Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Arica

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

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Panama City vs $111 in Arica, rent included.

Panama City $1,855
Arica $111

A couple spends around $2,804 per month in Panama City vs $178 in Arica, rent included.

Panama City $2,804
Arica $178

A family of three spends $3,753 per month in Panama City vs $246 in Arica, rent included.

Panama City $3,753
Arica $246

Panama City costs about 1575% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Arica is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.25 CLP 1,230

24.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.01 CLP 992

83.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$0.70 CLP 691

-52.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

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

$130 PAB 130

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

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

$544 PAB 544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$40.20 CLP 39.6K

66.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$20.59 CLP 20.3K

138.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$53.9 CLP 53.1K

74.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$91.7 CLP 90.3K

21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$504 CLP 496.1K

81.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

27.80%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Arica

$10 * 9.1% 96.9% $315

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Arica

$5 * 4.5% 97.6% $202

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Arica

$93 83.9% 35.8% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5% 91.8% $32

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 82% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

04:34 4:34 AM

06:34 6:34 AM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

202,131

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.893 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.893 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 985 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,103 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Arica 3,220 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Arica

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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,855 in Panama City, $111 in Arica – roughly 1575% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,783 per month in Panama City and $166 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,855 in Panama City and $111 in Arica. That's a gap of about 1575%.

Groceries cost about 3129% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Panama City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $111 in Arica to $1,855 in Panama City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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