Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Juneau, AK and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $3,171 in Juneau, AK, rent and utilities included – about $16,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Juneau, AK
🇺🇸 United States
$3,171
/mo nomad
Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,171 in Juneau, AK versus $1,837 in Panama City.

  • Juneau, AK $3,171
  • Panama City $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,765 in Juneau, AK versus $2,825 in Panama City.

  • Juneau, AK $4,765
  • Panama City $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,359 in Juneau, AK versus $3,812 in Panama City.

  • Juneau, AK $6,359
  • Panama City $3,812

Living in Juneau, AK is roughly 73% more expensive than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Juneau, AK 137% above, Panama City 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.45 $16.45
$11.34 PAB 11.34
45.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.2 $89.2
$47.85 PAB 47.85
86.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.97 $15.97
$8.07 PAB 8.07
97.89%
Cappuccino
$7.14 $7.14
$4.02 PAB 4.02
77.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 $2.86
$1.94 PAB 1.94
47.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.62 PAB 1.62
30.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.82 $6.82
$3.26 PAB 3.26
109.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.95 $6.95
$3.99 PAB 3.99
74.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 $1.40
$1.83 PAB 1.83
-23.50%
White Bread (500g)
$7.23 $7.23
$2.57 PAB 2.57
181.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$3.33 PAB 3.33
43.84%
Eggs
$5.69 $5.69
$2.69 PAB 2.69
111.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.49 $22.49
$12.33 PAB 12.33
82.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.64 $15.64
$6.69 PAB 6.69
133.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 $18.43
$10.40 PAB 10.40
77.21%
Apples (1kg)
$6.61 $6.61
$4.16 PAB 4.16
58.89%
Banana (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$1.84 PAB 1.84
101.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.91 $4.91
$4.18 PAB 4.18
17.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.79 $5.79
$4.08 PAB 4.08
41.91%
Potato (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$3.50 PAB 3.50
-13.71%
Onion (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$4.37 PAB 4.37
-2.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.34 PAB 2.34
22.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.75 PAB 1.75
47.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.89 $14.89
$6.06 PAB 6.06
145.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.03 $17.03
$11.72 PAB 11.72
45.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.37 PAB 1.37
86.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.84 PAB 2.84
18.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 $1.98
$0.36 PAB 0.36
450.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.22 $39.22
$20.96 PAB 20.96
87.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.52 PAB 2.52
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.79 PAB 1.79
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$22.01 PAB 22.01
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.25 PAB 1.25
-6.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K $24.2K
$21.5K PAB 21.5K
12.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K $32.5K
$21.2K PAB 21.2K
53.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$382 $382
$131 PAB 131
191.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.7 $75.7
$27.68 PAB 27.68
173.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$109 $109
$48.59 PAB 48.59
123.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$132 $132
$46.11 PAB 46.11
185.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.01 PAB 35.01
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.89 $14.89
$8.73 PAB 8.73
70.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,554 $1,554
$551 PAB 551
182.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,560 PAB 9,560
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 $58.5
$67.6 PAB 67.6
-13.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.47 $44.47
$48.03 PAB 48.03
-7.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.4 $85.4
$94.9 PAB 94.9
-9.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149 $149
$113 PAB 113
32.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,649 $1,649
$1,238 PAB 1,238
33.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,348 $1,348
$873 PAB 873
54.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,018 $3,018
$2,197 PAB 2,197
37.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,668 $2,668
$1,538 PAB 1,538
73.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,661 $3,661
$3,116 PAB 3,116
17.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,684 $3,684
$1,725 PAB 1,725
113.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Juneau, AK
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,024 $4,024
$934 PAB 934
330.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.56
6.39
2.66%

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

Last update for Juneau, AK: October 5, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Juneau, AK
$1.3K
Panama City
$873 35.2% $475
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Juneau, AK
$567
Panama City
$207 63.4% $359
Groceries & Markets
Juneau, AK
$547
Panama City
$324 40.7% $222
Eating Out
Juneau, AK
$333
Panama City
$202 39.5% $131
Sport & Entertainment
Juneau, AK
$161
Panama City
$64 60.6% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Juneau, AK
$152
Panama City
$146 4.2% $6.4
Getting Around
Juneau, AK
$47 *
Panama City
$34 28.1% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,649 in Juneau, AK and $1,238 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Juneau, AK pays 331% 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: $89.0 in Juneau, AK vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $324 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Juneau, AK
🇵🇦 Panama City
🕒 Local time
18:58 6:58 PM
21:58 9:58 PM
3 h ahead of Juneau, AK
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,000
1,086,990 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Juneau, AK Panama City 7,170 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Juneau, AK
  • 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
Juneau, AK vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Juneau, AK or Panama City?
Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Juneau, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Juneau, AK or in Panama City?
Average pay runs 331% higher in Juneau, AK, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Juneau, AK compared to Panama City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,649 in Juneau, AK versus $1,238 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Juneau, AK compared to Panama City?
All in, you'll spend $3,171 per month in Juneau, AK versus $1,837 in Panama City – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Juneau, AK compared to Panama City?
A monthly transit pass in Panama City runs roughly 87% less than in Juneau, AK. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Juneau, AK or in Panama City?
At $1,837 in Panama City versus $3,171 in Juneau, AK, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Juneau, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Juneau, AK or Panama City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.
How safe is Juneau, AK compared to Panama City?
Safety-wise, Juneau, AK and Panama City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Juneau, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Juneau, AK vs other spots: cost of living compared

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