Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilliwack and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,154 in Chilliwack, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Chilliwack
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Chilliwack Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Chilliwack

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,154

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,154 in Chilliwack versus $1,855 in Panama City.

Chilliwack $2,154
Panama City $1,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,139 in Chilliwack versus $2,804 in Panama City.

Chilliwack $3,139
Panama City $2,804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,125 in Chilliwack versus $3,753 in Panama City.

Chilliwack $4,125
Panama City $3,753

Living in Chilliwack is roughly 16% more expensive than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chilliwack 60% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.10 CA$19.94

$11.63 PAB 11.63

21.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 CA$73.0

$47.92 PAB 47.92

7.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 CA$12.70

$7.96 PAB 7.96

12.81%

Cappuccino

$4.36 CA$6.16

$4.22 PAB 4.22

3.32%

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

$1.94 CA$2.75

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-3.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.21

$1.56 PAB 1.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.26

$3.39 PAB 3.39

72.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 CA$7.88

$3.94 PAB 3.94

41.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 CA$2.85

$1.85 PAB 1.85

9.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 CA$4.01

$2.56 PAB 2.56

10.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.79

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-2.59%

Eggs

$3.15 CA$4.46

$2.69 PAB 2.69

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 CA$19.53

$12.57 PAB 12.57

9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.93 CA$19.69

$6.83 PAB 6.83

103.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 CA$28.49

$10.58 PAB 10.58

90.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.12

$4.18 PAB 4.18

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.81

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-30.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.60

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 CA$7.77

$4.03 PAB 4.03

36.48%

Potato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.79

$3.48 PAB 3.48

17.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.65

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-38.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.90

$2.41 PAB 2.41

14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.37

$1.69 PAB 1.69

40.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.78 CA$16.65

$6.14 PAB 6.14

91.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.49

$11.30 PAB 11.30

15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.84

$1.42 PAB 1.42

41.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 CA$2.71

$0.33 PAB 0.33

481.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.02 CA$46.68

$21.23 PAB 21.23

55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 CA$4.20

$2.52 PAB 2.52

17.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.86 PAB 1.86

22.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 CA$35.14

$21.78 PAB 21.78

14.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.81

$1.25 PAB 1.25

2.40%

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

$27.3K CA$38.6K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

28.54%

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

$18.6K CA$26.2K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

-11.73%

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

$124 CA$176

$130 PAB 130

-4.15%

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

$44.16 CA$62.4

$28.13 PAB 28.13

56.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 CA$94.5

$48.21 PAB 48.21

38.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 CA$56.8

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-12.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.49 CA$24.73

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-49.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 CA$16.80

$8.67 PAB 8.67

37.14%

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

$358 CA$506

$544 PAB 544

-34.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$17.0K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

23.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 CA$73.8

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-21.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.19 CA$58.2

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-16.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 CA$111

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-16.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 CA$137

$112 PAB 112

-12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,642

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 CA$1,434

$875 PAB 875

15.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 CA$2,880

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 CA$2,268

$1,564 PAB 1,564

2.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,220 CA$4,552

$3,122 PAB 3,122

3.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,288 CA$4,649

$1,709 PAB 1,709

92.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,032 CA$4,287

$916 PAB 916

231.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

6.39

-26.13%

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

Last update for Chilliwack: October 10, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chilliwack

$1K 47.1%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 13.8% $140

Groceries & Markets

Chilliwack

$417 19.4%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 22% $92

Eating Out

Chilliwack

$246 11.4%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 16.1% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chilliwack

$235 10.9%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 12.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chilliwack

$121 5.6%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 19.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chilliwack

$64 3%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 1.3% $0.8

Getting Around

Chilliwack

$55 2.6%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 37.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,161 in Chilliwack and $1,257 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chilliwack pays 231% 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: $52.0 in Chilliwack vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $325 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Chilliwack

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

16:25 4:25 PM

18:25 6:25 PM

2 h ahead of Chilliwack

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,788

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chilliwack Panama City 5,950 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chilliwack
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

Chilliwack vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chilliwack. 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 231% higher in Chilliwack, 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: $1,161 in Chilliwack versus $1,257 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $358 in Chilliwack versus $544 in Panama City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Chilliwack. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,154 in Chilliwack, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Chilliwack. 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 $1,855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chilliwack. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.