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: $1,373 in Boquete versus $1,142 in Centurion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Boquete versus $1,860 in Centurion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,832 in Boquete versus $2,577 in Centurion.

Living in Boquete is roughly 20% more expensive than in Centurion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 3% above, Centurion is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 PAB 5.57

$10.55 R 175

-47.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.59 PAB 29.59

$33.51 R 555

-11.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 PAB 7.66

$4.63 R 76.7

65.44%

Cappuccino

$3.40 PAB 3.40

$2.10 R 34.80

61.90%

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

$1.36 PAB 1.36

$0.98 R 16.30

38.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 PAB 0.93

$0.80 R 13.30

16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$2.29 R 37.85

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$2.48 R 41.09

-18.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$1.19 R 19.71

37.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.03 R 17.02

133.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.64 R 27.21

-14.02%

Eggs

$2.54 PAB 2.54

$2.51 R 41.49

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 PAB 8.71

$8.27 R 137

5.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 PAB 7.63

$4.89 R 81.0

56.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 PAB 11.07

$6.70 R 111

65.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 PAB 4.54

$1.66 R 27.48

173.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 PAB 1.04

$1.54 R 25.55

-32.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 PAB 3.27

$1.66 R 27.55

96.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$1.59 R 26.27

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 PAB 2.27

$1.33 R 22.07

70.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$1.46 R 24.17

17.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 PAB 2.22

$1.09 R 18.05

103.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$1.06 R 17.54

61.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 PAB 5.17

$3.13 R 51.7

65.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 PAB 8.06

$6.06 R 100

33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$1.44 R 23.88

-15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$1.72 R 28.43

58.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 PAB 1.54

$2.22 R 36.76

-30.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 PAB 24.95

$88.7 R 1,469

-71.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 PAB 0.97

$1.14 R 18.94

-14.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$1.10 R 18.16

83.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.59 PAB 29.59

$4.05 R 67.0

630.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PAB 0.88

$1.25 R 20.63

-29.60%

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

$25.9K PAB 25.9K

$22.5K R 372.7K

15.19%

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

$20.5K PAB 20.5K

$23.6K R 389.9K

-13.14%

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

$53.6 PAB 53.6

$116 R 1,925

-53.91%

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

$28.49 PAB 28.49

$37.89 R 627

-24.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.90 PAB 45.90

$41.49 R 687

10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 PAB 86.6

$41.87 R 693

106.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 PAB 17.76

$1.02 R 16.89

1641.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 PAB 6.69

$7.38 R 122

-9.35%

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

$245 PAB 245

$204 R 3,379

20.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,328 R 71.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.67 PAB 34.67

$49.82 R 825

-30.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.47 PAB 25.47

$32.76 R 542

-22.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 PAB 51.3

$88.1 R 1,459

-41.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 PAB 60.1

$87.0 R 1,440

-30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 PAB 756

$314 R 5,197

140.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 PAB 640

$329 R 5,447

94.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 PAB 1,588

$530 R 8,772

199.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 PAB 1,119

$811 R 13.4K

37.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 PAB 1,203

$530 R 8,769

127.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 PAB 1,143

$602 R 9,971

89.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$789 PAB 789

$2,165 R 35.8K

-63.56%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Centurion: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Boquete and $314 in Centurion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Centurion pays 174% 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 $187, 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 174% 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: $756 in Boquete versus $314 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 $1,142 in Centurion versus $1,373 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 20% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.