Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Chilliwack

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,154 in Chilliwack, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Chilliwack
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Chilliwack Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Chilliwack

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,154

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,154 in Chilliwack.

Panama City $1,855
Chilliwack $2,154

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,804 in Panama City versus $3,139 in Chilliwack.

Panama City $2,804
Chilliwack $3,139

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,753 in Panama City versus $4,125 in Chilliwack.

Panama City $3,753
Chilliwack $4,125

Living in Panama City costs roughly 14% less than in Chilliwack, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Chilliwack 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$14.10 CA$19.94

-17.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$51.6 CA$73.0

-7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$8.98 CA$12.70

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$4.36 CA$6.16

-3.21%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.94 CA$2.75

3.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.56 CA$2.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$5.84 CA$8.26

-41.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$5.57 CA$7.88

-29.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$2.02 CA$2.85

-8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.84 CA$4.01

-9.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$3.39 CA$4.79

2.65%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$3.15 CA$4.46

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$13.82 CA$19.53

-9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$13.93 CA$19.69

-50.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$20.15 CA$28.49

-47.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$4.33 CA$6.12

-3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.28 CA$1.81

42.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$3.96 CA$5.60

6.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$5.50 CA$7.77

-26.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$4.10 CA$5.79

-15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$2.58 CA$3.65

63.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.76 CA$3.90

-12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$2.38 CA$3.37

-28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$11.78 CA$16.65

-47.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$13.08 CA$18.49

-13.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$2.01 CA$2.84

-29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$2.39 CA$3.38

14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.92 CA$2.71

-82.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

$33.02 CA$46.68

-35.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$2.97 CA$4.20

-15.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$2.27 CA$3.21

-18.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$24.86 CA$35.14

-12.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.28 CA$1.81

-2.34%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$27.3K CA$38.6K

-22.20%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$18.6K CA$26.2K

13.29%

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

$130 PAB 130

$124 CA$176

4.33%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$44.16 CA$62.4

-36.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$66.9 CA$94.5

-27.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$40.15 CA$56.8

14.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

$17.49 CA$24.73

99.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$11.89 CA$16.80

-27.08%

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

$544 PAB 544

$358 CA$506

52.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$12.0K CA$17.0K

-19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$52.2 CA$73.8

27.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$41.19 CA$58.2

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$78.8 CA$111

19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$97.1 CA$137

14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$1,161 CA$1,642

8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$1,015 CA$1,434

-13.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$2,037 CA$2,880

5.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$1,604 CA$2,268

-2.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$3,220 CA$4,552

-3.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

$3,288 CA$4,649

-48.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$3,032 CA$4,287

-69.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

4.72

35.38%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chilliwack: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Chilliwack

$1K 47.1% 16% $140

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Chilliwack

$417 19.4% 28.2% $92

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Chilliwack

$246 11.4% 19.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Chilliwack

$235 10.9% 14.2% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Chilliwack

$121 5.6% 16.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Chilliwack

$64 3% 1.3% $0.8

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Chilliwack

$55 2.6% 59.9% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,257 in Panama City and $1,161 in Chilliwack. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chilliwack pays 231% 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 $52.0 in Chilliwack for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $417 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇨🇦 Chilliwack

🕒 Local time

18:27 6:27 PM

16:27 4:27 PM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

83,788

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Chilliwack 5,950 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Chilliwack

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 Chilliwack: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chilliwack. 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 231% lower in Chilliwack. 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 $1,161 in Chilliwack. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $544 in Panama City versus $358 in Chilliwack. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Chilliwack. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,855 in Panama City versus $2,154 in Chilliwack, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Chilliwack. 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 16% less than in Chilliwack. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.