Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Boquete: $1,473 a month against $5,142 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $44,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Boquete
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Boquete Living Index
245

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Boquete

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,473

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$5,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boquete and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,473 in Boquete versus $5,142 in New York, NY.

Boquete $1,473
New York, NY $5,142

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,266 in Boquete versus $7,455 in New York, NY.

Boquete $2,266
New York, NY $7,455

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,059 in Boquete versus $9,767 in New York, NY.

Boquete $3,059
New York, NY $9,767

Living in Boquete costs roughly 71% less than in New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boquete 10% above, New York, NY 284% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 PAB 6.46

$26.46 $26.46

-75.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.90 PAB 39.90

$119 $119

-66.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 PAB 7.58

$14.43 $14.43

-47.47%

Cappuccino

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$6.55 $6.55

-40.76%

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

$1.34 PAB 1.34

$3.84 $3.84

-65.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$3.00 $3.00

-59.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$8.27 $8.27

-72.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 PAB 5.08

$10.05 $10.05

-49.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 PAB 1.79

$1.31 $1.31

36.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 PAB 2.08

$4.90 $4.90

-57.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 PAB 2.14

$7.16 $7.16

-70.11%

Eggs

$2.54 PAB 2.54

$5.92 $5.92

-57.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 PAB 9.20

$19.06 $19.06

-51.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 PAB 7.77

$17.38 $17.38

-55.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 PAB 15.16

$18.94 $18.94

-19.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 PAB 4.39

$6.96 $6.96

-36.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 PAB 0.97

$2.08 $2.08

-53.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 PAB 4.49

$6.10 $6.10

-26.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 PAB 2.27

$6.95 $6.95

-67.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 PAB 2.17

$3.98 $3.98

-45.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 PAB 2.16

$4.44 $4.44

-51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 PAB 2.22

$2.81 $2.81

-21.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 PAB 1.63

$2.51 $2.51

-35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 PAB 5.09

$19.27 $19.27

-73.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$19.67 $19.67

-59.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 PAB 1.15

$3.08 $3.08

-62.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 PAB 2.64

$3.68 $3.68

-28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$3.02 $3.02

-53.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.47 PAB 25.47

$140 $140

-81.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$3.07 $3.07

-67.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$2.13 $2.13

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 PAB 29.64

$41.21 $41.21

-28.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PAB 1.18

$1.11 $1.11

6.31%

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

$25.1K PAB 25.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-28.41%

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

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

$25.4K $25.4K

-12.64%

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

$58.7 PAB 58.7

$217 $217

-73.01%

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

$26.10 PAB 26.10

$74.0 $74.0

-64.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 PAB 43.09

$72.5 $72.5

-40.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 PAB 81.3

$120 $120

-32.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 PAB 17.41

$66.9 $66.9

-73.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 PAB 6.53

$22.32 $22.32

-70.74%

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

$3,425 $3,425

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 PAB 6,039

$61.2K $61.2K

-90.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.55 PAB 24.55

$76.3 $76.3

-67.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.25 PAB 25.25

$55.5 $55.5

-54.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.67 PAB 44.67

$119 $119

-62.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 PAB 841

$4,506 $4,506

-81.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 PAB 701

$3,155 $3,155

-77.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 PAB 1,562

$8,817 $8,817

-82.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 PAB 1,309

$5,532 $5,532

-76.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,163 PAB 1,163

$19.4K $19.4K

-94.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 PAB 1,151

$6,754 $6,754

-82.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 PAB 799

$5,290 $5,290

-84.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.82

-4.69%

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

Last update for Boquete: October 5, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boquete

$701 48.2%

New York, NY

$3.2K 63.2% 350% $2.5K

Groceries & Markets

Boquete

$293 20.2%

New York, NY

$546 11% 86.6% $253

Eating Out

Boquete

$153 10.5%

New York, NY

$422 8.5% 177% $270

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boquete

$128 8.8%

New York, NY

$364 7.3% 185% $236

Sport & Entertainment

Boquete

$94 6.5%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 75% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Boquete

$43 * 2.9%

New York, NY

$172 3.4% 304% $129

Getting Around

Boquete

$42 2.9%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 296% $124

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 $841 in Boquete and $4,506 in New York, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 562% 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 $119 in New York, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $546 per month, with Boquete cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Boquete

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

04:55 4:55 AM

05:55 5:55 AM

1 h ahead of Boquete

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,000

8,804,190

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.892 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Boquete New York, NY 3,640 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Boquete
New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boquete is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 249% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 562% lower in New York, NY. 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: $841 in Boquete versus $4,506 in New York, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,473 per month in Boquete versus $5,142 in New York, NY – a 249% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,473 in Boquete versus $5,142 in New York, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Boquete but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Boquete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Boquete and New York, NY 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 Boquete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.