Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Este and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Ciudad del Este: $799 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Ciudad del Este
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Ciudad del Este Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Ciudad del Este

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$799

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $799 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Ciudad del Este $799
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $1,500 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Ciudad del Este $1,500
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Ciudad del Este $2,201
Panama City $3,753

Ciudad del Este is about 57% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ciudad del Este sits 41% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 ₲34.6K

$11.63 PAB 11.63

-47.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.70 ₲129.1K

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-52.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ₲33.4K

$7.96 PAB 7.96

-26.26%

Cappuccino

$2.31 ₲13.1K

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-45.26%

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

$0.99 ₲5,638

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-50.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₲3,492

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-60.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₲5,838

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-69.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,914

$3.94 PAB 3.94

-55.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 ₲6,405

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-38.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ₲8,812

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-39.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,206

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-63.51%

Eggs

$2.21 ₲12.6K

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 ₲52.0K

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-27.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₲22.1K

$6.83 PAB 6.83

-43.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 ₲47.5K

$10.58 PAB 10.58

-21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₲11.7K

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-50.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,249

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₲5,596

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-76.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,231

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-68.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₲5,284

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-73.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ₲5,368

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-77.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₲2,797

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-79.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₲2,399

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-75.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₲7,814

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-77.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.40 ₲30.7K

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-52.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₲4,286

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-47.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,881

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₲5,160

$0.33 PAB 0.33

175.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₲8,801

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-38.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₲8,923

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-15.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 ₲59.6K

$21.78 PAB 21.78

-51.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₲6,955

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-2.40%

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

$17.5K ₲99.2M

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

-17.82%

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

$17.3K ₲98.2M

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

-17.83%

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

$51.9 ₲295.2K

$130 PAB 130

-60.02%

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

$17.90 ₲101.8K

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-36.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 ₲107.9K

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-60.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.72 ₲169.0K

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-35.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.30 ₲81.3K

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-59.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 ₲35.3K

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-28.49%

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

$185 ₲1.1M

$544 PAB 544

-66.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,909 ₲10.9M

$9,697 PAB 9,697

-80.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ₲364.6K

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-3.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.87 ₲192.6K

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-31.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 ₲566.4K

$93.9 PAB 93.9

6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₲323.2K

$112 PAB 112

-49.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₲2.0M

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-71.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₲1.5M

$875 PAB 875

-70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₲4.2M

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-65.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 ₲5.6M

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-37.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₲10.9M

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-38.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,420 ₲8.1M

$1,709 PAB 1,709

-16.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₲3.5M

$916 PAB 916

-33.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

6.39

58.84%

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

Last update for Ciudad del Este: 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

Ciudad del Este

$261 32.7%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 235% $614

Groceries & Markets

Ciudad del Este

$171 21.4%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 90.6% $155

Clothing & Footwear

Ciudad del Este

$115 14.3%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 26.3% $30

Eating Out

Ciudad del Este

$109 13.6%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 89.6% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ciudad del Este

$89 11.1%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 132% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Ciudad del Este

$42 5.3%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 49.8% $21

Getting Around

Ciudad del Este

$13 * 1.6%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 164% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Ciudad del Este versus $1,257 in Panama City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ciudad del Este versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $325 – making Ciudad del Este the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇾 Ciudad del Este

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

20:49 8:49 PM

18:49 6:49 PM

2 h behind Ciudad del Este

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

320,782

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 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 PYG in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ciudad del Este Panama City 4,690 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ciudad del Este
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

Ciudad del Este vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 132%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,198 per month in Ciudad del Este and $2,783 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ciudad del Este, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ciudad del Este and $48.00 in Panama City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad del Este, where all-in costs run around $799, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Ciudad del Este it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ciudad del Este – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ciudad del Este. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.