Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oroville, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,857 a month against $2,575 in Oroville, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Oroville, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,575
/mo nomad
Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,857
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,575 in Oroville, CA versus $1,857 in Panama City.

  • Oroville, CA $2,575
  • Panama City $1,857

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,737 in Oroville, CA versus $2,815 in Panama City.

  • Oroville, CA $3,737
  • Panama City $2,815

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,899 in Oroville, CA versus $3,773 in Panama City.

  • Oroville, CA $4,899
  • Panama City $3,773

Living in Oroville, CA is roughly 39% 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: Oroville, CA 90% above, Panama City 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.28 $20.28
$11.68 PAB 11.68
73.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4 $81.4
$47.76 PAB 47.76
70.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.76 $12.76
$8.12 PAB 8.12
57.14%
Cappuccino
$5.51 $5.51
$4.23 PAB 4.23
30.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.92 PAB 1.92
30.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.58 PAB 1.58
29.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.07 $7.07
$3.31 PAB 3.31
113.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.58 $7.58
$3.98 PAB 3.98
90.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.92 PAB 1.92
-42.19%
White Bread (500g)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.63 PAB 2.63
24.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.97 $3.97
$3.39 PAB 3.39
17.11%
Eggs
$5.31 $5.31
$2.67 PAB 2.67
98.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.38 $11.38
$12.21 PAB 12.21
-6.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.15 $16.15
$6.91 PAB 6.91
133.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.86 $22.86
$10.58 PAB 10.58
116.07%
Apples (1kg)
$4.08 $4.08
$4.16 PAB 4.16
-1.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.97 PAB 1.97
-25.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$4.06 PAB 4.06
-25.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.79 $6.79
$4.18 PAB 4.18
62.44%
Potato (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$3.47 PAB 3.47
-11.82%
Onion (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$4.26 PAB 4.26
-11.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.44 PAB 2.44
9.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.69 PAB 1.69
28.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.27 $10.27
$5.83 PAB 5.83
76.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.85 $12.85
$11.43 PAB 11.43
12.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09 $2.09
$1.38 PAB 1.38
51.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 $3.52
$2.76 PAB 2.76
27.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.75 $1.75
$0.33 PAB 0.33
430.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.63 PAB 20.63
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.79 $3.79
$2.55 PAB 2.55
48.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.61 $2.61
$1.78 PAB 1.78
46.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.63 $33.63
$22.17 PAB 22.17
51.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.24 PAB 1.24
2.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K $28.3K
$24.4K PAB 24.4K
15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$21.3K PAB 21.3K
25.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 $180
$131 PAB 131
36.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$96.2 $96.2
$27.83 PAB 27.83
245.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.54 $29.54
$49.32 PAB 49.32
-40.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.22 $41.22
$45.69 PAB 45.69
-9.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.10 PAB 34.10
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.06 $12.06
$8.47 PAB 8.47
42.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,355 $1,355
$553 PAB 553
144.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.0K $27.0K
$9,719 PAB 9,719
177.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.6 $53.6
$66.4 PAB 66.4
-19.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.83 $32.83
$47.39 PAB 47.39
-30.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.4 $75.4
$95.7 PAB 95.7
-21.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149 $149
$113 PAB 113
32.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 $1,628
$1,322 PAB 1,322
23.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,269 $1,269
$874 PAB 874
45.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,476 $2,476
$2,153 PAB 2,153
15.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,580 PAB 1,580
20.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,645 $2,645
$3,097 PAB 3,097
-14.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,075 $2,075
$1,698 PAB 1,698
22.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oroville, CA
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$914 PAB 914
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.39
6.73%

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

Last update for Oroville, CA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oroville, CA
$1.3K
Panama City
$874 31.1% $395
Groceries & Markets
Oroville, CA
$436
Panama City
$327 25.2% $110
Eating Out
Oroville, CA
$335
Panama City
$207 38.3% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oroville, CA
$305
Panama City
$208 31.7% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Oroville, CA
$140
Panama City
$145 3.6% $5
Sport & Entertainment
Oroville, CA
$65
Panama City
$63 4.1% $2.7
Getting Around
Oroville, CA
$24 *
Panama City
$33 40.2% $9.6

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 $1,628 in Oroville, CA and $1,322 in Panama City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Oroville, CA vs $48.00 in Panama City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $327 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Oroville, CA
🇵🇦 Panama City
🕒 Local time
07:47 7:47 AM
09:47 9:47 AM
2 h ahead of Oroville, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,505
1,086,990 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oroville, CA Panama City 5,370 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Oroville, 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
Oroville, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panama City cheaper than Oroville, CA?
Panama City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,863 in Oroville, CA and $2,786 in Panama City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Oroville, CA and Panama City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Oroville, CA versus $1,322 in Panama City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,355 in Oroville, CA versus $553 in Panama City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Oroville, CA or in Panama City?
Dining out is cheaper in Panama City – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $81.0 in Oroville, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Oroville, CA or in Panama City?
At $1,857 in Panama City versus $2,575 in Oroville, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Oroville, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Oroville, CA or Panama City more family-friendly?
For families, Panama City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oroville, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Oroville, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Oroville, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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