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: $1,763 in Panama City versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,717 in Panama City versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,671 in Panama City versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Panama City costs roughly 26% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 32% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 PAB 10.08

$17.58 €15.14

-42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 PAB 50.4

$68.4 €58.9

-26.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 PAB 7.80

$14.06 €12.10

-44.52%

Cappuccino

$3.69 PAB 3.69

$2.78 €2.39

32.73%

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

$1.70 PAB 1.70

$2.80 €2.41

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$2.06 €1.78

-34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 PAB 3.06

$4.46 €3.84

-31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PAB 3.91

$4.61 €3.97

-15.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$1.24 €1.07

46.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.03 €1.75

26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 PAB 2.49

$1.92 €1.65

29.69%

Eggs

$2.96 PAB 2.96

$3.31 €2.85

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 PAB 11.25

$18.43 €15.87

-38.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 PAB 7.22

$9.49 €8.17

-23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 PAB 10.19

$19.16 €16.50

-46.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 PAB 3.43

$2.64 €2.27

29.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 PAB 1.50

$2.45 €2.11

-38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 PAB 2.85

$2.12 €1.83

34.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 PAB 3.19

$2.85 €2.45

11.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$2.04 €1.75

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 PAB 2.77

$1.85 €1.59

49.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 PAB 2.25

$1.47 €1.27

53.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.84 €0.73

88.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 PAB 5.91

$7.14 €6.15

-17.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 PAB 11.11

$7.88 €6.79

40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 PAB 1.28

$1.38 €1.19

-7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PAB 2.32

$2.31 €1.99

0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 PAB 0.40

$2.98 €2.57

-86.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.08 PAB 22.08

$29.26 €25.20

-24.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 PAB 2.57

$4.60 €3.96

-44.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$2.07 €1.78

-14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.73 PAB 21.73

$29.18 €25.13

-25.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PAB 0.93

$1.84 €1.58

-49.46%

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

$19.7K PAB 19.7K

$39.0K €33.6K

-49.55%

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

$20.9K PAB 20.9K

$32.7K €28.2K

-36.14%

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

$121 PAB 121

$188 €162

-35.37%

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

$29.44 PAB 29.44

$22.93 €19.75

28.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.27 PAB 49.27

$36.71 €31.61

34.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.92 PAB 45.92

$57.4 €49.41

-19.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.32 PAB 32.32

$20.70 €17.82

56.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.11 PAB 8.11

$11.19 €9.64

-27.52%

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

$484 PAB 484

$721 €621

-32.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K PAB 15.8K

$15.0K €13.0K

4.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 PAB 51.2

$86.2 €74.2

-40.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.98 PAB 45.98

$37.07 €31.92

24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 PAB 89.0

$102 €87.9

-12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 PAB 122

$116 €99.8

5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 PAB 1,157

$1,534 €1,321

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 PAB 893

$1,220 €1,051

-26.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 PAB 1,996

$2,696 €2,321

-25.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

$2,013 €1,734

-21.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,069 PAB 3,069

$7,220 €6,217

-57.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 PAB 1,730

$5,189 €4,468

-66.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 PAB 962

$2,359 €2,032

-59.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

3.39

83.78%

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

Last update for Panama City: May 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,157 in Panama City and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 145% 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: $50.0 in Panama City vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $318 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,763 vs $2,367 including rent). Panama City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 145% less. 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: $1,157 in Panama City versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $484 in Panama City versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,763 in Panama City versus $2,367 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 34% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.