Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $970 a month against $1,837 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 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
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
Learn more

Bansko Living Index

Jump to prices

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Panama City vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.

Panama City $1,837
Bansko $970

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Panama City vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.

Panama City $2,825
Bansko $1,464

A family of three spends $3,812 per month in Panama City vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.

Panama City $3,812
Bansko $1,957

Panama City costs about 89% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Bansko is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 PAB 11.34

$8.66 BGN 15.15

30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 PAB 47.85

$46.63 BGN 81.6

2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 PAB 8.07

$9.01 BGN 15.77

-10.43%

Cappuccino

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$2.24 BGN 3.92

79.46%

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

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$1.50 BGN 2.63

29.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$0.86 BGN 1.51

88.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 PAB 3.26

$1.76 BGN 3.07

85.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PAB 3.99

$2.00 BGN 3.51

99.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.79 BGN 3.14

2.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 PAB 2.57

$0.81 BGN 1.42

217.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$1.52 BGN 2.66

119.08%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$2.30 BGN 4.02

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 PAB 12.33

$9.60 BGN 16.81

28.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 PAB 6.69

$6.32 BGN 11.06

5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 PAB 10.40

$8.64 BGN 15.12

20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$1.28 BGN 2.24

225.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 PAB 1.84

$1.68 BGN 2.95

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.70 BGN 2.98

145.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 PAB 4.08

$1.89 BGN 3.30

115.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 PAB 3.50

$0.93 BGN 1.63

276.34%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 PAB 4.37

$0.76 BGN 1.32

475.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$0.54 BGN 0.95

333.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PAB 1.75

$0.58 BGN 1.02

201.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 PAB 6.06

$3.44 BGN 6.02

76.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 PAB 11.72

$5.14 BGN 9.00

128.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PAB 1.37

$1.11 BGN 1.94

23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PAB 2.84

$1.70 BGN 2.97

67.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PAB 0.36

$0.88 BGN 1.55

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$26.76 BGN 46.83

-21.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.29 BGN 2.26

95.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 PAB 1.79

$0.65 BGN 1.14

175.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.01 PAB 22.01

$10.18 BGN 17.81

116.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.50 BGN 2.63

-16.67%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$28.8K BGN 50.4K

-25.25%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$21.5K BGN 37.5K

-1.21%

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

$131 PAB 131

$91.4 BGN 160

43.46%

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

$27.68 PAB 27.68

$14.68 BGN 25.68

88.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.59 PAB 48.59

$12.07 BGN 21.12

302.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.11 PAB 46.11

$32.28 BGN 56.5

42.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 PAB 35.01

$8.60 BGN 15.05

307.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 PAB 8.73

$5.63 BGN 9.86

55.06%

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

$551 PAB 551

$228 BGN 400

141.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,560 PAB 9,560

$2,311 BGN 4,045

313.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 PAB 67.6

$30.48 BGN 53.3

121.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 PAB 48.03

$19.01 BGN 33.26

152.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 PAB 94.9

$45.53 BGN 79.7

108.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$48.67 BGN 85.2

132.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 PAB 1,238

$521 BGN 913

137.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 PAB 873

$367 BGN 643

137.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 PAB 2,197

$634 BGN 1,110

246.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 PAB 1,538

$558 BGN 976

175.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,116 PAB 3,116

$1,204 BGN 2,106

158.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,725 PAB 1,725

$971 BGN 1,699

77.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 PAB 934

$1,670 BGN 2,923

-44.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

2.99

113.71%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$873 47.2%

Bansko

$367 38% 57.9% $506

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$324 17.5%

Bansko

$193 20% 40.4% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Bansko

$118 12.2% 43% $89

Eating Out

Panama City

$202 10.9%

Bansko

$145 15% 27.9% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$146 7.9%

Bansko

$65 6.7% 55.6% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$64 3.4%

Bansko

$44 4.5% 31.5% $20

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.8%

Bansko

$35 3.6% 2.9% $1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Panama City versus $521 in Bansko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Bansko, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City versus $47.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $193 – making Bansko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

20:06 8:06 PM

04:06 4:06 AM

8 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

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).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Bansko 10,400 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Bansko

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 Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Panama City, $970 in Bansko – roughly 89% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Panama City and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bansko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City and $47.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Panama City and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 89%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Panama City at $1,837. In Bansko 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 $970 in Bansko to $1,837 in Panama City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bansko. 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.