Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,493

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,493 in Bocas del Toro versus $882 in David.

Bocas del Toro $1,493
David $882

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Bocas del Toro versus $946 in David.

Bocas del Toro $2,083
David $946

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,673 in Bocas del Toro versus $1,011 in David.

Bocas del Toro $2,673
David $1,011

Living in Bocas del Toro is roughly 69% more expensive than in David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bocas del Toro is 11% above, David is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 PAB 9.32

$5.52 PAB 5.52

68.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 PAB 50.0

$37.03 PAB 37.03

35.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 PAB 9.98

$7.27 PAB 7.27

37.28%

Cappuccino

$4.11 PAB 4.11

$3.13 PAB 3.13

31.31%

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

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$1.47 PAB 1.47

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PAB 1.66

$1.52 PAB 1.52

9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.99 PAB 1.99

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$2.72 PAB 2.72

48.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$1.73 PAB 1.73

18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 PAB 3.76

$2.26 PAB 2.26

66.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$2.41 PAB 2.41

11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 PAB 17.23

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 PAB 8.84

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 PAB 8.44

Apples (1kg)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 PAB 4.98

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 PAB 2.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 PAB 0.76

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 PAB 2.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PAB 2.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PAB 1.07

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

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

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

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

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

$184 PAB 184

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

$40.68 PAB 40.68

$28.48 PAB 28.48

42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.96 PAB 34.96

$49.40 PAB 49.40

-29.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 PAB 31.21

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,091 PAB 6,091

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 PAB 742

$343 PAB 343

116.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 PAB 910

$354 PAB 354

156.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 PAB 1,185

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 PAB 1,178

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 PAB 695

$604 PAB 604

15.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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 David: October 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Bocas del Toro and $343 in David. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bocas del Toro pays 15% 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 $37.00 in David for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $88.0 per month, with David cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

12:55 12:55 PM

Same time as Bocas del Toro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,228

82,907

💱 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 David 100 km

From you

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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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bocas del Toro and David differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,493 vs $882 including rent). David is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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 $343 in David. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in David – a meal for two runs $37.00 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 $882 in David – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $882 in David versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in David but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. The gap between the two cities makes David 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 David 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 David gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Bocas del Toro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.