Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,875 in Panama City versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Panama City versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,569 in Panama City versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Panama City costs roughly 25% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 36% above, Barcelona 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 PAB 10.05

$18.39 €15.81

-45.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.07 PAB 45.07

$69.2 €59.5

-34.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 PAB 7.91

$14.13 €12.15

-44.02%

Cappuccino

$4.12 PAB 4.12

$3.13 €2.69

31.63%

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

$1.93 PAB 1.93

$3.02 €2.59

-36.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.96 €1.69

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 PAB 2.95

$4.00 €3.44

-26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 PAB 4.07

$4.76 €4.09

-14.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 PAB 1.91

$1.25 €1.07

52.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$2.16 €1.86

12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 PAB 3.12

$1.69 €1.45

84.62%

Eggs

$2.81 PAB 2.81

$4.93 €4.24

-43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.63 PAB 12.63

$17.88 €15.37

-29.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 PAB 6.49

$9.61 €8.26

-32.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 PAB 10.25

$19.34 €16.63

-47.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 PAB 4.49

$3.24 €2.78

38.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$2.18 €1.87

-22.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 PAB 3.99

$2.67 €2.30

49.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$2.77 €2.38

42.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 PAB 3.24

$2.21 €1.90

46.61%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 PAB 4.27

$2.19 €1.88

94.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 PAB 2.17

$1.52 €1.31

42.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.92 €0.79

83.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 PAB 5.98

$7.12 €6.12

-16.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 PAB 10.78

$8.14 €6.99

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$1.50 €1.29

-5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 PAB 2.71

$2.78 €2.39

-2.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 PAB 0.37

$3.15 €2.71

-88.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.77 PAB 20.77

$26.99 €23.21

-23.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 PAB 2.53

$3.25 €2.79

-22.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.50 €1.29

23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.85 PAB 21.85

$34.89 €30.00

-37.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PAB 1.16

$1.75 €1.50

-33.71%

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

$21.7K PAB 21.7K

$36.7K €31.5K

-40.89%

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

$21.4K PAB 21.4K

$30.9K €26.6K

-30.92%

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

$132 PAB 132

$188 €161

-29.39%

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

$28.93 PAB 28.93

$15.44 €13.27

87.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.52 PAB 49.52

$37.80 €32.49

31.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.25 PAB 47.25

$57.2 €49.16

-17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.24 PAB 33.24

$16.80 €14.44

97.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 PAB 7.88

$11.58 €9.95

-31.95%

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

$546 PAB 546

$1,003 €862

-45.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,732 PAB 9,732

$17.0K €14.6K

-42.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 PAB 59.5

$89.2 €76.7

-33.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.26 PAB 46.26

$40.87 €35.14

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 PAB 92.3

$110 €94.5

-16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 PAB 116

$123 €105

-5.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 PAB 1,276

$1,673 €1,438

-23.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 PAB 904

$1,331 €1,145

-32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 PAB 2,126

$2,596 €2,232

-18.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 PAB 1,469

$1,950 €1,676

-24.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,086 PAB 3,086

$7,573 €6,511

-59.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 PAB 1,697

$5,370 €4,617

-68.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 PAB 925

$2,402 €2,065

-61.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

3.16

102.22%

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

Last update for Panama City: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,276 in Panama City and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 160% 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: $45.00 in Panama City vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $332 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City and Barcelona differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,875 vs $2,495 including rent). Panama City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 160% lower in Barcelona. 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: $1,276 in Panama City versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $546 in Panama City versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,875 in Panama City versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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.

Safety-wise, Panama City and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.