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: $1,410 in Centurion versus $1,475 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Centurion versus $2,231 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,102 in Centurion versus $2,987 in Boquete.

Living in Centurion costs roughly 4% less than in Boquete, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Centurion 3% above, Boquete 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.51 R 369

$6.54 PAB 6.54

244.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 R 683

$39.94 PAB 39.94

4.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 96.7

$7.49 PAB 7.49

-21.23%

Cappuccino

$2.59 R 42.42

$3.86 PAB 3.86

-32.90%

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

$0.99 R 16.15

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-30.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.64

$1.21 PAB 1.21

-31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R 35.04

$2.19 PAB 2.19

-2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 R 41.22

$5.08 PAB 5.08

-50.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.44

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-32.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 R 20.46

$2.05 PAB 2.05

-39.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 R 36.71

$2.17 PAB 2.17

3.23%

Eggs

$2.99 R 48.96

$2.51 PAB 2.51

19.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 R 166

$9.52 PAB 9.52

6.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 R 112

$7.48 PAB 7.48

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 R 121

$15.49 PAB 15.49

-52.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R 30.48

$4.47 PAB 4.47

-58.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.16

$1.01 PAB 1.01

82.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 R 35.13

$4.52 PAB 4.52

-52.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 R 35.71

$2.21 PAB 2.21

-1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.62

$2.24 PAB 2.24

-30.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 R 31.42

$2.18 PAB 2.18

-11.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 R 22.71

$2.32 PAB 2.32

-40.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.44

$1.71 PAB 1.71

-16.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 R 63.1

$5.14 PAB 5.14

-25.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 R 103

$7.92 PAB 7.92

-20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 R 27.77

$1.21 PAB 1.21

40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R 33.76

$2.71 PAB 2.71

-23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 R 40.54

$1.41 PAB 1.41

75.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 R 1,644

$25.18 PAB 25.18

298.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 R 20.35

$0.98 PAB 0.98

26.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 R 20.60

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 R 155

$30.56 PAB 30.56

-68.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.35

$1.07 PAB 1.07

33.64%

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

$36.4K R 595.6K

$25.2K PAB 25.2K

44.13%

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

$33.1K R 542.7K

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

49.56%

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

$140 R 2,296

$57.4 PAB 57.4

144.33%

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

$30.58 R 501

$26.40 PAB 26.40

15.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.92 R 670

$42.51 PAB 42.51

-3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.46 R 745

$80.7 PAB 80.7

-43.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 PAB 17.24

Cinema Ticket

$10.69 R 175

$6.33 PAB 6.33

68.88%

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

$312 R 5,106

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,507 R 73.8K

$6,020 PAB 6,020

-25.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 R 969

$25.41 PAB 25.41

132.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 R 736

$25.16 PAB 25.16

78.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 R 1,978

$45.09 PAB 45.09

167.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 R 1,689

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 R 5,726

$810 PAB 810

-56.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 R 6,277

$695 PAB 695

-44.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 R 9,690

$1,552 PAB 1,552

-61.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 R 14.8K

$1,315 PAB 1,315

-31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$527 R 8,633

$1,167 PAB 1,167

-54.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 R 10.2K

$1,142 PAB 1,142

-45.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,396 R 39.2K

$809 PAB 809

196.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

6.5

61.54%

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

Last update for Centurion: September 13, 2026

Last update for Boquete: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $350 in Centurion and $810 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Centurion pays 196% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Centurion vs $40.00 in Boquete. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $296, 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 196% higher in Centurion, 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: $350 in Centurion versus $810 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,410 per month in Centurion versus $1,475 in Boquete – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,410 in Centurion versus $1,475 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 5% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.