Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $29,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

203

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
Learn more

Los Angeles, CA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
Learn more

Panama City Living Index

Jump to prices

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,259

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,837 in Panama City.

Los Angeles, CA $4,259
Panama City $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,260 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,825 in Panama City.

Los Angeles, CA $6,260
Panama City $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,260 in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,812 in Panama City.

Los Angeles, CA $8,260
Panama City $3,812

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 132% more expensive than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Angeles, CA 218% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.00 $27.00

$11.34 PAB 11.34

138.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$47.85 PAB 47.85

155.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.98 $14.98

$8.07 PAB 8.07

85.63%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$4.02 PAB 4.02

45.27%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$1.94 PAB 1.94

94.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.62 PAB 1.62

64.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.26 PAB 3.26

146.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$3.99 PAB 3.99

146.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-28.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.57 PAB 2.57

88.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.33 PAB 3.33

34.53%

Eggs

$6.14 $6.14

$2.69 PAB 2.69

128.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$12.33 PAB 12.33

-8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$6.69 PAB 6.69

135.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$10.40 PAB 10.40

91.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$4.16 PAB 4.16

25.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.84 PAB 1.84

26.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.18 PAB 4.18

12.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.08 PAB 4.08

38.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.50 PAB 3.50

-6.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$4.37 PAB 4.37

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.34 PAB 2.34

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.75 PAB 1.75

39.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.78 $12.78

$6.06 PAB 6.06

110.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.72 PAB 11.72

28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.37 PAB 1.37

116.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.84 PAB 2.84

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.36 PAB 0.36

397.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$20.96 PAB 20.96

395.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.52 PAB 2.52

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.79 PAB 1.79

5.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.58 $31.58

$22.01 PAB 22.01

43.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.25 PAB 1.25

29.60%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

74.90%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

24.26%

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

$288 $288

$131 PAB 131

119.49%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$27.68 PAB 27.68

181.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 $80.5

$48.59 PAB 48.59

65.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 $74.2

$46.11 PAB 46.11

60.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.90 $11.90

$35.01 PAB 35.01

-66.01%

Cinema Ticket

$19.79 $19.79

$8.73 PAB 8.73

126.69%

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

$1,678 $1,678

$551 PAB 551

204.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,560 PAB 9,560

233.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 $91.3

$67.6 PAB 67.6

35.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 $65.7

$48.03 PAB 48.03

36.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$94.9 PAB 94.9

27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 $206

$113 PAB 113

82.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,545 $2,545

$1,238 PAB 1,238

105.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 $2,443

$873 PAB 873

179.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,518 $5,518

$2,197 PAB 2,197

151.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,275 $4,275

$1,538 PAB 1,538

177.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,211 $7,211

$3,116 PAB 3,116

131.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,930 $6,930

$1,725 PAB 1,725

301.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,173 $4,173

$934 PAB 934

346.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.39

7.36%

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

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Los Angeles, CA

$2.4K 57.8%

Panama City

$873 47.2% 64.3% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Los Angeles, CA

$467 11.1%

Panama City

$324 17.5% 30.6% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Angeles, CA

$446 10.6%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 53.5% $239

Eating Out

Los Angeles, CA

$417 9.9%

Panama City

$202 10.9% 51.6% $215

Clothing & Footwear

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.2%

Panama City

$146 7.9% 33.2% $72

Getting Around

Los Angeles, CA

$124 2.9%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 72.6% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA

$114 2.7%

Panama City

$64 3.4% 44.1% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA and $1,238 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 347% 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: $122 in Los Angeles, CA vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $324 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

19:04 7:04 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

2 h ahead of Los Angeles, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,030,904

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 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 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).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Los Angeles, CA Panama City 4,830 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Los Angeles, CA
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

Los Angeles, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 347% higher in Los Angeles, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,238 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Panama City runs roughly 396% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,678 in Los Angeles, CA versus $551 in Panama City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Panama City versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.