Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Panama Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Panama

Name: Panama
Address: PA

😐 Solo nomad: Costa Rica is 19.5% more expensive than Panama without rent, and 3.3% cheaper with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Costa Rica is 17.5% more expensive than Panama without rent, and 0.4% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 ₡5,052

$9.89 PAB 9.89

3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡30.0K

$50.8 PAB 50.8

19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 ₡5,041

$7.62 PAB 7.62

33.46%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,933

$3.60 PAB 3.60

8.33%

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

$2.19 ₡1,086

$1.47 PAB 1.47

48.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡819

$1.29 PAB 1.29

27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,460

$2.22 PAB 2.22

32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡2,142

$3.73 PAB 3.73

15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₡1,005

$1.80 PAB 1.80

12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₡1,576

$2.48 PAB 2.48

28.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ₡1,234

$2.24 PAB 2.24

11.16%

Eggs

$3.41 ₡1,688

$2.60 PAB 2.60

31.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 ₡4,584

$11.37 PAB 11.37

-18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 ₡4,670

$7.20 PAB 7.20

30.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 ₡6,583

$9.52 PAB 9.52

39.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 ₡2,235

$4.02 PAB 4.02

12.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₡763

$1.33 PAB 1.33

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 ₡1,673

$2.90 PAB 2.90

16.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 ₡1,458

$3.04 PAB 3.04

-3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₡1,475

$2.17 PAB 2.17

36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,403

$2.37 PAB 2.37

19.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡502

$2.14 PAB 2.14

-52.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₡1,257

$1.63 PAB 1.63

55.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₡2,494

$6.04 PAB 6.04

-16.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ₡7,589

$10.18 PAB 10.18

50.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₡1,145

$1.25 PAB 1.25

84.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,347

$2.30 PAB 2.30

18.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡475

$0.52 PAB 0.52

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 ₡24.3K

$25.15 PAB 25.15

94.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡893

$2.05 PAB 2.05

-12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡995

$1.95 PAB 1.95

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 ₡3,723

$20.88 PAB 20.88

-64.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡752

$0.96 PAB 0.96

58.33%

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

$36.6K ₡18.2M

$21.6K PAB 21.6K

69.68%

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

$36.0K ₡17.9M

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

70.15%

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

$85.9 ₡42.6K

$107 PAB 107

-19.82%

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

$25.46 ₡12.6K

$28.96 PAB 28.96

-12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 ₡26.7K

$47.54 PAB 47.54

13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡28.4K

$50.3 PAB 50.3

13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.36 ₡14.6K

$34.39 PAB 34.39

-14.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ₡4,466

$6.90 PAB 6.90

30.58%

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

$540 ₡267.8K

$442 PAB 442

22.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K ₡5.0M

$11.3K PAB 11.3K

-11.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡35.5K

$46.73 PAB 46.73

53.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡27.2K

$41.09 PAB 41.09

33.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₡58.2K

$83.8 PAB 83.8

40.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₡50.8K

$117 PAB 117

-12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 ₡401.7K

$948 PAB 948

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 ₡272.9K

$705 PAB 705

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 ₡737.8K

$1,721 PAB 1,721

-13.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 ₡516.9K

$1,363 PAB 1,363

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,335 ₡1.2M

$2,980 PAB 2,980

-21.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,607 ₡796.5K

$1,704 PAB 1,704

-5.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 ₡486.2K

$799 PAB 799

22.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

6.3

67.14%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: January 12, 2026

Last update for Panama: January 13, 2026

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Panama Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Panama

Similar countries

🇵🇱 Poland

🇬🇷 Greece

🇭🇷 Croatia

🇸🇰 Slovakia

🇰🇷 South Korea

🇱🇹 Lithuania

🇺🇾 Uruguay

🇵🇦 Panama