Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brea, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,857 a month against $3,716 in Brea, CA, rent and utilities included – about $22,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

180

Cost of Living Index in Brea, CA
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Brea, CA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Brea, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,716

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brea, CA 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 Brea, CA and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,716 in Brea, CA versus $1,857 in Panama City.

Brea, CA $3,716
Panama City $1,857

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,124 in Brea, CA versus $2,815 in Panama City.

Brea, CA $5,124
Panama City $2,815

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,532 in Brea, CA versus $3,773 in Panama City.

Brea, CA $6,532
Panama City $3,773

Living in Brea, CA is roughly 100% more expensive than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brea, CA 174% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 $25.18

$11.68 PAB 11.68

115.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$47.76 PAB 47.76

64.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.12 PAB 8.12

50.00%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.23 PAB 4.23

32.15%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.92 PAB 1.92

40.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 PAB 1.58

25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 $7.34

$3.31 PAB 3.31

121.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.46 $9.46

$3.98 PAB 3.98

137.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.92 PAB 1.92

-38.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.63 PAB 2.63

101.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.39 PAB 3.39

30.09%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$2.67 PAB 2.67

82.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$12.21 PAB 12.21

25.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 $8.87

$6.91 PAB 6.91

28.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$10.58 PAB 10.58

31.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$4.16 PAB 4.16

12.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.97 PAB 1.97

-8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$4.06 PAB 4.06

5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.18 PAB 4.18

38.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.47 PAB 3.47

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.26 PAB 4.26

-27.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.44 PAB 2.44

-12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.69 PAB 1.69

28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$5.83 PAB 5.83

104.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$11.43 PAB 11.43

32.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.38 PAB 1.38

28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.76 PAB 2.76

16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.55 PAB 2.55

79.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.78 PAB 1.78

1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.28 $36.28

$22.17 PAB 22.17

63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.24 PAB 1.24

26.61%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

13.83%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

22.20%

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

$218 $218

$131 PAB 131

65.91%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$27.83 PAB 27.83

154.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$49.32 PAB 49.32

40.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 $30.08

$45.69 PAB 45.69

-34.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$34.10 PAB 34.10

-41.29%

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$8.47 PAB 8.47

135.89%

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

$1,162 $1,162

$553 PAB 553

110.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K $42.8K

$9,719 PAB 9,719

340.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 $62.2

$66.4 PAB 66.4

-6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.12 $41.12

$47.39 PAB 47.39

-13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 $80.9

$95.7 PAB 95.7

-15.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$113 PAB 113

-7.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$1,322 PAB 1,322

69.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 $2,354

$874 PAB 874

169.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,133 $3,133

$2,153 PAB 2,153

45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,521 $3,521

$1,580 PAB 1,580

122.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,884 $5,884

$3,097 PAB 3,097

89.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,172 $6,172

$1,698 PAB 1,698

263.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,939 $9,939

$914 PAB 914

987.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.39

-1.25%

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

Last update for Brea, CA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Brea, CA

$2.4K 63.4%

Panama City

$874 47.1% 62.9% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Brea, CA

$411 11.1%

Panama City

$327 17.6% 20.6% $85

Eating Out

Brea, CA

$379 10.2%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 45.4% $172

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brea, CA

$358 9.6%

Panama City

$208 11.2% 41.7% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Brea, CA

$130 3.5%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 11.7% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Brea, CA

$70 1.9%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 10.6% $7.4

Getting Around

Brea, CA

$14 * 0.4%

Panama City

$33 1.8% 145% $20

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 $2,241 in Brea, CA and $1,322 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 988% 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: $79.0 in Brea, CA vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $327 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Brea, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

14:49 2:49 PM

16:49 4:49 PM

2 h ahead of Brea, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,585

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Brea, CA Panama City 4,800 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Brea, CA
Panama City

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

Brea, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 100% lower than in Brea, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 988% higher in Brea, CA, 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: $2,241 in Brea, CA versus $1,322 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,162 in Brea, CA versus $553 in Panama City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Panama City – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $79.0 in Brea, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,857 in Panama City versus $3,716 in Brea, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Brea, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,857 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brea, CA 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 Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Brea, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.