Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Ángeles: $925 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Los Ángeles
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Los Ángeles Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Los Ángeles

🇨🇱 Chile

$925

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Los Ángeles $925
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Los Ángeles $1,378
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Los Ángeles vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Los Ángeles $1,831
Panama City $3,753

Los Ángeles is about 50% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Los Ángeles sits 32% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 CLP 12.3K

$11.63 PAB 11.63

7.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.23 CLP 24.8K

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-47.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 CLP 10,000

$7.96 PAB 7.96

27.76%

Cappuccino

$2.03 CLP 1,992

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-51.90%

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

$1.50 CLP 1,471

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,539

$1.56 PAB 1.56

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 CLP 2,433

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CLP 2,992

$3.94 PAB 3.94

-22.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,187

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-34.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 CLP 2,751

$2.56 PAB 2.56

9.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 CLP 2,934

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-14.37%

Eggs

$4.33 CLP 4,262

$2.69 PAB 2.69

60.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 CLP 7,914

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-35.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 CLP 10.5K

$6.83 PAB 6.83

56.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 CLP 13.9K

$10.58 PAB 10.58

33.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 CLP 2,582

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-37.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,579

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-12.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 CLP 2,669

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-35.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,244

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,480

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-56.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,568

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-62.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 CLP 1,413

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-40.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 CLP 1,081

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-34.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 CLP 5,576

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-7.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.27 CLP 4,196

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-62.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CLP 976

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 CLP 487

$0.33 PAB 0.33

51.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 CLP 2,029

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-18.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CLP 1,243

$1.25 PAB 1.25

0.80%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

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

$123 CLP 120.6K

$130 PAB 130

-5.50%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.82 CLP 20.5K

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-56.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.7 CLP 79.3K

$45.78 PAB 45.78

76.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.27 CLP 10.1K

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-70.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 CLP 4,347

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-49.02%

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

$544 PAB 544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 CLP 269.1K

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-78.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 CLP 223.8K

$875 PAB 875

-73.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 CLP 434.6K

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-79.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 CLP 331.0K

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-78.47%

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)

$916 PAB 916

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: October 12, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Los Ángeles

$275 * 29.7%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 18.4% $51

Accommodation & Living

Los Ángeles

$228 24.6%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 284% $647

Eating Out

Los Ángeles

$185 20%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 11.6% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Ángeles

$144 * 15.5%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 43.7% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Los Ángeles

$90 9.7%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 29.5% $26

Getting Around

Los Ángeles

$4 * 0.4%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 752% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Los Ángeles

- * 0%

Panama City

$145 7.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Los Ángeles 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Los Ángeles versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $325 – making Los Ángeles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Los Ángeles

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

02:56 2:56 AM

00:56 12:56 AM

2 h behind Los Ángeles

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

143,023

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.17 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.08 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 983 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,101 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.08 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Los Ángeles Panama City 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Los Ángeles
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 Ángeles vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City costs about 101% more than Los Ángeles, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Los Ángeles 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 Los Ángeles, 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 $925 in Los Ángeles and $1,855 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 101%.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $925 versus $1,855 in Panama City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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