Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Contagem and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Contagem: $788 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Contagem
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Contagem Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Contagem

🇧🇷 Brazil

$788

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $788 per month in Contagem vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Contagem $788
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $1,272 per month in Contagem vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Contagem $1,272
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $1,755 per month in Contagem vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Contagem $1,755
Panama City $3,753

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

Contagem sits 42% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.06 R$30.73

$11.63 PAB 11.63

-47.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.50 R$155

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 R$37.10

$7.96 PAB 7.96

-8.04%

Cappuccino

$1.76 R$8.93

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-58.29%

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

$1.42 R$7.19

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.96

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.32 R$6.69

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-61.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R$13.05

$3.94 PAB 3.94

-34.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.09

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.34

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-28.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.94

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-60.63%

Eggs

$1.98 R$10.06

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 R$51.1

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-19.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 R$17.61

$6.83 PAB 6.83

-49.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 R$38.03

$10.58 PAB 10.58

-29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 R$9.69

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-54.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.91

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.75

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-77.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.48

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-58.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.53

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-68.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.00

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-76.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 R$4.33

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-64.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.14

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-51.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 R$8.31

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-73.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 R$30.61

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-46.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.18

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-28.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.94

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-49.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R$7.61

$0.33 PAB 0.33

354.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.1 R$406

$21.23 PAB 21.23

277.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.04

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-52.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.99

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-57.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 R$31.84

$21.78 PAB 21.78

-71.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.67

$1.25 PAB 1.25

5.60%

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

$23.5K R$119.3K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

10.78%

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

$31.6K R$160.4K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

50.47%

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

$76.2 R$386

$130 PAB 130

-41.34%

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

$10.11 R$51.3

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-64.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.26 R$97.7

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-60.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.55 R$135

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-42.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.62 R$120

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-32.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 R$37.04

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-15.69%

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

$144 R$732

$544 PAB 544

-73.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,630 R$13.3K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

-72.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 R$312

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.74 R$252

$49.14 PAB 49.14

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 R$348

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-26.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.25 R$245

$112 PAB 112

-56.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 R$1,174

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-81.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 R$798

$875 PAB 875

-82.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 R$2,475

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-77.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R$1,693

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-78.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 R$10.1K

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-36.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 R$5,146

$1,709 PAB 1,709

-40.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 R$1,324

$916 PAB 916

-71.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

6.39

66.98%

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

Last update for Contagem: October 10, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Contagem

$179 22.7%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 81.6% $146

Accommodation & Living

Contagem

$158 20%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 456% $717

Eating Out

Contagem

$111 14.1%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 85.6% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Contagem

$106 13.4%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 95.4% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Contagem

$103 13%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 40.8% $42

Getting Around

Contagem

$91 11.6%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 62.3% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Contagem

$41 5.2%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 53.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $232 in Contagem 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 251% 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 $31.00 in Contagem versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $325 – making Contagem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Contagem

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

08:02 8:02 AM

06:02 6:02 AM

2 h behind Contagem

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

621,863

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Contagem Panama City 5,040 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Contagem
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

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

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 135%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,183 per month in Contagem 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 Contagem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 277% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $144 per month in Contagem and $544 in Panama City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – 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 Contagem. 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.