Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and Coronado

For one person, living is cheaper in Coronado: $1,349 a month against $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bocas del Toro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Coronado
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Coronado Living Index

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Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,493

/mo nomad

Coronado

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,349

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bocas del Toro and in Coronado

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,493 in Bocas del Toro versus $1,349 in Coronado.

Bocas del Toro $1,493
Coronado $1,349

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Bocas del Toro versus $2,172 in Coronado.

Bocas del Toro $2,083
Coronado $2,172

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,673 in Bocas del Toro versus $2,996 in Coronado.

Bocas del Toro $2,673
Coronado $2,996

Living in Bocas del Toro is roughly 11% more expensive than in Coronado, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bocas del Toro 11% above, Coronado 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 PAB 9.32

$12.23 PAB 12.23

-23.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 PAB 50.0

$55.3 PAB 55.3

-9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 PAB 9.98

$8.94 PAB 8.94

11.63%

Cappuccino

$4.11 PAB 4.11

$3.83 PAB 3.83

7.31%

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

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$1.23 PAB 1.23

39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PAB 1.66

$0.92 PAB 0.92

80.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.02 PAB 1.02

91.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$2.57 PAB 2.57

56.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$1.94 PAB 1.94

5.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 PAB 3.76

$1.59 PAB 1.59

136.48%

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$2.36 PAB 2.36

13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 PAB 17.23

$11.62 PAB 11.62

48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 PAB 8.84

$6.87 PAB 6.87

28.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 PAB 8.44

$9.34 PAB 9.34

-9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

$0.90 PAB 0.90

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 PAB 2.97

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 PAB 4.98

$2.88 PAB 2.88

72.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$1.83 PAB 1.83

81.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 PAB 2.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 PAB 8.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 PAB 2.90

$0.73 PAB 0.73

297.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$0.70 PAB 0.70

264.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PAB 0.67

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PAB 0.94

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

$33.3K PAB 33.3K

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

$172 PAB 172

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

$40.68 PAB 40.68

$21.06 PAB 21.06

93.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.96 PAB 34.96

$58.8 PAB 58.8

-40.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 PAB 59.9

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 PAB 3.43

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.03 PAB 45.03

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 PAB 64.4

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 PAB 742

$773 PAB 773

-3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 PAB 910

$565 PAB 565

61.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 PAB 1,185

$1,241 PAB 1,241

-4.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 PAB 1,178

$1,285 PAB 1,285

-8.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,970 PAB 1,970

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 PAB 695

$443 PAB 443

57.07%

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

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Coronado: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$565 41.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$252 18.7%

Groceries & Markets

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$216 * 16%

Eating Out

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$189 14%

Sport & Entertainment

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$67 5%

Clothing & Footwear

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$49 * 3.7%

Getting Around

Bocas del Toro

–

Coronado

$12 * 0.9%

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Bocas del Toro and $773 in Coronado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bocas del Toro pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Bocas del Toro vs $55.0 in Coronado. Groceries flip the comparison at $322 vs $216, with Coronado cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Coronado

🕒 Local time

12:50 12:50 PM

Same time as Bocas del Toro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,228

1,444

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Bocas del Toro Coronado 270 km

From you

Bocas del Toro
Coronado

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

Bocas del Toro vs Coronado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bocas del Toro and Coronado differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,493 vs $1,349 including rent). Coronado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Bocas del Toro, 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: $742 in Bocas del Toro versus $773 in Coronado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Coronado – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $50.0 in Bocas del Toro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,493 per month in Bocas del Toro versus $1,349 in Coronado – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,349 in Coronado versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Coronado but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. The gap between the two cities makes Coronado 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.

Safety-wise, Bocas del Toro and Coronado are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Coronado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Bocas del Toro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.