How much is it to build a house in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?

The cost to build a house in San Juan del Sur is around US $1,000 per square meter, or about $100 per square foot.  There will be lots of people who tell you that you can do it cheaper.  I've seen prices as low as $50 per square foot but for that you won’t be getting an earthquake-resistant dwelling.
 
I spent MONTHS interviewing different builders and getting quotes for the home I'm building.  I am not building an elaborate home; 950 square feet with...

The cost to build a house in San Juan del Sur is around US $1,000 per square meter, or about $100 per square foot.  There will be lots of people who tell you that you can do it cheaper.  I've seen prices as low as $50 per square foot but for that you won’t be getting an earthquake-resistant dwelling.
 
I spent MONTHS interviewing different builders and getting quotes for the home I'm building.  I am not building an elaborate home; 950 square feet with nearly all Nicaraguan type finishings.  I am doing a small house but I want it built to last as I only want to do this ONCE!
 
I think there is a possibility to save a fair amount of money ONLY if you are fluent in Spanish AND willing to be at your site all day every day as the general manager for the project.  Then you might save significantly.  But if you want a responsible party handling and coordinating all the trades and you want a reputable contractor (remember that they are CONTRACTORS and even the best are no different from contractors in the First World!) you will pay $100 per square foot!!  I tried every which way to save.  But that is what it is boiling down to!

The cost of building in San Juan del Sur (depending on type of construction) ranges anywhere from $40-$150 a square foot.

 

On the cheaper spectrum are new foam interior houses that have recently been put up. This type of construction has a foam core and is layered with concrete. Traditional red-brick construction is used in much of the same way. A brick interior with steel frame reenforcement followed by a concrete coat ranges anywhere from $80-$100 a square foot. On...

The cost of building in San Juan del Sur (depending on type of construction) ranges anywhere from $40-$150 a square foot.

 

On the cheaper spectrum are new foam interior houses that have recently been put up. This type of construction has a foam core and is layered with concrete. Traditional red-brick construction is used in much of the same way. A brick interior with steel frame reenforcement followed by a concrete coat ranges anywhere from $80-$100 a square foot. On the higher end of the spectrum is solid concrete block construction with steel frames and this type of construction range in the $100+ range. Depending on the quality of finishing the cost of construction can go up.

The cost to build a house in San Juan del Sur is from US $600 per square meter, or about $60 per square foot, depending on your choice of finishes. The construction is very good quality and it is earthquake proof.

 

The only thing It takes a bit longer to build a house here in Central America then in North America because of the type of construction.

The cost to build a house in San Juan del Sur is from US $600 per square meter, or about $60 per square foot, depending on your choice of finishes. The construction is very good quality and it is earthquake proof.

 

The only thing It takes a bit longer to build a house here in Central America then in North America because of the type of construction.

There are many different prices to build a home here in San Juan Del Sur, depending on the quality of construction and quality of finishing materials. The price that I give most of my buyers is generally around US $100 per square foot for construction. You can build cheaper than that. The cheapest you could get is around $60 a square foot.  You can always spend more money in construction here in San Juan Del Sur.
 
For $100 per square foot you would get mid- to high-end...

There are many different prices to build a home here in San Juan Del Sur, depending on the quality of construction and quality of finishing materials. The price that I give most of my buyers is generally around US $100 per square foot for construction. You can build cheaper than that. The cheapest you could get is around $60 a square foot.  You can always spend more money in construction here in San Juan Del Sur.
 
For $100 per square foot you would get mid- to high-end finishing such as granite countertops, nicer tile, higher quality windows, and some wood in the house, whether it be wooden windows or wooden trim.  Basically, for $100 per square foot, you would get Home Depot-type of finishing.
 
For $60 per square foot, you would get something a little bit more basic. You would get a little more basic tiles, and not as high end finishing. $100 per square foot is what most people spend to build here in San Juan Del Sur. What you are saving on here in San Juan Del Sur is the labor costs. The faucets will cost the same as it costs in Miami and they might even cost a little bit more but where you are saving on in Nicaragua is on the labor to build the house. 
 
If you were to build a house in Boston and build that same house in San Juan Del Sur, the $100 per square foot that you would spend in San Juan Del Sur would probably cost around $750 per square foot in Boston.

 

(Ocean facing home in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, pictured.)