Cost of Living Comparison Between Centurion and Boquete Cost of Living Comparison Between Centurion and Boquete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,123 in Centurion versus $1,374 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,852 in Centurion versus $2,059 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,580 in Centurion versus $2,744 in Boquete.

Living in Centurion costs roughly 18% less than in Boquete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Centurion is 16% below, Boquete is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.60 R 172

$5.65 PAB 5.65

87.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.15 R 553

$30.22 PAB 30.22

13.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 R 77.9

$7.32 PAB 7.32

-34.15%

Cappuccino

$2.09 R 33.88

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-39.94%

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

$0.98 R 15.88

$1.39 PAB 1.39

-29.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.10

$0.89 PAB 0.89

-8.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 R 37.27

$1.80 PAB 1.80

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 R 40.46

$2.05 PAB 2.05

21.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.63

$1.63 PAB 1.63

-29.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.26

$2.37 PAB 2.37

-54.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.76

$1.36 PAB 1.36

21.32%

Eggs

$2.41 R 39.00

$2.67 PAB 2.67

-9.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 R 132

$8.79 PAB 8.79

-7.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 R 78.4

$7.71 PAB 7.71

-37.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 R 109

$10.88 PAB 10.88

-38.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.44

$4.31 PAB 4.31

-62.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.27

$1.03 PAB 1.03

51.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.63

$3.29 PAB 3.29

-49.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.89

$1.65 PAB 1.65

-3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.43

$2.28 PAB 2.28

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.38

$1.70 PAB 1.70

-18.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.60

$2.21 PAB 2.21

-50.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 17.19

$1.64 PAB 1.64

-35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 R 50.2

$5.27 PAB 5.27

-41.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 R 97.4

$7.90 PAB 7.90

-23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.42

$1.20 PAB 1.20

25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.75

$2.68 PAB 2.68

-36.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 R 35.34

$1.53 PAB 1.53

42.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.2 R 1,476

$25.15 PAB 25.15

262.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.44

$1.02 PAB 1.02

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 17.88

$1.98 PAB 1.98

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 R 65.6

$29.68 PAB 29.68

-86.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R 20.44

$0.93 PAB 0.93

35.48%

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

$22.1K R 358.1K

$25.5K PAB 25.5K

-13.22%

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

$24.0K R 388.4K

$20.4K PAB 20.4K

17.65%

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

$119 R 1,934

$54.0 PAB 54.0

121.46%

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

$37.11 R 601

$29.08 PAB 29.08

27.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.50 R 688

$46.08 PAB 46.08

-7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.40 R 686

$88.2 PAB 88.2

-51.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$0.95 R 15.42

$17.85 PAB 17.85

-94.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 120

$6.60 PAB 6.60

12.42%

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

$205 R 3,321

$252 PAB 252

-18.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,265 R 69.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 R 827

$35.26 PAB 35.26

44.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.58 R 527

$24.90 PAB 24.90

30.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 R 1,398

$51.8 PAB 51.8

66.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 R 1,415

$60.6 PAB 60.6

44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 R 5,217

$754 PAB 754

-57.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R 5,412

$644 PAB 644

-48.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 R 8,480

$1,560 PAB 1,560

-66.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 R 13.0K

$1,120 PAB 1,120

-28.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$530 R 8,573

$1,197 PAB 1,197

-55.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,666

$1,140 PAB 1,140

-47.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,174 R 35.2K

$813 PAB 813

167.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

67.00%

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

Last update for Centurion: June 16, 2026

Last update for Boquete: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $322 in Centurion and $754 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Centurion pays 167% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Centurion vs $30.00 in Boquete. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $269, with Centurion 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

Centurion vs Boquete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Centurion is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Centurion pays 167% 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: $322 in Centurion versus $754 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Centurion – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,123 in Centurion versus $1,374 in Boquete, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Centurion but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Centurion the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Centurion 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, Centurion and Boquete 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 Centurion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.