only. I sometimes turn the pump off to conserve water with only a 10' altitude at the tank bottom. The electric shower heads don't work that is fine the trickle you get is warmed by your body.
I have had an integrated pump/tank pressure system similar to what KWP describes for 10 years here feeding a lot of rooms. My advice buy brass unions & brass check valves. When (usually not if) you use the plastic ones they will go south & you have mess. The sliding double compression nut plastic unions will eventually slide loose under high pressure so wire them.
My system was a little complicated & needed 3 check valves but sitting here i can't see where you need more than 2.
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