Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Anacortes, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,932 a month against $2,527 in Anacortes, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Anacortes, WA
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Anacortes, WA Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,932

/mo nomad

Anacortes, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,527

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Anacortes, WA

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 Anacortes, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,932 in Panama City versus $2,527 in Anacortes, WA.

Panama City $1,932
Anacortes, WA $2,527

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,887 in Panama City versus $3,761 in Anacortes, WA.

Panama City $2,887
Anacortes, WA $3,761

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,841 in Panama City versus $4,995 in Anacortes, WA.

Panama City $3,841
Anacortes, WA $4,995

Living in Panama City costs roughly 24% less than in Anacortes, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 42% above, Anacortes, WA 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 PAB 11.72

$17.81 $17.81

-34.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.74 PAB 46.74

$84.6 $84.6

-44.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 PAB 7.98

$13.55 $13.55

-41.11%

Cappuccino

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$5.04 $5.04

-17.06%

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

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$2.29 $2.29

-14.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$2.03 $2.03

-19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 PAB 3.26

$5.46 $5.46

-40.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 PAB 3.90

$6.14 $6.14

-36.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 PAB 1.91

$1.09 $1.09

75.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 PAB 2.54

$4.93 $4.93

-48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 PAB 3.37

$1.75 $1.75

92.57%

Eggs

$2.82 PAB 2.82

$4.09 $4.09

-31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 PAB 12.60

$11.24 $11.24

12.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 PAB 6.71

$14.52 $14.52

-53.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 PAB 10.53

$23.03 $23.03

-54.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 PAB 4.04

$6.04 $6.04

-33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$1.86 $1.86

4.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 PAB 4.25

$3.19 $3.19

33.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$5.54 $5.54

-24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 PAB 3.32

$1.38 $1.38

140.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 PAB 4.34

$3.17 $3.17

36.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 PAB 2.40

$1.53 $1.53

56.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$2.33 $2.33

-26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.05 PAB 6.05

$12.51 $12.51

-51.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 PAB 11.38

$14.24 $14.24

-20.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 PAB 1.36

$2.89 $2.89

-52.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 PAB 2.80

$4.22 $4.22

-33.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PAB 0.34

$5.19 $5.19

-93.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.28 PAB 21.28

$21.95 $21.95

-3.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$2.59 $2.59

-6.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.67 $1.67

10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.77 PAB 21.77

$30.26 $30.26

-28.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.30 $1.30

-7.69%

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

$24.8K PAB 24.8K

$36.6K $36.6K

-32.38%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

-19.10%

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

$132 PAB 132

$167 $167

-20.91%

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

$28.34 PAB 28.34

$52.0 $52.0

-45.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.88 PAB 48.88

$75.8 $75.8

-35.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 PAB 43.02

$50.2 $50.2

-14.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.94 PAB 34.94

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 PAB 8.43

$16.98 $16.98

-50.35%

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

$545 PAB 545

$2,161 $2,161

-74.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,648 PAB 9,648

$30.9K $30.9K

-68.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 PAB 65.8

$55.1 $55.1

19.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.25 PAB 47.25

$26.96 $26.96

75.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 PAB 94.6

$95.2 $95.2

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 PAB 110

$165 $165

-33.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 PAB 1,407

$1,760 $1,760

-20.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 PAB 954

$1,203 $1,203

-20.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 PAB 2,272

$2,958 $2,958

-23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 PAB 1,662

$1,982 $1,982

-16.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,057 PAB 3,057

$2,625 $2,625

16.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,729 PAB 1,729

$2,417 $2,417

-28.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$7,130 $7,130

-87.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

5.67

12.70%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 27, 2026

Last update for Anacortes, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$954 49.3%

Anacortes, WA

$1.2K 47.6% 26.1% $249

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$326 16.9%

Anacortes, WA

$437 17.3% 34% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$210 10.9%

Anacortes, WA

$295 11.7% 40.8% $86

Eating Out

Panama City

$206 10.7%

Anacortes, WA

$301 11.9% 45.6% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$143 7.4%

Anacortes, WA

$154 6.1% 7.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$60 3.1%

Anacortes, WA

$84 3.3% 40.6% $24

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.8%

Anacortes, WA

$54 2.1% 56.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in Panama City and $1,760 in Anacortes, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anacortes, WA pays about 7.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47 in Panama City vs $85 in Anacortes, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $437 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇺🇸 Anacortes, WA

🕒 Local time

13:58 1:58 PM

11:58 11:58 AM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

17,637

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.898 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.11 PAB (1 PAB = 0.898 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Panama City Anacortes, WA 5,950 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Anacortes, WA

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 Anacortes, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Anacortes, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 87% 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: $1,407 in Panama City versus $1,760 in Anacortes, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Panama City – a meal for two runs $47 versus $85 in Anacortes, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,932 per month in Panama City versus $2,527 in Anacortes, WA – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,932 in Panama City versus $2,527 in Anacortes, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Anacortes, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Anacortes, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.