Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between David and Vancouver

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $884 a month against $2,683 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index

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David

🇵🇦 Panama

$884

/mo nomad

Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,683

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in David and in Vancouver

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 Vancouver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $884 per month in David vs $2,683 in Vancouver, rent included.

David $884
Vancouver $2,683

A couple spends around $948 per month in David vs $3,963 in Vancouver, rent included.

David $948
Vancouver $3,963

A family of three spends $1,011 per month in David vs $5,244 in Vancouver, rent included.

David $1,011
Vancouver $5,244

David is about 67% cheaper than Vancouver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

David sits 35% below the global median, while Vancouver is 98% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 PAB 5.38

$18.10 CA$25.26

-70.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.24 PAB 37.24

$71.0 CA$99.1

-47.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 PAB 7.36

$10.57 CA$14.75

-30.37%

Cappuccino

$3.13 PAB 3.13

$3.97 CA$5.54

-21.16%

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

$1.54 PAB 1.54

$2.07 CA$2.89

-25.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 PAB 1.54

$1.85 CA$2.58

-16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$5.67 CA$7.91

-65.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$6.61 CA$9.23

-58.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 PAB 1.70

$2.16 CA$3.01

-21.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$2.58 CA$3.60

-12.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 PAB 2.39

$4.30 CA$6.00

-44.42%

Eggs

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$4.09 CA$5.71

-40.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 CA$16.91

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 CA$18.54

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 CA$28.07

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.53

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.18

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.48

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.00

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 PAB 1.98

$2.61 CA$3.65

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.94 CA$22.25

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 PAB 9.87

$14.25 CA$19.89

-30.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.01

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 PAB 0.78

$2.57 CA$3.58

-69.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 CA$118

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 PAB 2.92

$2.74 CA$3.83

6.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$1.63 CA$2.27

26.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.90 CA$44.52

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 PAB 1.06

$1.46 CA$2.03

-27.40%

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

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

$26.7K CA$37.3K

-8.02%

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

$30.1K PAB 30.1K

$21.0K CA$29.4K

43.15%

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

$186 PAB 186

$88.2 CA$123

111.31%

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

$28.68 PAB 28.68

$36.72 CA$51.3

-21.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.74 PAB 48.74

$49.81 CA$69.5

-2.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 PAB 31.49

$45.34 CA$63.3

-30.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 CA$16.93

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 CA$17.52

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

$1,055 CA$1,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,890 PAB 5,890

$28.5K CA$39.8K

-79.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 CA$78.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 CA$47.98

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$125

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 CA$132

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 PAB 352

$1,738 CA$2,426

-79.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 PAB 356

$1,528 CA$2,134

-76.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 CA$4,337

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CA$3,555

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,540 CA$11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,328 CA$8,833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 PAB 599

$3,770 CA$5,262

-84.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

65.09%

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

Last update for David: November 2, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

David

–

Vancouver

$1.5K 57%

Groceries & Markets

David

–

Vancouver

$398 14.9%

Eating Out

David

–

Vancouver

$281 10.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

David

–

Vancouver

$175 6.5%

Clothing & Footwear

David

–

Vancouver

$124 4.6%

Getting Around

David

–

Vancouver

$106 3.9%

Sport & Entertainment

David

–

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in David versus $1,738 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Vancouver are about 6.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in David versus $71 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $87 vs $398 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 David

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🕒 Local time

15:56 3:56 PM

13:56 1:56 PM

2 h behind David

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,907

631,486

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.891 EUR

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.891 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

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Between locations

David Vancouver 5,900 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

David
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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.

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David vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 203%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in David and $4,024 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $352 there versus $1,738 in Vancouver.

Groceries cost about 360% more in Vancouver, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in David and $71 in Vancouver. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Vancouver at $2,683. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. David has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $884 in David to $2,683 in Vancouver. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with David. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.