Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Boquete

For one person, living is cheaper in Boquete: $1,462 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 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
71

Cost of Living Index in Boquete
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Boquete Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Boquete

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,462

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Panama City versus $1,462 in Boquete.

Panama City $1,855
Boquete $1,462

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,804 in Panama City versus $2,237 in Boquete.

Panama City $2,804
Boquete $2,237

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,753 in Panama City versus $3,011 in Boquete.

Panama City $3,753
Boquete $3,011

Living in Panama City is roughly 27% more expensive than in Boquete, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Boquete 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$6.48 PAB 6.48

79.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$39.69 PAB 39.69

20.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$7.65 PAB 7.65

4.05%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$3.88 PAB 3.88

8.76%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.36 PAB 1.36

47.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.15 PAB 1.15

35.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$2.27 PAB 2.27

49.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$5.08 PAB 5.08

-22.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.81 PAB 1.81

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.15 PAB 2.15

19.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$2.25 PAB 2.25

54.67%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$2.60 PAB 2.60

3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$9.62 PAB 9.62

30.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$7.53 PAB 7.53

-9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$15.28 PAB 15.28

-30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$4.33 PAB 4.33

-3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.01 PAB 1.01

81.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$4.40 PAB 4.40

-4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$2.23 PAB 2.23

80.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$2.21 PAB 2.21

57.47%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$2.14 PAB 2.14

97.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.30 PAB 2.30

4.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$1.65 PAB 1.65

2.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$5.02 PAB 5.02

22.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$7.85 PAB 7.85

43.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$1.20 PAB 1.20

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$2.59 PAB 2.59

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.35 PAB 1.35

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

$24.55 PAB 24.55

-13.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.02 PAB 1.02

147.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$2.06 PAB 2.06

-9.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$30.39 PAB 30.39

-28.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.13 PAB 1.13

10.62%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$25.5K PAB 25.5K

-16.84%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

-4.66%

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

$130 PAB 130

$58.0 PAB 58.0

123.78%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$25.95 PAB 25.95

8.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$42.16 PAB 42.16

14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$82.5 PAB 82.5

-44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

$17.48 PAB 17.48

99.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$6.33 PAB 6.33

36.97%

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

$544 PAB 544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$6,075 PAB 6,075

59.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$25.42 PAB 25.42

162.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$25.48 PAB 25.48

92.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$44.14 PAB 44.14

112.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$825 PAB 825

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$710 PAB 710

23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$1,551 PAB 1,551

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$1,284 PAB 1,284

21.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$1,181 PAB 1,181

164.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

$1,150 PAB 1,150

48.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$784 PAB 784

16.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.5

-1.69%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Boquete: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Boquete

$710 48.5% 18.9% $165

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Boquete

$295 20.2% 9.4% $31

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Boquete

$153 10.5% 26% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Boquete

$126 8.6% 38.8% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Boquete

$43 * 2.9% 70.4% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Boquete

$95 6.5% 50.8% $32

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Boquete

$41 2.8% 20% $6.9

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,257 in Panama City and $825 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 17% 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 $40.00 in Boquete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $295 per month, with Boquete cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇵🇦 Boquete

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

Same time as Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

7,000

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Panama City Boquete 320 km

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Panama City
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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 Boquete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boquete is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $1,257 in Panama City versus $825 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,855 per month in Panama City versus $1,462 in Boquete – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,462 in Boquete versus $1,855 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Boquete but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Boquete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Boquete 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.

Safety-wise, Panama City and Boquete 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 Boquete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.