Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,477 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jump to prices

Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,477

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bocas del Toro and in Las Tablas

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,477 in Bocas del Toro versus $458 in Las Tablas.

Bocas del Toro $1,477
Las Tablas $458

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Bocas del Toro versus $681 in Las Tablas.

Bocas del Toro $2,083
Las Tablas $681

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,688 in Bocas del Toro versus $904 in Las Tablas.

Bocas del Toro $2,688
Las Tablas $904

Living in Bocas del Toro is roughly 222% more expensive than in Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bocas del Toro is 9% above, Las Tablas is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 PAB 9.52

$10.08 PAB 10.08

-5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 PAB 50.3

$29.60 PAB 29.60

70.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 PAB 10.06

$8.75 PAB 8.75

14.97%

Cappuccino

$4.09 PAB 4.09

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

$1.73 PAB 1.73

$1.02 PAB 1.02

69.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 PAB 1.60

$1.02 PAB 1.02

56.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PAB 2.03

$1.24 PAB 1.24

63.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 PAB 4.11

$2.71 PAB 2.71

51.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$1.97 PAB 1.97

96.95%

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$2.06 PAB 2.06

30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.27 PAB 17.27

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 PAB 8.58

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 PAB 8.24

Apples (1kg)

$9.85 PAB 9.85

$4.38 PAB 4.38

124.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 PAB 1.51

$1.29 PAB 1.29

17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 PAB 4.84

$1.51 PAB 1.51

220.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 PAB 3.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 PAB 1.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 PAB 1.63

$0.98 PAB 0.98

66.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 PAB 5.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 PAB 2.92

$1.30 PAB 1.30

124.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.72 PAB 1.72

46.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PAB 0.94

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

$147 PAB 147

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

$40.27 PAB 40.27

$22.59 PAB 22.59

78.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.72 PAB 34.72

$37.18 PAB 37.18

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.02 PAB 20.02

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 PAB 754

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$894 PAB 894

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 PAB 1,189

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 PAB 1,193

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 PAB 710

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

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 31, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: November 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50 in Bocas del Toro vs $30 in Las Tablas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $104 per month, with Las Tablas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

14:14 2:14 PM

Same time as Bocas del Toro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,228

8,939

💱 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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Between locations

Bocas del Toro Las Tablas 280 km

From you

Bocas del Toro
Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,477 in Bocas del Toro and $458 in Las Tablas, so Las Tablas is about 69% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $2,216 in Bocas del Toro and $687 in Las Tablas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Las Tablas – a meal for two runs $30 versus $50 in Bocas del Toro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,477 per month in Bocas del Toro versus $458 in Las Tablas – Las Tablas is about 69% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $458 in Las Tablas versus $1,477 in Bocas del Toro, a $800 budget is realistic in Las Tablas but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. The gap between the two cities makes Las Tablas 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.