Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,462 in Boquete, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Boquete
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Boquete Living Index

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Boquete

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,462

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boquete and in David

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boquete and in David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,462 in Boquete versus $882 in David.

Boquete $1,462
David $882

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Boquete versus $946 in David.

Boquete $2,237
David $946

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,011 in Boquete versus $1,011 in David.

Boquete $3,011
David $1,011

Living in Boquete is roughly 66% more expensive than in David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 8% above, David is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 PAB 6.48

$5.52 PAB 5.52

17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.69 PAB 39.69

$37.03 PAB 37.03

7.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 PAB 7.65

$7.27 PAB 7.27

5.23%

Cappuccino

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$3.13 PAB 3.13

23.96%

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

$1.36 PAB 1.36

$1.47 PAB 1.47

-7.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 PAB 1.15

$1.52 PAB 1.52

-24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PAB 2.27

$1.99 PAB 1.99

14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 PAB 5.08

$2.72 PAB 2.72

86.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 PAB 1.81

$1.73 PAB 1.73

4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 PAB 2.15

$2.26 PAB 2.26

-4.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 PAB 2.25

$2.46 PAB 2.46

-8.54%

Eggs

$2.60 PAB 2.60

$2.41 PAB 2.41

7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 PAB 9.62

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 PAB 7.53

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 PAB 15.28

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 PAB 4.33

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 PAB 4.40

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 PAB 2.23

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 PAB 2.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 PAB 2.30

$1.99 PAB 1.99

15.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 PAB 5.02

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 PAB 7.85

$10.18 PAB 10.18

-22.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PAB 2.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$0.76 PAB 0.76

77.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.55 PAB 24.55

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$2.96 PAB 2.96

-65.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$2.04 PAB 2.04

0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 PAB 30.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PAB 1.13

$1.07 PAB 1.07

5.61%

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

$25.5K PAB 25.5K

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

2.31%

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

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

-27.82%

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

$58.0 PAB 58.0

$184 PAB 184

-68.41%

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

$25.95 PAB 25.95

$28.48 PAB 28.48

-8.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.16 PAB 42.16

$49.40 PAB 49.40

-14.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.5 PAB 82.5

$31.21 PAB 31.21

164.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.48 PAB 17.48

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 PAB 6.33

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,075 PAB 6,075

$6,091 PAB 6,091

-0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.42 PAB 25.42

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.48 PAB 25.48

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.14 PAB 44.14

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 PAB 825

$343 PAB 343

140.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 PAB 710

$354 PAB 354

100.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 PAB 1,551

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 PAB 1,284

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 PAB 1,181

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 PAB 1,150

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$784 PAB 784

$604 PAB 604

29.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-7.14%

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

Last update for Boquete: October 11, 2026

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boquete

$710 48.5%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Boquete

$295 20.2%

David

–

Eating Out

Boquete

$153 10.5%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boquete

$126 8.6%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Boquete

$95 6.5%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Boquete

$43 * 2.9%

David

–

Getting Around

Boquete

$41 2.8%

David

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $825 in Boquete and $343 in David. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Boquete vs $37.00 in David for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $88.0 per month, with David cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Boquete

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

12:35 12:35 PM

Same time as Boquete

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,000

82,907

💱 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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Boquete David 33 km

From you

Boquete
David

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

Boquete vs David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

David is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Boquete, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $825 in Boquete versus $343 in David. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 236% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in David – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $40.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $882 in David versus $1,462 in Boquete, a $1,500 budget is realistic in David but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes David the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, David 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 David 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 David gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.