Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coronado and Bocas del Toro

For one person, living is cheaper in Coronado: $1,349 a month against $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bocas del Toro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Coronado
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Coronado Living Index

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Coronado

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,349

/mo nomad

Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,493

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Coronado and in Bocas del Toro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Coronado and in Bocas del Toro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Coronado versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro.

Coronado $1,349
Bocas del Toro $1,493

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,172 in Coronado versus $2,083 in Bocas del Toro.

Coronado $2,172
Bocas del Toro $2,083

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,996 in Coronado versus $2,673 in Bocas del Toro.

Coronado $2,996
Bocas del Toro $2,673

Living in Coronado costs roughly 10% less than in Bocas del Toro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coronado 0% above, Bocas del Toro 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 PAB 12.23

$9.32 PAB 9.32

31.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 PAB 55.3

$50.0 PAB 50.0

10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 PAB 8.94

$9.98 PAB 9.98

-10.42%

Cappuccino

$3.83 PAB 3.83

$4.11 PAB 4.11

-6.81%

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

$1.23 PAB 1.23

$1.71 PAB 1.71

-28.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 PAB 0.92

$1.66 PAB 1.66

-44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$1.95 PAB 1.95

-47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 PAB 2.57

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-36.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$2.05 PAB 2.05

-5.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$3.76 PAB 3.76

-57.71%

Eggs

$2.36 PAB 2.36

$2.68 PAB 2.68

-11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 PAB 11.62

$17.23 PAB 17.23

-32.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 PAB 6.87

$8.84 PAB 8.84

-22.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 PAB 9.34

$8.44 PAB 8.44

10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 PAB 0.90

$1.53 PAB 1.53

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 PAB 2.97

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 PAB 2.88

$4.98 PAB 4.98

-42.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$3.33 PAB 3.33

-45.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 PAB 2.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 PAB 8.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PAB 0.73

$2.90 PAB 2.90

-74.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PAB 0.70

$2.55 PAB 2.55

-72.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PAB 0.67

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PAB 0.94

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

$33.3K PAB 33.3K

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

$172 PAB 172

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

$21.06 PAB 21.06

$40.68 PAB 40.68

-48.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 PAB 58.8

$34.96 PAB 34.96

68.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 PAB 59.9

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 PAB 3.43

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.03 PAB 45.03

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 PAB 64.4

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 PAB 773

$742 PAB 742

4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 PAB 565

$910 PAB 910

-37.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 PAB 1,241

$1,185 PAB 1,185

4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 PAB 1,285

$1,178 PAB 1,178

9.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,970 PAB 1,970

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$443 PAB 443

$695 PAB 695

-36.34%

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

Last update for Coronado: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Coronado

$565 41.9%

Bocas del Toro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Coronado

$252 18.7%

Bocas del Toro

–

Groceries & Markets

Coronado

$216 * 16%

Bocas del Toro

–

Eating Out

Coronado

$189 14%

Bocas del Toro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Coronado

$67 5%

Bocas del Toro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Coronado

$49 * 3.7%

Bocas del Toro

–

Getting Around

Coronado

$12 * 0.9%

Bocas del Toro

–

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $773 in Coronado and $742 in Bocas del Toro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bocas del Toro pays 57% 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: $55.0 in Coronado vs $50.0 in Bocas del Toro. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $322, with Coronado cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Coronado

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🕒 Local time

12:12 12:12 PM

Same time as Coronado

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,444

159,228

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Coronado Bocas del Toro 270 km

From you

Coronado
Bocas del Toro

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

Coronado vs Bocas del Toro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coronado and Bocas del Toro differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,349 vs $1,493 including rent). Coronado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Bocas del Toro. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $773 in Coronado versus $742 in Bocas del Toro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Coronado – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $50.0 in Bocas del Toro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,349 per month in Coronado versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,349 in Coronado versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Coronado but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. The gap between the two cities makes Coronado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Coronado and Bocas del Toro are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Coronado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Bocas del Toro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.