Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Federal Way, WA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $3,324 in Federal Way, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

162

Cost of Living Index in Federal Way, WA
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Federal Way, WA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,324

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $3,324
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $4,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $4,324
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $5,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Federal Way, WA $5,324
Panama City $3,753

Federal Way, WA costs about 79% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Federal Way, WA and Panama City sit above the global median – Federal Way, WA by 146%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.74 $24.74

$11.63 PAB 11.63

112.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$47.92 PAB 47.92

58.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 $12.56

$7.96 PAB 7.96

57.79%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$4.22 PAB 4.22

37.91%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.01 PAB 2.01

45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.56 PAB 1.56

7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$3.39 PAB 3.39

108.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.94 PAB 3.94

80.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-41.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.56 PAB 2.56

58.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-12.36%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$2.69 PAB 2.69

89.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$12.57 PAB 12.57

29.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 $10.51

$6.83 PAB 6.83

53.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.36 $19.36

$10.58 PAB 10.58

82.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.18 PAB 4.18

22.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.20 PAB 4.20

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.03 PAB 4.03

15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-22.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-7.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.69 PAB 1.69

54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.08 $13.08

$6.14 PAB 6.14

113.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$11.30 PAB 11.30

34.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.42 PAB 1.42

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.73 PAB 2.73

77.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 $2.65

$0.33 PAB 0.33

703.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.52 PAB 2.52

4.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-10.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 $29.83

$21.78 PAB 21.78

36.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.25 PAB 1.25

5.60%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

71.45%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

22.23%

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

$157 $157

$130 PAB 130

21.23%

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

$76.9 $76.9

$28.13 PAB 28.13

173.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.0 $88.0

$48.21 PAB 48.21

82.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.95 $12.95

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-71.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 $11.79

$8.67 PAB 8.67

35.99%

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

$1,446 $1,446

$544 PAB 544

165.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

232.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.83 $45.83

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-31.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.65 $44.65

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-9.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 $84.4

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$112 PAB 112

-9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,017 $2,017

$1,257 PAB 1,257

60.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 $2,025

$875 PAB 875

131.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,773 $2,773

$2,155 PAB 2,155

28.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$1,564 PAB 1,564

54.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,440 $4,440

$916 PAB 916

384.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.39

3.91%

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

Last update for Federal Way, WA: 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

Federal Way, WA

$2K 60.9%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 56.8% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Federal Way, WA

$421 12.7%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 22.7% $96

Eating Out

Federal Way, WA

$373 11.2%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 44.6% $167

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Federal Way, WA

$322 9.7%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 36% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Federal Way, WA

$124 3.7%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 16.7% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Federal Way, WA

$37 1.1%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 72.8% $27

Getting Around

Federal Way, WA

$22 * 0.7%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 59.5% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,017 in Federal Way, WA 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 385% higher in Federal Way, WA, 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 $76.0 in Federal Way, WA versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $325 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

22:13 10:13 PM

00:13 12:13 AM

2 h ahead of Federal Way, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

101,030

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Federal Way, WA Panama City 5,860 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Federal Way, WA
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

Federal Way, WA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Federal Way, WA is pricier by about 79%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,985 per month in Federal Way, WA 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 $3,324 in Federal Way, WA and $1,855 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 79%.

Kindergarten costs $1,446 per month in Federal Way, WA and $544 in Panama City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,855, than in Federal Way, WA at $3,324. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Federal Way, WA 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Federal Way, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.