Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boquete and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Boquete: $1,462 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Boquete
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Boquete Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Boquete

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,462

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boquete and in Panama City

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 Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,462 in Boquete versus $1,855 in Panama City.

Boquete $1,462
Panama City $1,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Boquete versus $2,804 in Panama City.

Boquete $2,237
Panama City $2,804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,011 in Boquete versus $3,753 in Panama City.

Boquete $3,011
Panama City $3,753

Living in Boquete costs roughly 21% less than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boquete 8% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 PAB 6.48

$11.63 PAB 11.63

-44.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.69 PAB 39.69

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-17.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 PAB 7.65

$7.96 PAB 7.96

-3.89%

Cappuccino

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-8.06%

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

$1.36 PAB 1.36

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-32.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 PAB 1.15

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-26.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 PAB 2.27

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-33.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 PAB 5.08

$3.94 PAB 3.94

28.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 PAB 1.81

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-2.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 PAB 2.15

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 PAB 2.25

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-35.34%

Eggs

$2.60 PAB 2.60

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 PAB 9.62

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-23.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 PAB 7.53

$6.83 PAB 6.83

10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 PAB 15.28

$10.58 PAB 10.58

44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 PAB 4.33

$4.18 PAB 4.18

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-44.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 PAB 4.40

$4.20 PAB 4.20

4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 PAB 2.23

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-44.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-36.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 PAB 2.14

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-49.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 PAB 2.30

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-4.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-2.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 PAB 5.02

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-18.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 PAB 7.85

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PAB 2.59

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$0.33 PAB 0.33

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.55 PAB 24.55

$21.23 PAB 21.23

15.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-59.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$1.86 PAB 1.86

10.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 PAB 30.39

$21.78 PAB 21.78

39.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PAB 1.13

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-9.60%

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

$25.5K PAB 25.5K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

20.26%

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

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

4.89%

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

$58.0 PAB 58.0

$130 PAB 130

-55.31%

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

$25.95 PAB 25.95

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-7.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.16 PAB 42.16

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-12.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.5 PAB 82.5

$45.78 PAB 45.78

80.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.48 PAB 17.48

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-49.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 PAB 6.33

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-26.99%

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

$544 PAB 544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,075 PAB 6,075

$9,697 PAB 9,697

-37.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.42 PAB 25.42

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-61.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.48 PAB 25.48

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-48.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.14 PAB 44.14

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-52.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 PAB 825

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 PAB 710

$875 PAB 875

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 PAB 1,551

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 PAB 1,284

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-17.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 PAB 1,181

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-62.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 PAB 1,150

$1,709 PAB 1,709

-32.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$784 PAB 784

$916 PAB 916

-14.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.39

1.72%

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

Last update for Boquete: October 11, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boquete

$710 48.5%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 23.3% $165

Groceries & Markets

Boquete

$295 20.2%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 10.4% $31

Eating Out

Boquete

$153 10.5%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 35.2% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boquete

$126 8.6%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 63.5% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Boquete

$95 6.5%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 33.7% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Boquete

$43 * 2.9%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 238% $102

Getting Around

Boquete

$41 2.8%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 16.7% $6.9

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 $1,257 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 17% 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 $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $325 per month, with Boquete cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Boquete

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

11:23 11:23 AM

Same time as Boquete

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,000

1,086,990 Capital

💱 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 Panama City 320 km

From you

Boquete
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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 Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boquete is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Panama City. 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: $825 in Boquete versus $1,257 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,462 per month in Boquete versus $1,855 in Panama City – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,462 in Boquete versus $1,855 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Boquete but tight or insufficient in Panama City. 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 Panama City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boquete and Panama City 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 27% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.