Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between David and Bocas del Toro

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jump to prices

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,493

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in David 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 David and in Bocas del Toro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $882 in David versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro.

David $882
Bocas del Toro $1,493

Estimated couple costs with rent: $946 in David versus $2,083 in Bocas del Toro.

David $946
Bocas del Toro $2,083

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,011 in David versus $2,673 in Bocas del Toro.

David $1,011
Bocas del Toro $2,673

Living in David costs roughly 41% less than in Bocas del Toro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: David is 35% below, Bocas del Toro is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 PAB 5.52

$9.32 PAB 9.32

-40.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.03 PAB 37.03

$50.0 PAB 50.0

-25.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PAB 7.27

$9.98 PAB 9.98

-27.15%

Cappuccino

$3.13 PAB 3.13

$4.11 PAB 4.11

-23.84%

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

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$1.71 PAB 1.71

-14.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$1.66 PAB 1.66

-8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$1.95 PAB 1.95

2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 PAB 1.73

$2.05 PAB 2.05

-15.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$3.76 PAB 3.76

-39.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

Eggs

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.68 PAB 2.68

-10.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 PAB 17.23

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 PAB 8.84

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 PAB 8.44

Apples (1kg)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 PAB 4.98

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 PAB 2.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 PAB 0.76

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 PAB 2.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PAB 2.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PAB 1.07

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

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

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

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

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

$184 PAB 184

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

$28.48 PAB 28.48

$40.68 PAB 40.68

-29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.40 PAB 49.40

$34.96 PAB 34.96

41.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 PAB 31.21

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,091 PAB 6,091

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 PAB 343

$742 PAB 742

-53.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 PAB 354

$910 PAB 910

-61.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 PAB 1,185

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 PAB 1,178

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 PAB 604

$695 PAB 695

-13.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in David and $742 in Bocas del Toro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bocas del Toro pays 15% 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: $37.00 in David vs $50.0 in Bocas del Toro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $88.0 vs $322 per month, with David cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 David

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🕒 Local time

07:44 7:44 AM

Same time as David

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,907

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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Between locations

David Bocas del Toro 100 km

From you

David
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

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

David and Bocas del Toro differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $1,493 including rent). David is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $343 in David 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 David – a meal for two runs $37.00 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 $882 per month in David versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $882 in David versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in David but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. The gap between the two cities makes David 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, David 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 David gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Bocas del Toro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.