Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Panama City, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City, FL: $2,409 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Panama City, FL
Learn more

Panama City, FL Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Panama City, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,409

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Panama City, FL

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,409 in Panama City, FL.

Austin, TX $2,607
Panama City, FL $2,409

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,287 in Panama City, FL.

Austin, TX $4,031
Panama City, FL $3,287

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,165 in Panama City, FL.

Austin, TX $5,454
Panama City, FL $4,165

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than in Panama City, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Panama City, FL 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$18.74 $18.74

8.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$54.0 $54.0

56.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$12.11 $12.11

0.08%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.60 $5.60

0.89%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.89 $2.89

27.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.70 $1.70

38.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.10 $5.10

54.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.12 $7.12

23.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.90 $0.90

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.46 $3.46

6.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.66 $2.66

24.44%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.30 $3.30

25.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.78 $10.78

20.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.61 $11.61

19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$14.64 $14.64

11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.10 $4.10

14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.49 $1.49

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.73 $2.73

87.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.30 $4.30

5.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.11 $3.11

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.84 $2.84

-16.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.09 $2.09

-13.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.31 $9.31

7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.15 $12.15

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.70 $1.70

71.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.86 $3.86

-13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.46 $1.46

-16.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$35.52 $35.52

14.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.55 $2.55

9.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.51 $1.51

9.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$26.17 $26.17

35.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.98 $0.98

-3.06%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.5K $27.5K

24.36%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.14%

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

$223 $223

$169 $169

31.68%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$44.38 $44.38

31.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$59.5 $59.5

19.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$24.35 $24.35

117.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.87 $12.87

9.25%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$618 $618

136.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$13.9K $13.9K

54.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$48.26 $48.26

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$40.43 $40.43

5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$84.5 $84.5

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$95.9 $95.9

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$921 $921

129.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,248 $1,248

-1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,673 $1,673

130.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,662 $1,662

44.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$3,269 $3,269

127.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,694 $2,694

13.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,980 $3,980

30.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.54

4.28%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Panama City, FL: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Panama City, FL

$1.2K 51.8% 1.4% $17

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Panama City, FL

$354 14.7% 13.6% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Panama City, FL

$273 11.3% 22.5% $79

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Panama City, FL

$312 12.9% 10.5% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Panama City, FL

$121 5% 5.8% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Panama City, FL

$50 2.1% 38.3% $31

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Panama City, FL

$51 2.1% 8.8% $5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $921 in Panama City, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 30% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $54 in Panama City, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $354 per month, with Panama City, FL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Panama City, FL

🕒 Local time

15:52 3:52 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

36,484

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Panama City, FL 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Panama City, FL

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

Austin, TX vs Panama City, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City, FL wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Panama City, FL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $921 in Panama City, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,409 in Panama City, FL – Panama City, FL is about 8% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Panama City, FL runs roughly 12% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Panama City, FL is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Panama City, FL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Austin, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Panama City, FL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.