Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterey Park, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,866 in Monterey Park, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Monterey Park, CA
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Monterey Park, CA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Monterey Park, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,866

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,866 in Monterey Park, CA versus $1,855 in Panama City.

Monterey Park, CA $2,866
Panama City $1,855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,218 in Monterey Park, CA versus $2,804 in Panama City.

Monterey Park, CA $4,218
Panama City $2,804

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Monterey Park, CA versus $3,753 in Panama City.

Monterey Park, CA $5,570
Panama City $3,753

Living in Monterey Park, CA is roughly 55% 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: Monterey Park, CA 112% above, Panama City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.69 $26.69

$11.63 PAB 11.63

129.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$47.92 PAB 47.92

67.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$7.96 PAB 7.96

89.32%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$4.22 PAB 4.22

39.57%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$2.01 PAB 2.01

56.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.56 PAB 1.56

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$3.39 PAB 3.39

141.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 $10.19

$3.94 PAB 3.94

158.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-28.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.56 PAB 2.56

92.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.48 PAB 3.48

32.18%

Eggs

$5.74 $5.74

$2.69 PAB 2.69

113.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-10.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$6.83 PAB 6.83

26.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 $19.40

$10.58 PAB 10.58

83.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.18 PAB 4.18

11.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.83 PAB 1.83

26.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$4.03 PAB 4.03

38.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-2.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-30.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.69 PAB 1.69

44.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$6.14 PAB 6.14

88.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$11.30 PAB 11.30

32.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.42 PAB 1.42

76.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.33 PAB 0.33

503.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.52 PAB 2.52

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-2.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.31 $32.31

$21.78 PAB 21.78

48.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.25 PAB 1.25

25.60%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

76.27%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

21.35%

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

$272 $272

$130 PAB 130

109.38%

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

$85.8 $85.8

$28.13 PAB 28.13

204.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 $81.4

$48.21 PAB 48.21

68.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.47 $47.47

$45.78 PAB 45.78

3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$19.40 $19.40

$8.67 PAB 8.67

123.76%

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

$1,175 $1,175

$544 PAB 544

115.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

226.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 $63.8

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-4.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 $55.6

$49.14 PAB 49.14

13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$93.9 PAB 93.9

24.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 $211

$112 PAB 112

89.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$1,257 PAB 1,257

24.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$875 PAB 875

46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 $2,549

$2,155 PAB 2,155

18.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 $2,171

$1,564 PAB 1,564

38.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,733 $2,733

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-12.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,066 $2,066

$1,709 PAB 1,709

20.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 $1,575

$916 PAB 916

71.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.39

-1.25%

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

Last update for Monterey Park, CA: 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

Monterey Park, CA

$1.3K 44.8%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 31.8% $408

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterey Park, CA

$439 15.3%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 53% $233

Groceries & Markets

Monterey Park, CA

$422 14.7%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 23% $97

Eating Out

Monterey Park, CA

$414 14.5%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 50.1% $208

Clothing & Footwear

Monterey Park, CA

$201 7%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 28.2% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Monterey Park, CA

$86 3%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 26.8% $23

Getting Around

Monterey Park, CA

$20 * 0.7%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 71.5% $14

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 $1,565 in Monterey Park, CA and $1,257 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterey Park, CA pays 72% 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: $80.0 in Monterey Park, CA vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 vs $325 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Monterey Park, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

12:31 12:31 PM

14:31 2:31 PM

2 h ahead of Monterey Park, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,269

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.889 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.889 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Monterey Park, CA Panama City 4,820 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Monterey Park, 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

Monterey Park, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Monterey Park, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 72% higher in Monterey Park, 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: $1,565 in Monterey Park, CA 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 30% higher in Monterey Park, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,866 per month in Monterey Park, CA versus $1,855 in Panama City – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,866 in Monterey Park, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Monterey Park, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Monterey Park, CA 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 Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Monterey Park, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.