Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Idaho Falls, ID and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,972 a month against $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Idaho Falls, ID, United States
Panama City, Panama
Idaho Falls, ID
🇺🇸 United States
$2,331
/mo nomad
Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,972
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,331 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $1,972 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Idaho Falls, ID $2,331
  • Panama City $1,972

A couple spends around $3,363 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $2,930 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Idaho Falls, ID $3,363
  • Panama City $2,930

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $3,888 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Idaho Falls, ID $4,394
  • Panama City $3,888

Idaho Falls, ID costs about 18% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Idaho Falls, ID and Panama City sit above the global median – Idaho Falls, ID by 72%, Panama City by 46%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.32 $18.32
$11.37 PAB 11.37
61.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6 $52.6
$46.69 PAB 46.69
12.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.98 $9.98
$7.98 PAB 7.98
25.06%
Cappuccino
$4.99 $4.99
$4.12 PAB 4.12
21.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$2.01 PAB 2.01
12.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.57 PAB 1.57
-1.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.90 $3.90
$3.28 PAB 3.28
18.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.15 $7.15
$3.88 PAB 3.88
84.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 $0.70
$1.82 PAB 1.82
-61.54%
White Bread (500g)
$3.83 $3.83
$2.61 PAB 2.61
46.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.96 $2.96
$3.45 PAB 3.45
-14.20%
Eggs
$4.05 $4.05
$2.68 PAB 2.68
51.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.95 $11.95
$12.42 PAB 12.42
-3.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$6.73 PAB 6.73
-3.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.73 $9.73
$10.44 PAB 10.44
-6.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.10 $2.10
$4.21 PAB 4.21
-50.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.95 PAB 1.95
-38.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 $2.12
$4.07 PAB 4.07
-47.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 $2.08
$4.02 PAB 4.02
-48.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$3.46 PAB 3.46
-53.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 $2.41
$4.42 PAB 4.42
-45.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.90 $1.90
$2.43 PAB 2.43
-21.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.72 PAB 1.72
12.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.43 $10.43
$6.04 PAB 6.04
72.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.40 $7.40
$11.68 PAB 11.68
-36.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.41 PAB 1.41
26.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.74 PAB 2.74
-45.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.08 $3.08
$0.33 PAB 0.33
833.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.65 PAB 20.65
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.46 $2.46
$2.45 PAB 2.45
0.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.76 PAB 1.76
33.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.10 $25.10
$21.86 PAB 21.86
14.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.20 PAB 1.20
-11.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K $35.2K
$24.6K PAB 24.6K
43.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$20.9K PAB 20.9K
26.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 $171
$132 PAB 132
30.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.2 $53.2
$27.89 PAB 27.89
90.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.8 $63.8
$49.10 PAB 49.10
29.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.97 $37.97
$44.53 PAB 44.53
-14.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.01 PAB 34.01
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.60 $11.60
$8.70 PAB 8.70
33.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$932 $932
$537 PAB 537
73.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.1K $27.1K
$20.5K PAB 20.5K
32.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.22 $41.22
$65.8 PAB 65.8
-37.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.12 $46.12
$48.45 PAB 48.45
-4.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.9 $69.9
$95.4 PAB 95.4
-26.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 $95.7
$114 PAB 114
-15.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 $1,328
$1,405 PAB 1,405
-5.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,282 $1,282
$994 PAB 994
28.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 $2,034
$2,221 PAB 2,221
-8.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,147 $2,147
$1,714 PAB 1,714
25.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,891 $1,891
$3,139 PAB 3,139
-39.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,963 $1,963
$1,724 PAB 1,724
13.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Idaho Falls, ID
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,550 $3,550
$936 PAB 936
279.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.12
6.39
-4.23%

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

Last update for Idaho Falls, ID: November 1, 2026

Last update for Panama City: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Idaho Falls, ID
$1.3K
Panama City
$994 22.4% $287
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Idaho Falls, ID
$288
Panama City
$209 27.6% $80
Eating Out
Idaho Falls, ID
$285
Panama City
$203 28.9% $82
Groceries & Markets
Idaho Falls, ID
$275
Panama City
$326 18.6% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Idaho Falls, ID
$114
Panama City
$145 27.8% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Idaho Falls, ID
$61
Panama City
$62 1.3% $0.8
Getting Around
Idaho Falls, ID
$27 *
Panama City
$33 25.2% $6.7

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,328 in Idaho Falls, ID versus $1,405 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 in Idaho Falls, ID are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Idaho Falls, ID versus $47 in Panama City. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Idaho Falls, ID vs $326 in Panama City – so Idaho Falls, ID wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Idaho Falls, ID
🇵🇦 Panama City
🕒 Local time
01:09 1:09 AM
03:09 3:09 AM
2 h ahead of Idaho Falls, ID
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
61,459
1,086,990 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Idaho Falls, ID Panama City 4,960 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Idaho Falls, ID
  • 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
Idaho Falls, ID vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panama City cheaper than Idaho Falls, ID?
Yes – Idaho Falls, ID is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,497 per month in Idaho Falls, ID and $2,958 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Idaho Falls, ID and Panama City?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,328 in Idaho Falls, ID and $1,405 in Panama City. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Idaho Falls, ID and in Panama City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID and $1,972 in Panama City. That makes Panama City about 15% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $932 per month in Idaho Falls, ID and $537 in Panama City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Idaho Falls, ID or in Panama City?
It depends on your priorities. Panama City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,972 in Panama City to $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Idaho Falls, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Idaho Falls, ID vs other spots: cost of living compared

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