Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Assis

For one person, living is cheaper in Assis: $862 a month against $1,857 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 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
42

Cost of Living Index in Assis
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Assis Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Assis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$862

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Panama City versus $862 in Assis.

Panama City $1,857
Assis $862

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,815 in Panama City versus $1,343 in Assis.

Panama City $2,815
Assis $1,343

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,773 in Panama City versus $1,825 in Assis.

Panama City $3,773
Assis $1,825

Living in Panama City is roughly 115% more expensive than in Assis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Panama City is 37% above, Assis is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$5.98 R$30.31

95.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.76 PAB 47.76

$23.64 R$120

102.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 PAB 8.12

$5.92 R$30.03

37.16%

Cappuccino

$4.23 PAB 4.23

$2.01 R$10.21

110.45%

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

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.18 R$5.97

62.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.82 R$4.14

92.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 PAB 3.31

$1.62 R$8.21

104.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PAB 3.98

$2.02 R$10.24

97.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.12 R$5.68

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$1.26 R$6.40

108.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.30 R$6.60

160.77%

Eggs

$2.67 PAB 2.67

$1.53 R$7.74

74.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 PAB 12.21

$7.51 R$38.09

62.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PAB 6.91

$5.24 R$26.56

31.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$8.58 R$43.50

23.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$2.12 R$10.76

96.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$1.17 R$5.92

68.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 PAB 4.06

$1.22 R$6.18

232.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.51 R$7.63

176.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 PAB 3.47

$1.15 R$5.83

201.74%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 PAB 4.26

$0.98 R$4.98

334.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$0.91 R$4.62

168.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.97 R$4.92

74.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PAB 5.83

$2.46 R$12.47

136.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 PAB 11.43

$6.21 R$31.48

84.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PAB 1.38

$1.44 R$7.29

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PAB 2.76

$2.02 R$10.24

36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.01 R$5.09

-67.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

$44.54 R$226

-53.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$2.37 R$12.02

7.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$0.78 R$3.94

128.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 PAB 22.17

$2.85 R$14.45

677.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.25 R$6.33

-0.80%

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

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

$35.3K R$178.8K

-30.81%

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

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

$32.8K R$166.0K

-34.99%

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

$131 PAB 131

$86.7 R$439

51.47%

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

$27.83 PAB 27.83

$10.97 R$55.6

153.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.32 PAB 49.32

$23.00 R$117

114.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 PAB 45.69

$26.07 R$132

75.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.10 PAB 34.10

$28.03 R$142

21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 PAB 8.47

$5.89 R$29.85

43.80%

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

$553 PAB 553

$212 R$1,074

161.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,719 PAB 9,719

$7,614 R$38.6K

27.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 PAB 66.4

$43.34 R$220

53.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.39 PAB 47.39

$58.9 R$299

-19.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 PAB 95.7

$86.0 R$436

11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$60.1 R$305

87.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 PAB 1,322

$359 R$1,817

268.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 PAB 874

$243 R$1,234

259.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 PAB 2,153

$677 R$3,432

218.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

$471 R$2,385

235.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 PAB 3,097

$1,718 R$8,708

80.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 PAB 1,698

$1,206 R$6,112

40.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 PAB 914

$594 R$3,011

53.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

10.5

-39.14%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Assis: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$874 47.1%

Assis

$243 28.2% 72.2% $631

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$327 17.6%

Assis

$184 21.3% 43.7% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$208 11.2%

Assis

$121 14% 42.1% $88

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Assis

$110 12.7% 46.9% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Assis

$112 13% 22.9% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Assis

$38 4.4% 39.6% $25

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.8%

Assis

$55 6.4% 64% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,322 in Panama City and $359 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 54% 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 $24.00 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $184 per month, with Assis cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇷 Assis

🕒 Local time

17:38 5:38 PM

19:38 7:38 PM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

101,409

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Panama City Assis 4,740 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Assis

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 Assis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assis is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Panama City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,322 in Panama City versus $359 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 116% less than in Panama City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $553 in Panama City versus $212 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $862 in Assis versus $1,857 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Panama City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.