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: $1,459 in Boquete versus $1,392 in Centurion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Boquete versus $2,276 in Centurion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Boquete versus $3,159 in Centurion.

Living in Boquete is roughly 5% more expensive than in Centurion, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boquete 6% above, Centurion 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 PAB 6.56

$22.79 R 365

-71.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.60 PAB 40.60

$42.30 R 677

-4.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 PAB 7.62

$6.15 R 98.4

23.90%

Cappuccino

$3.80 PAB 3.80

$2.70 R 43.23

40.74%

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

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$1.04 R 16.63

29.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$0.85 R 13.53

42.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 PAB 2.30

$2.13 R 34.05

7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 PAB 5.11

$2.45 R 39.22

108.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.25 R 20.03

46.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 PAB 2.13

$1.24 R 19.86

71.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$2.16 R 34.47

2.31%

Eggs

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$3.20 R 51.2

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 PAB 9.32

$10.32 R 165

-9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 PAB 7.41

$6.81 R 109

8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 PAB 15.55

$7.55 R 121

105.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 PAB 4.36

$1.92 R 30.75

127.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$1.85 R 29.57

-44.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 PAB 4.28

$2.27 R 36.37

88.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$2.16 R 34.49

3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$1.65 R 26.36

35.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$1.89 R 30.28

16.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$1.39 R 22.27

57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$1.50 R 23.92

12.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 PAB 5.14

$3.90 R 62.3

31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$6.25 R 100

25.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$1.63 R 26.06

-25.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 PAB 2.65

$2.18 R 34.92

21.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 PAB 1.34

$2.52 R 40.23

-46.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.16 PAB 25.16

$99.6 R 1,592

-74.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 PAB 0.98

$1.22 R 19.58

-19.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 PAB 1.98

$1.23 R 19.62

60.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.10 PAB 30.10

$9.57 R 153

214.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 PAB 1.08

$1.48 R 23.65

-27.03%

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

$25.1K PAB 25.1K

$37.1K R 593.9K

-32.51%

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

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

$32.8K R 524.5K

-32.50%

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

$58.5 PAB 58.5

$145 R 2,316

-59.62%

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

$25.76 PAB 25.76

$31.56 R 505

-18.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.20 PAB 42.20

$41.81 R 669

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 PAB 83.5

$45.01 R 720

85.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 PAB 17.19

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 PAB 6.32

$10.92 R 175

-42.12%

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

$317 R 5,075

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 PAB 5,965

$4,455 R 71.3K

33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.99 PAB 24.99

$60.9 R 974

-58.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 PAB 24.54

$45.13 R 722

-45.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.19 PAB 44.19

$119 R 1,898

-62.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 R 1,656

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 PAB 827

$348 R 5,559

137.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 PAB 700

$380 R 6,079

84.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 PAB 1,559

$586 R 9,364

166.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 PAB 1,295

$949 R 15.2K

36.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 PAB 1,203

$539 R 8,613

123.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 PAB 1,149

$627 R 10.0K

83.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$814 PAB 814

$2,426 R 38.8K

-66.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

10.5

-38.10%

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

Last update for Boquete: August 29, 2026

Last update for Centurion: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in Boquete and $348 in Centurion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Centurion pays 198% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Boquete vs $42.00 in Centurion. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $232, 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 198% lower in Centurion. 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: $827 in Boquete versus $348 in Centurion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,459 per month in Boquete versus $1,392 in Centurion – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,392 in Centurion versus $1,459 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 5% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.