Help! Need to get from Managua, NIC to San Jose, CR

What is the best way to do this? Seems like all flights either route through El Salvador or Panama City, so they take ~7hrs and the only one that works with our schedule is $600/ea

Bus routes are challenging to book online, but open to options there. Anyone charter a taxi & how does that work with border crossings?

Dates: October 25th, arriving Managua airport at 9:45

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!