Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Cabos and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Cabos: $1,371 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Panama City outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

66

Cost of Living Index in Los Cabos
Learn more

Los Cabos Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
Learn more

Panama City Living Index

Jump to prices

Los Cabos

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,371

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Los Cabos versus $1,855 in Panama City.

Los Cabos $1,371
Panama City $1,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,211 in Los Cabos versus $2,804 in Panama City.

Los Cabos $2,211
Panama City $2,804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,051 in Los Cabos versus $3,753 in Panama City.

Los Cabos $3,051
Panama City $3,753

Living in Los Cabos costs roughly 26% less than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Cabos 2% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.30 MX$412

$11.63 PAB 11.63

91.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.70 MX$807

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-8.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 MX$254

$7.96 PAB 7.96

72.86%

Cappuccino

$5.22 MX$96.5

$4.22 PAB 4.22

23.70%

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

$2.30 MX$42.51

$2.01 PAB 2.01

14.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$38.06

$1.56 PAB 1.56

32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 MX$92.2

$3.39 PAB 3.39

47.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.36 MX$154

$3.94 PAB 3.94

112.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$30.46

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 MX$52.8

$2.56 PAB 2.56

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 MX$44.07

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-31.61%

Eggs

$2.41 MX$44.49

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 MX$166

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-28.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 MX$177

$6.83 PAB 6.83

39.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 MX$328

$10.58 PAB 10.58

67.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 MX$76.4

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$32.89

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 MX$54.2

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-30.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 MX$46.70

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-37.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 MX$43.16

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 MX$46.73

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-40.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$22.99

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-48.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.94

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-49.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MX$83.6

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-26.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$191

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 MX$29.70

$1.42 PAB 1.42

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 MX$57.8

$2.73 PAB 2.73

14.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 MX$25.98

$0.33 PAB 0.33

327.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$49.20

$2.52 PAB 2.52

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 MX$35.59

$1.86 PAB 1.86

3.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.63 MX$215

$21.78 PAB 21.78

-46.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$25.43

$1.25 PAB 1.25

10.40%

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

$21.0K MX$388.2K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

-1.09%

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

$24.3K MX$449.9K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

15.82%

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

$58.6 MX$1,083

$130 PAB 130

-54.88%

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

$27.70 MX$512

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-1.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.59 MX$454

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-48.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 MX$637

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-24.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.05 MX$371

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-42.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 MX$79.1

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-50.63%

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

$215 MX$3,971

$544 PAB 544

-60.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,652 MX$86.0K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

-52.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.3 MX$1,724

$66.8 PAB 66.8

39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.63 MX$751

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 MX$2,298

$93.9 PAB 93.9

32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 MX$1,657

$112 PAB 112

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 MX$11.3K

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$7,226

$875 PAB 875

-55.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 MX$19.3K

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-51.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 MX$14.4K

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-50.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,933 MX$35.7K

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-38.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 MX$20.9K

$1,709 PAB 1,709

-33.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$811 MX$15.0K

$916 PAB 916

-11.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.39

76.84%

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

Last update for Los Cabos: October 12, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Los Cabos

$391 28.5%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 124% $484

Eating Out

Los Cabos

$341 24.9%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 39.5% $135

Groceries & Markets

Los Cabos

$310 22.6%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 4.8% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Los Cabos

$157 11.4%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 7.7% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Cabos

$111 8.1%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 85.9% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Los Cabos

$43 3.1%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 46.6% $20

Getting Around

Los Cabos

$18 * 1.3%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 92% $16

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 $612 in Los Cabos and $1,257 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 13% 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: $44.00 in Los Cabos vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $325 per month, with Los Cabos cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Los Cabos

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

13:34 1:34 PM

2 h ahead of Los Cabos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,694

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Los Cabos Panama City 3,590 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Los Cabos is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and leisure. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $612 in Los Cabos versus $1,257 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,371 per month in Los Cabos versus $1,855 in Panama City – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,371 in Los Cabos versus $1,855 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Los Cabos but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Los Cabos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Los Cabos 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.

Expats usually find Los Cabos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.