Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arica 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 Arica and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $111 per month in Arica vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Arica $111
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $178 per month in Arica vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Arica $178
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $246 per month in Arica vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Arica $246
Panama City $3,753

Arica is about 94% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Arica sits 92% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,224

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 CLP 987

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-45.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 CLP 688

$0.33 PAB 0.33

112.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

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

$130 PAB 130

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

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

$544 PAB 544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.20 CLP 39.4K

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-39.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.59 CLP 20.2K

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-58.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 CLP 52.8K

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-42.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 CLP 89.9K

$112 PAB 112

-17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 CLP 493.6K

$916 PAB 916

-45.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

-21.75%

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

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Clothing & Footwear

Arica

$93 83.9%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 55.7% $52

Groceries & Markets

Arica

$10 * 9.1%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 3129% $315

Eating Out

Arica

$5 * 4.5%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 4042% $202

Getting Around

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 1124% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arica

- * 0%

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Arica

- * 0%

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Accommodation & Living

Arica

- * 0%

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 82% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Arica

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

07:00 7:00 AM

05:00 5:00 AM

2 h behind Arica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,131

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.2 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.1 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 980 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,099 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.1 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Arica Panama City 3,220 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Arica
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

Arica vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $111 in Arica, $1,855 in Panama City – roughly 1575% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $166 per month in Arica and $2,783 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $111 in Arica and $1,855 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 1575%.

Groceries cost about 3129% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Panama City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $111 in Arica to $1,855 in Panama City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.