Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Paz and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in La Paz: $1,289 a month against $1,837 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in La Paz
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La Paz Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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La Paz

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,289

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in La Paz versus $1,837 in Panama City.

La Paz $1,289
Panama City $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,107 in La Paz versus $2,825 in Panama City.

La Paz $2,107
Panama City $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,926 in La Paz versus $3,812 in Panama City.

La Paz $2,926
Panama City $3,812

Living in La Paz costs roughly 30% less than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: La Paz is 4% below, Panama City is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 MX$184

$11.34 PAB 11.34

-10.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.2 MX$1,022

$47.85 PAB 47.85

17.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 MX$149

$8.07 PAB 8.07

1.36%

Cappuccino

$3.19 MX$58.1

$4.02 PAB 4.02

-20.65%

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

$1.77 MX$32.24

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-8.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$18.26

$1.62 PAB 1.62

-38.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 MX$39.17

$3.26 PAB 3.26

-34.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 MX$104

$3.99 PAB 3.99

43.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MX$39.36

$1.83 PAB 1.83

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 MX$47.13

$2.57 PAB 2.57

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 MX$40.88

$3.33 PAB 3.33

-32.43%

Eggs

$2.48 MX$45.03

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-7.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 MX$218

$12.33 PAB 12.33

-2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$155

$6.69 PAB 6.69

27.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 MX$204

$10.40 PAB 10.40

7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 MX$62.4

$4.16 PAB 4.16

-17.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 MX$23.31

$1.84 PAB 1.84

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.46

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-53.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MX$33.37

$4.08 PAB 4.08

-55.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$36.98

$3.50 PAB 3.50

-42.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.68

$4.37 PAB 4.37

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.01

$2.34 PAB 2.34

-36.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$25.07

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-21.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.7

$6.06 PAB 6.06

-27.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.12 MX$311

$11.72 PAB 11.72

46.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$23.79

$1.37 PAB 1.37

-4.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$52.4

$2.84 PAB 2.84

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$12.40

$0.36 PAB 0.36

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 MX$47.54

$2.52 PAB 2.52

3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 MX$37.16

$1.79 PAB 1.79

13.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.99 MX$218

$22.01 PAB 22.01

-45.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$26.83

$1.25 PAB 1.25

18.40%

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

$21.1K MX$383.6K

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

-2.07%

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

$24.6K MX$447.2K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

16.01%

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

$62.8 MX$1,142

$131 PAB 131

-52.15%

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

$25.84 MX$470

$27.68 PAB 27.68

-6.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.75 MX$596

$48.59 PAB 48.59

-32.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.76 MX$632

$46.11 PAB 46.11

-24.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.51 MX$373

$35.01 PAB 35.01

-41.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 MX$95.2

$8.73 PAB 8.73

-40.09%

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

$225 MX$4,102

$551 PAB 551

-59.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,619 MX$84.0K

$9,560 PAB 9,560

-51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 MX$1,063

$67.6 PAB 67.6

-13.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 MX$741

$48.03 PAB 48.03

-15.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MX$1,356

$94.9 PAB 94.9

-21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 MX$1,637

$113 PAB 113

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 MX$14.8K

$1,238 PAB 1,238

-34.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 MX$8,945

$873 PAB 873

-43.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 MX$31.4K

$2,197 PAB 2,197

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 MX$19.1K

$1,538 PAB 1,538

-31.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,914 MX$34.8K

$3,116 PAB 3,116

-38.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MX$21.2K

$1,725 PAB 1,725

-32.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 MX$14.0K

$934 PAB 934

-17.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.39

81.53%

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

Last update for La Paz: October 4, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Paz

$492 38.7%

Panama City

$873 47.2% 77.6% $381

Groceries & Markets

La Paz

$300 23.6%

Panama City

$324 17.5% 8.1% $24

Eating Out

La Paz

$177 14%

Panama City

$202 10.9% 13.9% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Paz

$121 9.6%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 70.9% $86

Clothing & Footwear

La Paz

$119 9.4%

Panama City

$146 7.9% 22.7% $27

Sport & Entertainment

La Paz

$45 3.6%

Panama City

$64 3.4% 40.5% $18

Getting Around

La Paz

$16 * 1.2%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 118% $18

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 $814 in La Paz and $1,238 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 21% 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: $56.0 in La Paz vs $48.00 in Panama City. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $324, with La Paz cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇽 La Paz

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

22:54 10:54 PM

00:54 12:54 AM

2 h ahead of La Paz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

250,141

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 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).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

La Paz Panama City 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

La Paz
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

La Paz vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Paz is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Panama City. 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: $814 in La Paz versus $1,238 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in La Paz versus $1,837 in Panama City – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,289 in La Paz versus $1,837 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Paz but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes La Paz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, La Paz is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Panama City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, La Paz 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.

Expats usually find La Paz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.