Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anacortes, WA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,932 a month against $2,527 in Anacortes, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Anacortes, WA
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Anacortes, WA Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Anacortes, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,527

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,932

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Anacortes, WA and in Panama City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Anacortes, WA and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,527 in Anacortes, WA versus $1,932 in Panama City.

Anacortes, WA $2,527
Panama City $1,932

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,761 in Anacortes, WA versus $2,887 in Panama City.

Anacortes, WA $3,761
Panama City $2,887

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,995 in Anacortes, WA versus $3,841 in Panama City.

Anacortes, WA $4,995
Panama City $3,841

Living in Anacortes, WA is roughly 31% more expensive than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Anacortes, WA 86% above, Panama City 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 $17.81

$11.72 PAB 11.72

51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$46.74 PAB 46.74

80.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.55 $13.55

$7.98 PAB 7.98

69.80%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$4.18 PAB 4.18

20.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.95 PAB 1.95

17.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.64 PAB 1.64

23.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$3.26 PAB 3.26

67.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.90 PAB 3.90

57.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.91 PAB 1.91

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.54 PAB 2.54

94.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.37 PAB 3.37

-48.07%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.82 PAB 2.82

45.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$12.60 PAB 12.60

-10.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$6.71 PAB 6.71

116.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$10.53 PAB 10.53

118.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.04 PAB 4.04

49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$4.25 PAB 4.25

-24.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.18 PAB 4.18

32.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$3.32 PAB 3.32

-58.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.34 PAB 4.34

-26.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.40 PAB 2.40

-36.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.71 PAB 1.71

36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.51 $12.51

$6.05 PAB 6.05

106.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$11.38 PAB 11.38

25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.36 PAB 1.36

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.80 PAB 2.80

50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.19 $5.19

$0.34 PAB 0.34

1426.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.95 $21.95

$21.28 PAB 21.28

3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.43 PAB 2.43

6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-9.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.26 $30.26

$21.77 PAB 21.77

39.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.20 PAB 1.20

8.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.6K $36.6K

$24.8K PAB 24.8K

47.88%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K $26.2K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

23.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$167 $167

$132 PAB 132

26.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$52.0 $52.0

$28.34 PAB 28.34

83.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$48.88 PAB 48.88

55.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$43.02 PAB 43.02

16.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.94 PAB 34.94

Cinema Ticket

$16.98 $16.98

$8.43 PAB 8.43

101.42%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,161 $2,161

$545 PAB 545

296.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.9K $30.9K

$9,648 PAB 9,648

220.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$65.8 PAB 65.8

-16.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.96 $26.96

$47.25 PAB 47.25

-42.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$94.6 PAB 94.6

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$110 PAB 110

50.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 $1,760

$1,407 PAB 1,407

25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

$954 PAB 954

26.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,958 $2,958

$2,272 PAB 2,272

30.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 $1,982

$1,662 PAB 1,662

19.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,625 $2,625

$3,057 PAB 3,057

-14.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,417 $2,417

$1,729 PAB 1,729

39.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,130 $7,130

$916 PAB 916

678.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

6.39

-11.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Anacortes, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Anacortes, WA

$1.2K 47.6%

Panama City

$954 49.3% 20.7% $249

Groceries & Markets

Anacortes, WA

$437 17.3%

Panama City

$326 16.9% 25.4% $111

Eating Out

Anacortes, WA

$301 11.9%

Panama City

$206 10.7% 31.3% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anacortes, WA

$295 11.7%

Panama City

$210 10.9% 29% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Anacortes, WA

$154 6.1%

Panama City

$143 7.4% 7.3% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Anacortes, WA

$84 3.3%

Panama City

$60 3.1% 28.9% $24

Getting Around

Anacortes, WA

$54 2.1%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 36% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,760 in Anacortes, WA and $1,407 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anacortes, WA pays about 7.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Anacortes, WA vs $47 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $326 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anacortes, WA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

09:48 9:48 AM

11:48 11:48 AM

2 h ahead of Anacortes, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,637

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.11 PAB (1 PAB = 0.899 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Anacortes, WA Panama City 5,950 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Anacortes, WA
Panama City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Anacortes, WA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Anacortes, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Anacortes, WA is about 7.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,760 in Anacortes, WA versus $1,407 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Panama City – a meal for two runs $47 versus $85 in Anacortes, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,527 per month in Anacortes, WA versus $1,932 in Panama City – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,932 in Panama City versus $2,527 in Anacortes, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Anacortes, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Anacortes, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.