Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Albany, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $2,910 in Albany, OR, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,837
/mo nomad
Albany, OR
🇺🇸 United States
$2,910
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Albany, OR

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Panama City and in Albany, OR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Panama City versus $2,910 in Albany, OR.

  • Panama City $1,837
  • Albany, OR $2,910

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Panama City versus $4,279 in Albany, OR.

  • Panama City $2,825
  • Albany, OR $4,279

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,812 in Panama City versus $5,647 in Albany, OR.

  • Panama City $3,812
  • Albany, OR $5,647

Living in Panama City costs roughly 37% less than in Albany, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Albany, OR 117% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.34 PAB 11.34
$25.39 $25.39
-55.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.85 PAB 47.85
$89.7 $89.7
-46.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.07 PAB 8.07
$14.27 $14.27
-43.45%
Cappuccino
$4.02 PAB 4.02
$6.20 $6.20
-35.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 PAB 1.94
$2.58 $2.58
-24.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 PAB 1.62
$1.96 $1.96
-17.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 PAB 3.26
$7.85 $7.85
-58.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 PAB 3.99
$8.17 $8.17
-51.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 PAB 1.83
$0.98 $0.98
86.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.57 PAB 2.57
$3.22 $3.22
-20.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.33 PAB 3.33
$2.05 $2.05
62.44%
Eggs
$2.69 PAB 2.69
$3.42 $3.42
-21.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.33 PAB 12.33
$7.37 $7.37
67.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.69 PAB 6.69
$19.49 $19.49
-65.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.40 PAB 10.40
$29.43 $29.43
-64.66%
Apples (1kg)
$4.16 PAB 4.16
$6.63 $6.63
-37.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 PAB 1.84
$2.09 $2.09
-11.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.18 PAB 4.18
$5.79 $5.79
-27.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.08 PAB 4.08
$8.54 $8.54
-52.22%
Potato (1kg)
$3.50 PAB 3.50
$2.89 $2.89
21.11%
Onion (1kg)
$4.37 PAB 4.37
$2.32 $2.32
88.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 PAB 2.34
$3.25 $3.25
-28.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 PAB 1.75
$2.52 $2.52
-30.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.06 PAB 6.06
$11.21 $11.21
-45.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.72 PAB 11.72
$14.80 $14.80
-20.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 PAB 1.37
$3.37 $3.37
-59.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 PAB 2.84
$5.44 $5.44
-47.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 PAB 0.36
$2.28 $2.28
-84.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.96 PAB 20.96
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 PAB 2.52
$5.01 $5.01
-49.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.79 PAB 1.79
$1.90 $1.90
-5.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.01 PAB 22.01
$24.04 $24.04
-8.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 PAB 1.25
$1.29 $1.29
-3.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K PAB 21.5K
$32.9K $32.9K
-34.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K PAB 21.2K
$26.7K $26.7K
-20.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 PAB 131
$325 $325
-59.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.68 PAB 27.68
$63.6 $63.6
-56.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.59 PAB 48.59
$67.6 $67.6
-28.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.11 PAB 46.11
$41.99 $41.99
9.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.01 PAB 35.01
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.73 PAB 8.73
$14.76 $14.76
-40.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$551 PAB 551
$1,695 $1,695
-67.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,560 PAB 9,560
$24.0K $24.0K
-60.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.6 PAB 67.6
$65.6 $65.6
3.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.03 PAB 48.03
$41.42 $41.42
15.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.9 PAB 94.9
$114 $114
-16.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 PAB 113
$134 $134
-15.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,238 PAB 1,238
$1,576 $1,576
-21.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$873 PAB 873
$1,489 $1,489
-41.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,197 PAB 2,197
$2,541 $2,541
-13.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,538 PAB 1,538
$2,112 $2,112
-27.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,116 PAB 3,116
$3,046 $3,046
2.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,725 PAB 1,725
$2,976 $2,976
-42.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Panama City
Albany, OR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$934 PAB 934
$4,530 $4,530
-79.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.39
6.35
0.63%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Last update for Albany, OR: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Panama City
$873
Albany, OR
$1.5K 70.5% $616
Groceries & Markets
Panama City
$324
Albany, OR
$497 53.3% $173
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panama City
$207
Albany, OR
$456 120% $249
Eating Out
Panama City
$202
Albany, OR
$394 95.4% $192
Clothing & Footwear
Panama City
$146
Albany, OR
$160 9.7% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Panama City
$64
Albany, OR
$72 12.5% $7.9
Getting Around
Panama City
$34
Albany, OR
$24 * 30.3% $10

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 $1,238 in Panama City and $1,576 in Albany, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albany, OR pays 385% 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: $48.00 in Panama City vs $90.0 in Albany, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $497 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇦 Panama City
🇺🇸 Albany, OR
🕒 Local time
21:38 9:38 PM
19:38 7:38 PM
2 h behind Panama City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,086,990 Capital
99,224
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.892 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Panama City Albany, OR 5,760 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Panama City
  • Albany, OR

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
Panama City vs Albany, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Panama City or Albany, OR?
Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Albany, OR. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Panama City or in Albany, OR?
On paper, salaries run 385% lower in Albany, OR. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Panama City compared to Albany, OR?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,238 in Panama City versus $1,576 in Albany, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Panama City or in Albany, OR?
Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Albany, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Panama City compared to Albany, OR?
All in, you'll spend $1,837 per month in Panama City versus $2,910 in Albany, OR – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Panama City or in Albany, OR?
At $1,837 in Panama City versus $2,910 in Albany, OR, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Albany, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Panama City or Albany, OR?
Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Albany, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Panama City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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