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

Name: Panama
Address: PA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,543 per month in Costa Rica vs $839 in Panama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,324 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,204 in Panama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,568 in Panama, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 84% more than Panama on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while Panama is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ₡4,556

$9.83 PAB 9.83

1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ₡27.1K

$49.27 PAB 49.27

20.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₡4,452

$7.71 PAB 7.71

26.33%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₡1,799

$3.58 PAB 3.58

10.06%

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

$2.11 ₡964

$1.47 PAB 1.47

43.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡756

$1.28 PAB 1.28

28.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,333

$2.19 PAB 2.19

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡2,006

$3.69 PAB 3.69

18.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₡944

$1.79 PAB 1.79

15.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,448

$2.48 PAB 2.48

27.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,103

$2.31 PAB 2.31

4.33%

Eggs

$3.34 ₡1,525

$2.63 PAB 2.63

27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,221

$11.15 PAB 11.15

-17.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 ₡4,296

$7.03 PAB 7.03

33.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ₡6,197

$9.03 PAB 9.03

50.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₡2,046

$3.91 PAB 3.91

14.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡711

$1.33 PAB 1.33

17.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,534

$2.88 PAB 2.88

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,408

$3.05 PAB 3.05

0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₡1,322

$2.17 PAB 2.17

33.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₡1,307

$2.37 PAB 2.37

20.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡469

$2.07 PAB 2.07

-50.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,151

$1.64 PAB 1.64

53.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,237

$6.08 PAB 6.08

-19.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 ₡7,392

$10.16 PAB 10.16

59.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,091

$1.25 PAB 1.25

91.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,269

$2.22 PAB 2.22

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡430

$0.52 PAB 0.52

80.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.22 ₡22.5K

$25.30 PAB 25.30

94.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡852

$2.02 PAB 2.02

-7.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡920

$1.97 PAB 1.97

2.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,477

$20.62 PAB 20.62

-63.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡689

$0.88 PAB 0.88

71.59%

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

$36.3K ₡16.6M

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

64.37%

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

$35.7K ₡16.3M

$20.7K PAB 20.7K

72.61%

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

$88.7 ₡40.5K

$108 PAB 108

-18.07%

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

$25.67 ₡11.7K

$29.06 PAB 29.06

-11.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 ₡24.6K

$48.71 PAB 48.71

10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.4K

$49.82 PAB 49.82

15.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 ₡13.3K

$33.48 PAB 33.48

-13.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 ₡4,113

$6.79 PAB 6.79

32.55%

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

$544 ₡248.5K

$451 PAB 451

20.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

$11.4K PAB 11.4K

-12.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ₡33.9K

$46.60 PAB 46.60

59.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡24.3K

$41.52 PAB 41.52

28.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡54.7K

$83.5 PAB 83.5

43.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡46.0K

$117 PAB 117

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ₡364.8K

$933 PAB 933

-14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₡244.1K

$728 PAB 728

-26.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ₡689.7K

$1,732 PAB 1,732

-12.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡475.7K

$1,363 PAB 1,363

-23.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 ₡1.1M

$2,991 PAB 2,991

-20.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡732.2K

$1,673 PAB 1,673

-4.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ₡485.1K

$820 PAB 820

29.47%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Panama: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $776 in Costa Rica vs $368 in Panama. For reference, capital cities sit at $879 in San Jose and $1,157 in Panama City.

Average salary: $1,098 in Costa Rica vs $720 in Panama. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 111% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 89% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 53% higher in Costa Rica, giving Panama stronger purchasing power.

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

Costa Rica vs Panama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 82% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Panama, contributing to the overall 82% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Panama, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Panama is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.