Cost of Living Comparison Between Botucatu and Panglao Cost of Living Comparison Between Botucatu and Panglao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Botucatu versus $821 in Panglao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Botucatu versus $1,231 in Panglao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,555 in Botucatu versus $1,641 in Panglao.

Living in Botucatu costs roughly 19% less than in Panglao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Botucatu 50% lower, Panglao 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 R$28.39

$4.49 ₱277

22.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.19 R$171

$12.16 ₱751

172.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 R$33.12

$4.32 ₱267

48.84%

Cappuccino

$1.79 R$9.22

$2.59 ₱160

-30.89%

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

$1.32 R$6.82

$0.83 ₱51.2

59.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.28 ₱17.40

207.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.40

$1.47 ₱90.8

24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 R$17.31

$1.86 ₱115

80.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 R$3.54

$1.75 ₱108

-60.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 R$5.13

$1.09 ₱67.4

-8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 R$4.30

$1.09 ₱67.4

-23.85%

Eggs

$1.16 R$5.96

$2.01 ₱124

-42.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 R$37.68

$9.48 ₱585

-22.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.59

$5.35 ₱330

-50.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 R$33.30

$7.68 ₱474

-15.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.09

$2.08 ₱129

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 R$3.58

$1.51 ₱93.0

-54.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 R$2.65

$2.07 ₱128

-75.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.60

$1.89 ₱117

-42.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.48

$2.67 ₱165

-67.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.76

$2.57 ₱158

-64.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 R$2.73

$1.00 ₱61.9

-47.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.47 ₱29.04

38.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 R$14.16

$2.59 ₱160

6.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 R$34.39

$5.34 ₱330

25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.35

$0.88 ₱54.4

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R$12.62

$1.73 ₱107

41.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.43

$0.26 ₱16.01

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 R$200

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 R$4.44

$0.89 ₱54.8

-3.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 R$5.29

$0.23 ₱14.18

347.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 R$44.90

$2.60 ₱161

235.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.88

$1.08 ₱66.5

-12.04%

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

$22.7K R$117.0K

$29.9K ₱1.8M

-23.91%

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

$29.5K R$152.0K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

9.15%

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

$23.83 R$123

$98.5 ₱6,079

-75.80%

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

$9.23 R$47.54

$8.94 ₱552

3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.17 R$73.0

$27.02 ₱1,668

-47.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.18 R$114

$14.78 ₱912

50.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 R$109

$4.31 ₱266

393.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 R$28.27

$4.49 ₱277

22.27%

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

$248 R$1,277

$230 ₱14.2K

7.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,709 R$29.4K

$3,876 ₱239.2K

47.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.36 R$213

$46.05 ₱2,843

-10.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.46 R$198

$22.63 ₱1,397

69.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.08 R$232

$75.6 ₱4,667

-40.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 R$351

$54.0 ₱3,330

26.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,640

$327 ₱20.2K

-2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 R$1,104

$280 ₱17.3K

-23.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,979

$704 ₱43.5K

-17.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 R$2,187

$500 ₱30.8K

-14.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$960 ₱59.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$873 ₱53.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 R$2,175

$131 ₱8,095

221.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

18.75%

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

Last update for Botucatu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Panglao: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $318 in Botucatu and $327 in Panglao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Botucatu pays 222% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Botucatu vs $12.00 in Panglao. Groceries flip the comparison at $137 vs $198, with Botucatu 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

Botucatu vs Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Botucatu wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Panglao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Botucatu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Botucatu pays 222% more on average, 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: $318 in Botucatu versus $327 in Panglao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $248 in Botucatu versus $230 in Panglao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Botucatu – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $12.00 in Panglao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Botucatu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Botucatu and Panglao 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 Botucatu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Panglao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.