Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Comox, BC and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,381 in Comox, BC, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Comox, BC
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Comox, BC Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Comox, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,381

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,381 per month in Comox, BC vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Comox, BC $2,381
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $3,415 per month in Comox, BC vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Comox, BC $3,415
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $4,448 per month in Comox, BC vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Comox, BC $4,448
Panama City $3,753

Comox, BC costs about 28% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Comox, BC and Panama City sit above the global median – Comox, BC by 76%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.78 CA$25.28

$11.63 PAB 11.63

52.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 CA$80.7

$47.92 PAB 47.92

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.24 CA$14.56

$7.96 PAB 7.96

28.64%

Cappuccino

$3.64 CA$5.18

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-13.74%

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

$2.07 CA$2.95

$2.01 PAB 2.01

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.22

$1.56 PAB 1.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.89

$3.39 PAB 3.39

63.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 CA$8.34

$3.94 PAB 3.94

48.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.42

$1.85 PAB 1.85

29.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 CA$2.88

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-20.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.10

$3.48 PAB 3.48

3.16%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.58

$2.69 PAB 2.69

19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 CA$12.19

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-31.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 CA$11.86

$6.83 PAB 6.83

22.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.72 CA$25.20

$10.58 PAB 10.58

67.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.56

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.80

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.13

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.37

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-23.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.55

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.95

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-50.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 CA$2.79

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.44

$1.69 PAB 1.69

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.89 CA$19.75

$6.14 PAB 6.14

126.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 CA$20.15

$11.30 PAB 11.30

25.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.59

$1.42 PAB 1.42

77.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.39

$2.73 PAB 2.73

13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 CA$4.93

$0.33 PAB 0.33

951.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.84 CA$56.7

$21.23 PAB 21.23

87.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.81

$2.52 PAB 2.52

6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.12

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-19.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.73 CA$38.01

$21.78 PAB 21.78

22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.89

$1.25 PAB 1.25

6.40%

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

$27.6K CA$39.2K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

29.83%

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

$18.6K CA$26.4K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

-11.57%

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

$182 CA$258

$130 PAB 130

39.83%

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

$37.28 CA$53.0

$28.13 PAB 28.13

32.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$90.0

$48.21 PAB 48.21

31.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 CA$81.7

$45.78 PAB 45.78

25.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.85 CA$39.60

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-20.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 CA$17.72

$8.67 PAB 8.67

43.71%

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

$1,384 CA$1,968

$544 PAB 544

154.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.6K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

20.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$76.8

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-19.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 CA$87.1

$49.14 PAB 49.14

24.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CA$136

$93.9 PAB 93.9

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 CA$125

$112 PAB 112

-21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 CA$1,896

$1,257 PAB 1,257

6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 CA$1,731

$875 PAB 875

39.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 CA$2,881

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-5.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 CA$2,728

$1,564 PAB 1,564

22.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,247 CA$4,617

$3,122 PAB 3,122

4.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,145 CA$4,471

$1,709 PAB 1,709

83.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,013 CA$4,283

$916 PAB 916

228.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

6.39

-23.79%

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

Last update for Comox, BC: 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

Comox, BC

$1.2K 51.1%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 28.1% $343

Groceries & Markets

Comox, BC

$330 13.9%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 1.5% $4.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Comox, BC

$282 11.9%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 26.9% $76

Eating Out

Comox, BC

$271 11.4%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 23.6% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Comox, BC

$135 5.7%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 7.4% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Comox, BC

$82 3.5%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 23.4% $19

Getting Around

Comox, BC

$64 2.7%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 46.1% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,333 in Comox, BC 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 229% higher in Comox, BC, 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 $57.0 in Comox, BC versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $325 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Comox, BC

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

15:48 3:48 PM

17:48 5:48 PM

2 h ahead of Comox, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,028

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.893 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 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Comox, BC Panama City 6,160 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Comox, BC
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

Comox, BC vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Comox, BC is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,572 per month in Comox, BC 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 Panama City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Comox, BC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Comox, BC and $48.00 in Panama City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,855, than in Comox, BC at $2,381. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Comox, BC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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