Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,515 in Chico, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

123

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

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Chico, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,515 in Chico, CA versus $1,855 in Panama City.

Chico, CA $2,515
Panama City $1,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,036 in Chico, CA versus $2,804 in Panama City.

Chico, CA $4,036
Panama City $2,804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,556 in Chico, CA versus $3,753 in Panama City.

Chico, CA $5,556
Panama City $3,753

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 36% 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: Chico, CA 86% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.46 $25.46

$11.63 PAB 11.63

118.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$47.92 PAB 47.92

4.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$7.96 PAB 7.96

51.38%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$4.22 PAB 4.22

36.73%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.01 PAB 2.01

30.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.56 PAB 1.56

45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 $7.34

$3.39 PAB 3.39

116.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.94 PAB 3.94

108.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-38.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.56 PAB 2.56

16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.48 PAB 3.48

0.86%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$2.69 PAB 2.69

80.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-11.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$6.83 PAB 6.83

77.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.12 $23.12

$10.58 PAB 10.58

118.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.18 PAB 4.18

29.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.83 PAB 1.83

28.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-9.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.03 PAB 4.03

39.95%

Potato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.48 PAB 3.48

43.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-26.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.41 PAB 2.41

2.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.69 PAB 1.69

51.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$6.14 PAB 6.14

30.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$11.30 PAB 11.30

32.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.42 PAB 1.42

23.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.73 PAB 2.73

32.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.33 PAB 0.33

790.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 $34.74

$21.23 PAB 21.23

63.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.52 PAB 2.52

27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.86 PAB 1.86

29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.65 $40.65

$21.78 PAB 21.78

86.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.25 PAB 1.25

13.60%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

70.93%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

17.63%

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

$185 $185

$130 PAB 130

42.31%

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

$49.40 $49.40

$28.13 PAB 28.13

75.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$48.21 PAB 48.21

40.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.0 $77.0

$45.78 PAB 45.78

68.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 $13.12

$8.67 PAB 8.67

51.33%

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

$1,837 $1,837

$544 PAB 544

237.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

282.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.08 $31.08

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-36.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-25.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 $98.8

$112 PAB 112

-11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$1,257 PAB 1,257

19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 $1,123

$875 PAB 875

28.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$2,155 PAB 2,155

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 $2,590

$1,564 PAB 1,564

65.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 $3,210

$3,122 PAB 3,122

2.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 $2,919

$1,709 PAB 1,709

70.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,832 $3,832

$916 PAB 916

318.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

6.39

-1.72%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chico, CA

$1.1K 44.6%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 22.1% $248

Groceries & Markets

Chico, CA

$430 17.1%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 24.5% $105

Eating Out

Chico, CA

$382 15.2%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 45.9% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chico, CA

$302 12%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 31.7% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Chico, CA

$113 4.5%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 27.9% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Chico, CA

$103 4.1%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 38.9% $40

Getting Around

Chico, CA

$62 2.5%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 44.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,508 in Chico, CA and $1,257 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 318% 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: $50.0 in Chico, CA vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $325 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chico, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

00:37 12:37 AM

02:37 2:37 AM

2 h ahead of Chico, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,316

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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 20, 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

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Between locations

Chico, CA Panama City 5,400 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chico, 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

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

Panama City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 318% higher in Chico, 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: $1,508 in Chico, CA versus $1,257 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Panama City – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $50.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,515 per month in Chico, CA versus $1,855 in Panama City – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,515 in Chico, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Panama City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chico, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.