Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Creston and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,094 in Creston, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Creston
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Creston Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Creston

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,094

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,094 per month in Creston vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Creston $2,094
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $3,206 per month in Creston vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Creston $3,206
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $4,318 per month in Creston vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Creston $4,318
Panama City $3,753

Creston costs about 13% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Creston and Panama City sit above the global median – Creston by 55%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.34

$11.63 PAB 11.63

48.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 CA$93.0

$47.92 PAB 47.92

37.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 CA$16.08

$7.96 PAB 7.96

42.96%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.73

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-4.03%

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

$1.96 CA$2.76

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-2.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.21

$1.56 PAB 1.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 CA$7.20

$3.39 PAB 3.39

50.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CA$6.78

$3.94 PAB 3.94

21.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.84

$1.85 PAB 1.85

8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 CA$4.06

$2.56 PAB 2.56

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.47

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-9.20%

Eggs

$4.25 CA$6.00

$2.69 PAB 2.69

57.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 CA$13.87

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-21.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 CA$14.28

$6.83 PAB 6.83

47.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 CA$20.59

$10.58 PAB 10.58

37.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.32

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-10.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-28.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.73

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-20.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.61

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-1.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 CA$3.05

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CA$3.29

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-44.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.53

$2.41 PAB 2.41

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.96

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-17.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 CA$18.18

$6.14 PAB 6.14

109.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$20.15

$11.30 PAB 11.30

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$1.42 PAB 1.42

56.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.27

$2.73 PAB 2.73

10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 CA$2.95

$0.33 PAB 0.33

530.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 CA$75.5

$21.23 PAB 21.23

151.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.11

$2.52 PAB 2.52

15.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.99

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-24.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.72 CA$32.11

$21.78 PAB 21.78

4.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.59

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-10.40%

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

$24.2K CA$34.2K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

13.87%

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

$18.7K CA$26.5K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

-10.88%

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

$132 CA$186

$130 PAB 130

1.57%

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

$37.43 CA$52.9

$28.13 PAB 28.13

33.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 CA$75.5

$48.21 PAB 48.21

10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.37 CA$52.8

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-18.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.25 CA$27.22

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-44.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 CA$15.69

$8.67 PAB 8.67

28.03%

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

$705 CA$996

$544 PAB 544

29.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K CA$18.5K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

35.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$75.5

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-20.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.30 CA$61.2

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 CA$131

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$149

$112 PAB 112

-5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 CA$1,613

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 CA$1,403

$875 PAB 875

13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,734

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 CA$2,561

$1,564 PAB 1,564

15.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,677 CA$5,198

$3,122 PAB 3,122

17.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,646 CA$5,155

$1,709 PAB 1,709

113.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

6.39

-27.07%

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

Last update for Creston: October 11, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Creston

$993 47.4%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 11.9% $118

Groceries & Markets

Creston

$345 16.5%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 5.9% $20

Eating Out

Creston

$270 12.9%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 23.3% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Creston

$223 10.6%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 7.4% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Creston

$133 6.3%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 9% $12

Getting Around

Creston

$72 3.4%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 52% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Creston

$60 2.8%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 5.9% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,141 in Creston 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Creston versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $325 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Creston

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

11:45 11:45 AM

13:45 1:45 PM

2 h ahead of Creston

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,583

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

Creston Panama City 5,630 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Creston
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

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

Yes – Creston is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,141 per month in Creston 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,094 in Creston and $1,855 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 13%.

Public transport costs about 151% less in Panama City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,855, than in Creston at $2,094. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Creston 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, Creston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.