Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Campbell River

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,373 in Campbell River, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 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
115

Cost of Living Index in Campbell River
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Campbell River Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Campbell River

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,373

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Campbell River

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,373 in Campbell River.

Panama City $1,855
Campbell River $2,373

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,804 in Panama City versus $3,457 in Campbell River.

Panama City $2,804
Campbell River $3,457

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,753 in Panama City versus $4,540 in Campbell River.

Panama City $3,753
Campbell River $4,540

Living in Panama City costs roughly 22% less than in Campbell River, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Campbell River 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$18.99 CA$26.85

-38.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$69.8 CA$98.6

-31.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$10.58 CA$14.95

-24.76%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$4.12 CA$5.83

2.43%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$2.22 CA$3.14

-9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$0.97 CA$1.37

60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$5.59 CA$7.90

-39.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$6.32 CA$8.93

-37.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$2.67 CA$3.78

-30.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$3.02 CA$4.27

-15.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$3.93 CA$5.56

-11.45%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$4.01 CA$5.67

-32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$8.13 CA$11.49

54.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$9.34 CA$13.20

-26.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$14.42 CA$20.39

-26.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$3.20 CA$4.52

30.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.39 CA$1.96

31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$3.47 CA$4.91

21.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$3.43 CA$4.85

17.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$3.39 CA$4.80

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$2.86 CA$4.04

47.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$3.15 CA$4.45

-23.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$2.50 CA$3.54

-32.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$14.43 CA$20.40

-57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$17.38 CA$24.57

-34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$3.92 CA$5.54

-63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$3.52 CA$4.98

-22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.43 CA$2.01

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$2.73 CA$3.87

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.61 CA$2.28

15.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$34.41 CA$48.64

-36.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.26 CA$1.79

-0.79%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$27.2K CA$38.5K

-21.93%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$18.4K CA$26.0K

14.52%

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

$130 PAB 130

$52.3 CA$73.9

148.45%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$44.43 CA$62.8

-36.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$62.3 CA$88.0

-22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$45.21 CA$63.9

1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$10.40 CA$14.70

-16.63%

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

$544 PAB 544

$894 CA$1,264

-39.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$23.0K CA$32.5K

-57.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$43.33 CA$61.3

54.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$44.94 CA$63.5

9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$69.1 CA$97.7

35.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$88.3 CA$125

26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$1,456 CA$2,058

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$1,357 CA$1,918

-35.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$2,204 CA$3,115

-2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$2,148 CA$3,036

-27.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$2,283 CA$3,228

-59.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

4.31

48.26%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Campbell River: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Campbell River

$1.4K 57.2% 55.1% $482

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Campbell River

$378 15.9% 16.4% $53

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Campbell River

$286 12.1% 38.6% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Campbell River

$159 6.7% 22.9% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Campbell River

$111 4.7% 23.5% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Campbell River

$66 2.8% 4.6% $2.9

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Campbell River

$16 * 0.7% 52.1% $18

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 $1,456 in Campbell River. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Campbell River pays 149% 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 $70.0 in Campbell River for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $378 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇨🇦 Campbell River

🕒 Local time

11:46 11:46 AM

09:46 9:46 AM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

36,455

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Panama City Campbell River 6,200 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Campbell River

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 Campbell River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Campbell River. 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 149% lower in Campbell River. 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: $1,257 in Panama City versus $1,456 in Campbell River. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Campbell River. 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 $2,373 in Campbell River – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,373 in Campbell River, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. 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 $1,855 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 28% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.