Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maceio - Alagoas and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas: $851 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Maceio - Alagoas
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Maceio - Alagoas Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Maceio - Alagoas

🇧🇷 Brazil

$851

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $851 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $1,855 in Panama City.

Maceio - Alagoas $851
Panama City $1,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $2,804 in Panama City.

Maceio - Alagoas $1,333
Panama City $2,804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,815 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $3,753 in Panama City.

Maceio - Alagoas $1,815
Panama City $3,753

Living in Maceio - Alagoas costs roughly 54% less than in Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maceio - Alagoas is 37% below, Panama City is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 R$29.77

$11.63 PAB 11.63

-49.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.81 R$150

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 R$29.49

$7.96 PAB 7.96

-26.26%

Cappuccino

$1.77 R$8.89

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-58.06%

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

$1.09 R$5.46

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 R$2.44

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R$8.23

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-51.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 R$21.02

$3.94 PAB 3.94

6.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.57

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 R$10.42

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-19.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.31

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-69.54%

Eggs

$1.94 R$9.77

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 R$47.94

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R$22.72

$6.83 PAB 6.83

-33.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 R$38.50

$10.58 PAB 10.58

-27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 R$14.36

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.66

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-38.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.94

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-67.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.81

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-66.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.14

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-59.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.64

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-68.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 R$2.92

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-75.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.21

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-50.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 R$10.52

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-65.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 R$34.97

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 R$8.09

$1.42 PAB 1.42

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 R$7.30

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-46.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$3.97

$0.33 PAB 0.33

139.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 R$1.94

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-84.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 R$2.10

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-77.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.44

$1.25 PAB 1.25

2.40%

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

$21.7K R$109.3K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

2.36%

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

$31.4K R$157.7K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

49.20%

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

$81.5 R$410

$130 PAB 130

-37.25%

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

$16.69 R$83.9

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-40.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.82 R$89.6

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-63.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.34 R$122

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-46.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 R$30.06

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-31.03%

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

$219 R$1,102

$544 PAB 544

-59.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,075 R$35.6K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

-27.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 R$279

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-16.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.3 R$394

$49.14 PAB 49.14

59.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 R$472

$93.9 PAB 93.9

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 R$398

$112 PAB 112

-29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 R$1,481

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-76.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 R$1,258

$875 PAB 875

-71.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,513

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-76.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 R$2,381

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-69.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,507 R$7,573

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-51.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 R$3,508

$1,709 PAB 1,709

-59.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 R$3,020

$916 PAB 916

-34.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

6.39

59.15%

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

Last update for Maceio - Alagoas: October 10, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maceio - Alagoas

$250 29.4%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 250% $625

Groceries & Markets

Maceio - Alagoas

$195 23%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 66.4% $130

Clothing & Footwear

Maceio - Alagoas

$138 16.2%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 4.7% $6.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maceio - Alagoas

$116 13.6%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 77.8% $90

Eating Out

Maceio - Alagoas

$109 12.8%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 89.5% $98

Sport & Entertainment

Maceio - Alagoas

$36 4.3%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 73.9% $27

Getting Around

Maceio - Alagoas

$5.6 * 0.7%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 510% $29

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 $295 in Maceio - Alagoas and $1,257 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 52% 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: $30.00 in Maceio - Alagoas vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $325 per month, with Maceio - Alagoas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Maceio - Alagoas

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

09:04 9:04 AM

07:04 7:04 AM

2 h behind Maceio - Alagoas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,031,597

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.199 USD

1 BRL = 0.178 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 5.03 BRL (1 BRL = 0.199 USD). 1 EUR = 5.63 BRL (1 BRL = 0.178 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.893 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Maceio - Alagoas Panama City 5,270 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Maceio - Alagoas
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

Maceio - Alagoas vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maceio - Alagoas is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 52% 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: $295 in Maceio - Alagoas 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 66% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $851 per month in Maceio - Alagoas versus $1,855 in Panama City – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $851 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $1,855 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maceio - Alagoas but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Maceio - Alagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.