Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Centurion Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Centurion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,389 in Boquete versus $1,139 in Centurion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,065 in Boquete versus $1,860 in Centurion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,741 in Boquete versus $2,580 in Centurion.

Living in Boquete is roughly 22% more expensive than Centurion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 4% above, Centurion is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 PAB 5.43

$10.55 R 171

-48.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 PAB 29.91

$33.64 R 547

-11.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 PAB 7.36

$4.79 R 77.8

53.65%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PAB 3.32

$2.03 R 33.03

63.55%

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

$1.40 PAB 1.40

$1.02 R 16.59

37.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 PAB 0.87

$0.81 R 13.13

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 PAB 1.77

$2.22 R 36.14

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$2.48 R 40.32

-18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$1.19 R 19.34

36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.06 R 17.19

127.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.66 R 26.98

-15.06%

Eggs

$2.66 PAB 2.66

$2.43 R 39.47

9.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 PAB 9.11

$8.14 R 132

11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 PAB 7.62

$4.84 R 78.7

57.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 PAB 11.00

$6.66 R 108

65.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 PAB 4.44

$1.62 R 26.37

174.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 PAB 1.00

$1.48 R 24.06

-32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 PAB 3.18

$1.62 R 26.26

96.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$1.64 R 26.71

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 PAB 2.28

$1.34 R 21.75

70.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 PAB 1.68

$1.45 R 23.59

15.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 PAB 2.23

$1.09 R 17.79

104.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

$1.07 R 17.36

54.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 PAB 5.35

$3.06 R 49.69

74.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 PAB 8.08

$6.17 R 100

30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.44 R 23.47

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 PAB 2.70

$1.72 R 28.00

56.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$2.18 R 35.50

-30.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 PAB 25.34

$91.0 R 1,479

-72.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$1.13 R 18.39

-10.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$1.07 R 17.31

92.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 PAB 30.39

$4.04 R 65.7

652.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PAB 0.89

$1.31 R 21.25

-32.06%

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

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

$22.8K R 370.1K

13.06%

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

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

$24.3K R 395.1K

-14.44%

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

$53.7 PAB 53.7

$120 R 1,951

-55.32%

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

$28.49 PAB 28.49

$37.25 R 605

-23.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 PAB 45.79

$42.33 R 688

8.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 PAB 87.9

$41.89 R 681

109.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.68 PAB 17.68

$0.93 R 15.13

1801.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 PAB 6.41

$7.71 R 125

-16.86%

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

$245 PAB 245

$209 R 3,392

17.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,282 R 69.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.53 PAB 35.53

$49.86 R 810

-28.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.36 PAB 25.36

$32.17 R 523

-21.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 PAB 51.4

$86.5 R 1,406

-40.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 PAB 58.9

$88.2 R 1,433

-33.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 PAB 743

$319 R 5,179

133.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 PAB 652

$329 R 5,352

97.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$527 R 8,567

196.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 PAB 1,142

$803 R 13.1K

42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 PAB 1,181

$522 R 8,489

126.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 PAB 1,155

$591 R 9,611

95.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$800 PAB 800

$2,129 R 34.6K

-62.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

-40.12%

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

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Last update for Centurion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Boquete and $319 in Centurion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Centurion pays 166% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Boquete vs $34.00 in Centurion. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $186, with Centurion cheaper for home cooking.

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

Boquete vs Centurion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Centurion is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Centurion earns 166% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $743 in Boquete versus $319 in Centurion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Centurion – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,139 in Centurion versus $1,389 in Boquete, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Centurion but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Centurion the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Centurion is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boquete, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boquete and Centurion 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 Centurion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.