Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Bullhead City, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $2,178 in Bullhead City, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
Learn more

Panama City Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Bullhead City, AZ
Learn more

Bullhead City, AZ Living Index

Jump to prices

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Bullhead City, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,178

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Bullhead City, AZ

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 Bullhead City, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Panama City versus $2,178 in Bullhead City, AZ.

Panama City $1,837
Bullhead City, AZ $2,178

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Panama City versus $3,359 in Bullhead City, AZ.

Panama City $2,825
Bullhead City, AZ $3,359

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,812 in Panama City versus $4,539 in Bullhead City, AZ.

Panama City $3,812
Bullhead City, AZ $4,539

Living in Panama City costs roughly 16% less than in Bullhead City, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Bullhead City, AZ 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 PAB 11.34

$24.67 $24.67

-54.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 PAB 47.85

$60.3 $60.3

-20.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 PAB 8.07

$9.81 $9.81

-17.74%

Cappuccino

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$5.37 $5.37

-25.14%

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

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$2.73 $2.73

-28.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$1.57 $1.57

3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 PAB 3.26

$5.03 $5.03

-35.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PAB 3.99

$5.70 $5.70

-30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.05 $1.05

74.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 PAB 2.57

$3.98 $3.98

-35.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$2.83 $2.83

17.67%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$4.22 $4.22

-36.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 PAB 12.33

$13.92 $13.92

-11.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 PAB 6.69

$7.63 $7.63

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 PAB 10.40

$8.78 $8.78

18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$4.90 $4.90

-15.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 PAB 1.84

$2.23 $2.23

-17.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$3.29 $3.29

27.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 PAB 4.08

$4.53 $4.53

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 PAB 3.50

$4.41 $4.41

-20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 PAB 4.37

$3.46 $3.46

26.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$2.20 $2.20

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PAB 1.75

$2.19 $2.19

-20.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 PAB 6.06

$11.80 $11.80

-48.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 PAB 11.72

$10.03 $10.03

16.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PAB 1.37

$1.58 $1.58

-13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PAB 2.84

$2.77 $2.77

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PAB 0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$3.43 $3.43

-26.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 PAB 1.79

$1.82 $1.82

-1.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.01 PAB 22.01

$24.41 $24.41

-9.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$33.7K $33.7K

-36.13%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$26.4K $26.4K

-19.62%

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

$131 PAB 131

$249 $249

-47.26%

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

$27.68 PAB 27.68

$69.1 $69.1

-59.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.59 PAB 48.59

$52.8 $52.8

-7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.11 PAB 46.11

$28.05 $28.05

64.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 PAB 35.01

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 PAB 8.73

$6.97 $6.97

25.25%

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

$551 PAB 551

$545 $545

1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,560 PAB 9,560

$8,339 $8,339

14.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 PAB 67.6

$19.95 $19.95

238.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 PAB 48.03

$34.06 $34.06

41.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 PAB 94.9

$60.2 $60.2

57.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$90.6 $90.6

24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 PAB 1,238

$1,147 $1,147

7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 PAB 873

$939 $939

-7.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 PAB 2,197

$1,952 $1,952

12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 PAB 1,538

$1,957 $1,957

-21.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,116 PAB 3,116

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,725 PAB 1,725

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 PAB 934

$3,462 $3,462

-73.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.68

-4.34%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bullhead City, AZ: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$873 47.2%

Bullhead City, AZ

$939 43.7% 7.5% $66

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$324 17.5%

Bullhead City, AZ

$347 16.2% 7.1% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Bullhead City, AZ

$371 17.3% 78.7% $163

Eating Out

Panama City

$202 10.9%

Bullhead City, AZ

$345 16.1% 71% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$146 7.9%

Bullhead City, AZ

$92 4.3% 36.7% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$64 3.4%

Bullhead City, AZ

$42 2% 33.9% $22

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.8%

Bullhead City, AZ

$13 * 0.6% 63% $21

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 $1,238 in Panama City and $1,147 in Bullhead City, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bullhead City, AZ pays 270% 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 $60.0 in Bullhead City, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $347 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇺🇸 Bullhead City, AZ

🕒 Local time

13:19 1:19 PM

11:19 11:19 AM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

40,024

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Bullhead City, AZ 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Bullhead City, AZ

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 Bullhead City, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Bullhead City, AZ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 270% lower in Bullhead City, AZ. 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: $1,238 in Panama City versus $1,147 in Bullhead City, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Bullhead City, AZ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,837 per month in Panama City versus $2,178 in Bullhead City, AZ – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,837 in Panama City versus $2,178 in Bullhead City, AZ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Bullhead City, AZ. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bullhead City, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.