Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $463 a month against $1,455 in Boquete, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities 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

$1,455

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$463

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boquete and in Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,455 in Boquete versus $463 in Las Tablas.

Boquete $1,455
Las Tablas $463

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,232 in Boquete versus $688 in Las Tablas.

Boquete $2,232
Las Tablas $688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,009 in Boquete versus $913 in Las Tablas.

Boquete $3,009
Las Tablas $913

Living in Boquete is roughly 215% more expensive than in Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 7% above, Las Tablas is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.35 PAB 6.35

$10.05 PAB 10.05

-36.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.20 PAB 40.20

$30.29 PAB 30.29

32.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 PAB 7.44

$8.59 PAB 8.59

-13.39%

Cappuccino

$3.86 PAB 3.86

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

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$1.01 PAB 1.01

33.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 PAB 1.17

$1.01 PAB 1.01

15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PAB 2.20

$1.22 PAB 1.22

80.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 PAB 4.97

$2.81 PAB 2.81

76.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 PAB 2.04

$1.94 PAB 1.94

5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

Eggs

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$2.10 PAB 2.10

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 PAB 9.29

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 PAB 7.70

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 PAB 15.46

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 PAB 4.46

$4.38 PAB 4.38

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$1.30 PAB 1.30

-20.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 PAB 4.43

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 PAB 2.18

$1.59 PAB 1.59

37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$1.27 PAB 1.27

74.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$0.98 PAB 0.98

74.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 PAB 5.04

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 PAB 8.06

$5.81 PAB 5.81

38.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 PAB 1.15

$1.32 PAB 1.32

-12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 PAB 2.70

$1.80 PAB 1.80

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.31 PAB 25.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$1.01 PAB 1.01

0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.56 PAB 30.56

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PAB 1.13

$0.93 PAB 0.93

21.51%

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

$25.9K PAB 25.9K

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

$21.7K PAB 21.7K

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

$58.5 PAB 58.5

$150 PAB 150

-61.03%

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

$26.67 PAB 26.67

$23.27 PAB 23.27

14.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.02 PAB 42.02

$38.14 PAB 38.14

10.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.6 PAB 82.6

$19.97 PAB 19.97

313.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.38 PAB 17.38

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 PAB 6.42

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,026 PAB 6,026

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.56 PAB 24.56

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.21 PAB 25.21

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.90 PAB 44.90

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 PAB 815

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 PAB 702

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 PAB 1,574

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 PAB 1,280

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,185 PAB 1,185

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 PAB 1,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$795 PAB 795

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update for Boquete: October 20, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boquete

$702 48.3%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Boquete

$295 20.3%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Boquete

$150 10.3%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boquete

$127 8.7%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Boquete

$95 6.6%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Boquete

$43 * 2.9%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Boquete

$42 2.9%

Las Tablas

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $40.00 in Boquete vs $30.00 in Las Tablas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $104 per month, with Las Tablas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Boquete

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

Same time as Boquete

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,000

8,939

💱 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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Between locations

Boquete Las Tablas 260 km

From you

Boquete
Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Las Tablas is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 215% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,183 in Boquete and $694 in Las Tablas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 183% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Las Tablas – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $40.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $463 in Las Tablas versus $1,455 in Boquete, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Las Tablas but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Las Tablas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Las Tablas 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 Las Tablas 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 Las Tablas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.