Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocastown, Isla Colon and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Bocastown, Isla Colon: $1,205 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Bocastown, Isla Colon

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,205

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,205 per month in Bocastown, Isla Colon vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Bocastown, Isla Colon $1,205
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $2,060 per month in Bocastown, Isla Colon vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Bocastown, Isla Colon $2,060
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $2,915 per month in Bocastown, Isla Colon vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Bocastown, Isla Colon $2,915
Panama City $3,753

Bocastown, Isla Colon is about 35% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Bocastown, Isla Colon sits 11% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.44 PAB 5.44

$11.63 PAB 11.63

-53.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.68 PAB 44.68

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 PAB 13.19

$7.96 PAB 7.96

65.70%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

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

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-49.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 PAB 2.08

$1.85 PAB 1.85

12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 PAB 3.11

$2.56 PAB 2.56

21.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 PAB 2.45

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-29.60%

Eggs

$2.79 PAB 2.79

$2.69 PAB 2.69

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 PAB 15.77

$12.57 PAB 12.57

25.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 PAB 9.00

$6.83 PAB 6.83

31.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.40 PAB 8.40

$10.58 PAB 10.58

-20.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 PAB 3.84

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 PAB 1.45

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-20.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 PAB 5.34

$4.03 PAB 4.03

32.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 PAB 2.14

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-38.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 PAB 1.61

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-61.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$2.41 PAB 2.41

4.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$1.69 PAB 1.69

1.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 PAB 4.61

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-24.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 PAB 9.09

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-19.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$1.42 PAB 1.42

25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-6.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$0.33 PAB 0.33

209.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 PAB 0.98

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-61.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PAB 1.33

$1.25 PAB 1.25

6.40%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

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

$87.7 PAB 87.7

$130 PAB 130

-32.44%

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

$25.71 PAB 25.71

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 PAB 50.5

$48.21 PAB 48.21

4.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.08 PAB 35.08

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-23.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

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

$544 PAB 544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 PAB 744

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-40.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 PAB 584

$875 PAB 875

-33.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 PAB 1,216

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 PAB 1,506

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-3.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$675 PAB 675

$916 PAB 916

-26.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

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

Last update for Bocastown, Isla Colon: October 10, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Groceries & Markets

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Eating Out

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Getting Around

Bocastown, Isla Colon

–

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in Bocastown, Isla Colon versus $1,257 in Panama City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Bocastown, Isla Colon versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $325 – making Bocastown, Isla Colon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Bocastown, Isla Colon

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

20:46 8:46 PM

Same time as Bocastown, Isla Colon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,380

1,086,990 Capital

💱 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

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Between locations

Bocastown, Isla Colon Panama City 300 km

From you

Bocastown, Isla Colon
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

Bocastown, Isla Colon vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City costs about 54% more than Bocastown, Isla Colon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,808 per month in Bocastown, Isla Colon and $2,783 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bocastown, Isla Colon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,205 in Bocastown, Isla Colon and $1,855 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 54%.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bocastown, Isla Colon, where all-in costs run around $1,205, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Bocastown, Isla Colon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bocastown, Isla Colon costs $1,205 versus $1,855 in Panama City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bocastown, Isla Colon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.