Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Albuquerque, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,972 a month against $2,253 in Albuquerque, NM, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Albuquerque, NM
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Albuquerque, NM Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,972

/mo nomad

Albuquerque, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,253

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Albuquerque, NM

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 Albuquerque, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,972 per month in Panama City vs $2,253 in Albuquerque, NM, rent included.

Panama City $1,972
Albuquerque, NM $2,253

A couple spends around $2,930 per month in Panama City vs $3,296 in Albuquerque, NM, rent included.

Panama City $2,930
Albuquerque, NM $3,296

A family of three spends $3,888 per month in Panama City vs $4,339 in Albuquerque, NM, rent included.

Panama City $3,888
Albuquerque, NM $4,339

Panama City is about 12% cheaper than Albuquerque, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Panama City and Albuquerque, NM sit above the global median – Panama City by 46%, Albuquerque, NM by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 PAB 11.37

$16.94 $16.94

-32.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.69 PAB 46.69

$59.8 $59.8

-21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 PAB 7.98

$10.08 $10.08

-20.83%

Cappuccino

$4.12 PAB 4.12

$4.97 $4.97

-17.10%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$2.96 $2.96

-32.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$2.43 $2.43

-35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 PAB 3.28

$5.95 $5.95

-44.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$8.16 $8.16

-52.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$0.99 $0.99

83.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 PAB 2.61

$3.29 $3.29

-20.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 PAB 3.45

$4.43 $4.43

-22.12%

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$4.92 $4.92

-45.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 PAB 12.42

$11.71 $11.71

6.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 PAB 6.73

$9.31 $9.31

-27.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 PAB 10.44

$20.04 $20.04

-47.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 PAB 4.21

$4.73 $4.73

-10.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.49 $1.49

30.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 PAB 4.07

$4.20 $4.20

-3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$5.36 $5.36

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 PAB 3.46

$3.10 $3.10

11.61%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 PAB 4.42

$3.21 $3.21

37.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$2.78 $2.78

-38.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 PAB 6.04

$10.85 $10.85

-44.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$13.80 $13.80

-15.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$2.51 $2.51

-43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 PAB 2.74

$3.51 $3.51

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.65 PAB 20.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 PAB 2.45

$3.85 $3.85

-36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 PAB 1.76

$2.12 $2.12

-16.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.86 PAB 21.86

$34.55 $34.55

-36.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

$30.1K $30.1K

-18.31%

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

$20.9K PAB 20.9K

$25.3K $25.3K

-17.42%

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

$132 PAB 132

$155 $155

-14.94%

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

$27.89 PAB 27.89

$64.0 $64.0

-56.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.10 PAB 49.10

$71.2 $71.2

-31.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.53 PAB 44.53

$39.87 $39.87

11.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.01 PAB 34.01

$13.96 $13.96

143.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 PAB 8.70

$13.19 $13.19

-34.04%

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

$537 PAB 537

$1,330 $1,330

-59.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K PAB 20.5K

$22.9K $22.9K

-10.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 PAB 65.8

$53.7 $53.7

22.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.45 PAB 48.45

$44.42 $44.42

9.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 PAB 95.4

$105 $105

-9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 PAB 114

$120 $120

-5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 PAB 1,405

$1,472 $1,472

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 PAB 994

$1,041 $1,041

-4.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 PAB 2,221

$2,582 $2,582

-13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 PAB 1,714

$1,677 $1,677

2.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,139 PAB 3,139

$2,712 $2,712

15.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 PAB 1,724

$2,095 $2,095

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 PAB 936

$3,829 $3,829

-75.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.76

-5.47%

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

Last update for Panama City: November 3, 2026

Last update for Albuquerque, NM: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$994 50.4%

Albuquerque, NM

$1K 46.2% 4.7% $47

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$326 16.5%

Albuquerque, NM

$402 17.9% 23.5% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$209 10.6%

Albuquerque, NM

$290 12.9% 38.9% $81

Eating Out

Panama City

$203 10.3%

Albuquerque, NM

$293 13% 44.4% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.4%

Albuquerque, NM

$145 6.5% 0% $0

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$62 3.1%

Albuquerque, NM

$66 2.9% 7% $4.3

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.7%

Albuquerque, NM

$14 * 0.6% 56.5% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,405 in Panama City versus $1,472 in Albuquerque, NM. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Albuquerque, NM are about 4.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Panama City versus $60 in Albuquerque, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $402 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇺🇸 Albuquerque, NM

🕒 Local time

21:14 9:14 PM

19:14 7:14 PM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

564,559

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.895 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.895 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Albuquerque, NM 4,000 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Albuquerque, NM

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 Albuquerque, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albuquerque, NM costs about 14% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,958 per month in Panama City and $3,379 in Albuquerque, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,405 in Panama City and $1,472 in Albuquerque, NM. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Panama City and $60 in Albuquerque, NM. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Albuquerque, NM, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,972 in Panama City and $2,253 in Albuquerque, NM, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Panama City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Albuquerque, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.