Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,972 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,972

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $1,972 in Panama City.

Austin, TX $2,689
Panama City $1,972

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,930 in Panama City.

Austin, TX $4,112
Panama City $2,930

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $3,888 in Panama City.

Austin, TX $5,534
Panama City $3,888

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 36% more expensive than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Panama City 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$11.37 PAB 11.37

87.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$46.69 PAB 46.69

88.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$7.98 PAB 7.98

55.89%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.12 PAB 4.12

35.92%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.01 PAB 2.01

81.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.57 PAB 1.57

52.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.28 PAB 3.28

138.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$3.88 PAB 3.88

125.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.82 PAB 1.82

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.61 PAB 2.61

38.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.45 PAB 3.45

1.45%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$2.68 PAB 2.68

66.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$12.42 PAB 12.42

6.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$6.73 PAB 6.73

107.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$10.44 PAB 10.44

57.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$4.21 PAB 4.21

12.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.95 PAB 1.95

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.07 PAB 4.07

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.02 PAB 4.02

12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.46 PAB 3.46

-26.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$4.42 PAB 4.42

-45.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.43 PAB 2.43

-24.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.72 PAB 1.72

23.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$6.04 PAB 6.04

66.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.68 PAB 11.68

27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.41 PAB 1.41

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.74 PAB 2.74

20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.33 PAB 0.33

272.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$20.65 PAB 20.65

100.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.45 PAB 2.45

9.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.76 PAB 1.76

-7.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$21.86 PAB 21.86

61.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.20 PAB 1.20

-18.33%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

40.04%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$20.9K PAB 20.9K

28.37%

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

$252 $252

$132 PAB 132

91.42%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$27.89 PAB 27.89

114.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$49.10 PAB 49.10

41.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$44.53 PAB 44.53

35.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

$34.01 PAB 34.01

-46.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$8.70 PAB 8.70

58.05%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$537 PAB 537

171.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$20.5K PAB 20.5K

29.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$65.8 PAB 65.8

-20.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$48.45 PAB 48.45

-5.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$95.4 PAB 95.4

-10.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$114 PAB 114

-6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,405 PAB 1,405

56.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$994 PAB 994

27.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$2,221 PAB 2,221

80.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,714 PAB 1,714

40.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$3,139 PAB 3,139

135.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$1,724 PAB 1,724

71.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$936 PAB 936

438.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.39

6.73%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Panama City: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Panama City

$994 50.4% 21.7% $275

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Panama City

$326 16.5% 20.1% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Panama City

$209 10.6% 45.3% $173

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Panama City

$203 10.3% 43% $153

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Panama City

$145 7.4% 11.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Panama City

$62 3.1% 29.5% $26

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Panama City

$33 1.7% 41.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,405 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 5.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $47 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $326 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

23:49 11:49 PM

00:49 12:49 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.891 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 November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.891 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Panama City 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
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

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

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Austin, TX. 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 Austin, TX is about 5.4 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,405 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,972 in Panama City – Panama City is about 27% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Panama City runs roughly 50% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $1,972 in Panama City versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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 27% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.