Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,133 in Courtenay, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Courtenay
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Courtenay Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Courtenay

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,133

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,133 per month in Courtenay vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Courtenay $2,133
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $3,026 per month in Courtenay vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Courtenay $3,026
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $3,919 per month in Courtenay vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Courtenay $3,919
Panama City $3,753

Courtenay costs about 15% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Courtenay and Panama City sit above the global median – Courtenay by 58%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 CA$19.44

$11.63 PAB 11.63

18.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 CA$80.0

$47.92 PAB 47.92

18.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 CA$14.20

$7.96 PAB 7.96

26.26%

Cappuccino

$3.46 CA$4.89

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-18.01%

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

$2.02 CA$2.86

$2.01 PAB 2.01

0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.32

$1.56 PAB 1.56

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 CA$8.06

$3.39 PAB 3.39

68.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CA$8.43

$3.94 PAB 3.94

51.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.85 PAB 1.85

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 CA$2.91

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-19.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.89

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-41.38%

Eggs

$3.21 CA$4.54

$2.69 PAB 2.69

19.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 CA$13.94

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-21.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 CA$12.80

$6.83 PAB 6.83

32.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 CA$27.12

$10.58 PAB 10.58

81.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.47

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-24.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.87

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-27.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.24

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-45.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.26

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-25.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.58

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-27.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.96

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-50.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 CA$2.77

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-18.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.36

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 CA$20.06

$6.14 PAB 6.14

131.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 CA$14.78

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.40

$1.42 PAB 1.42

69.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.54

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.80

$0.33 PAB 0.33

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.72 CA$60.4

$21.23 PAB 21.23

101.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.78

$2.52 PAB 2.52

5.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.96

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.48 CA$24.72

$21.78 PAB 21.78

-19.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.25 PAB 1.25

4.00%

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

$20.3K CA$28.7K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

-4.46%

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

$17.9K CA$25.3K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

-14.80%

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

$135 CA$190

$130 PAB 130

3.77%

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

$37.14 CA$52.5

$28.13 PAB 28.13

32.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$90.0

$48.21 PAB 48.21

32.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 CA$58.7

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-9.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.86 CA$54.9

$34.92 PAB 34.92

11.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 CA$14.94

$8.67 PAB 8.67

21.91%

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

$1,761 CA$2,490

$544 PAB 544

223.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.7K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

21.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 CA$78.9

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-16.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 CA$61.9

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CA$107

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-19.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 CA$83.8

$112 PAB 112

-46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 CA$1,751

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 CA$1,568

$875 PAB 875

26.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 CA$2,841

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 CA$2,293

$1,564 PAB 1,564

3.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,337 CA$7,545

$3,122 PAB 3,122

70.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 CA$4,482

$916 PAB 916

246.12%

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 Courtenay: 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

Courtenay

$1.1K 52%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 21.1% $234

Groceries & Markets

Courtenay

$322 15.1%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 0.9% $2.8

Eating Out

Courtenay

$237 11.1%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 12.7% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Courtenay

$236 11.1%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 12.5% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Courtenay

$106 5%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 36.8% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Courtenay

$63 2.9%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 0.7% $0.4

Getting Around

Courtenay

$60 2.8%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 42.9% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Courtenay 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 246% higher in Courtenay, 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 Courtenay versus $48.00 in Panama City. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Courtenay vs $325 in Panama City – so Courtenay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Courtenay

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

10:10 10:10 AM

12:10 12:10 PM

2 h ahead of Courtenay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,599

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Courtenay Panama City 6,170 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Courtenay
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

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

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,199 per month in Courtenay 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Courtenay – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Courtenay 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 Courtenay at $2,133. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay 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, Courtenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.