Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Ciudad del Este

For one person, living is cheaper in Ciudad del Este: $799 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 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
39

Cost of Living Index in Ciudad del Este
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Ciudad del Este Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Ciudad del Este

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$799

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Ciudad del Este

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 Ciudad del Este actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Panama City vs $799 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Panama City $1,855
Ciudad del Este $799

A couple spends around $2,804 per month in Panama City vs $1,500 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Panama City $2,804
Ciudad del Este $1,500

A family of three spends $3,753 per month in Panama City vs $2,201 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Panama City $3,753
Ciudad del Este $2,201

Panama City costs about 132% more than Ciudad del Este, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Ciudad del Este is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$6.08 ₲34.6K

91.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$22.70 ₲129.1K

111.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$5.87 ₲33.4K

35.60%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$2.31 ₲13.1K

82.68%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$0.99 ₲5,638

103.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$0.61 ₲3,492

155.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.03 ₲5,838

229.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$1.74 ₲9,914

126.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.13 ₲6,405

63.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$1.55 ₲8,812

65.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$1.27 ₲7,206

174.02%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$2.21 ₲12.6K

21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$9.15 ₲52.0K

37.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$3.89 ₲22.1K

75.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$8.35 ₲47.5K

26.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.05 ₲11.7K

103.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.27 ₲7,249

44.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$0.98 ₲5,596

328.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$1.27 ₲7,231

217.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$0.93 ₲5,284

274.19%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$0.94 ₲5,368

348.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$0.49 ₲2,797

391.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.42 ₲2,399

302.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$1.37 ₲7,814

348.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$5.40 ₲30.7K

109.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$0.75 ₲4,286

89.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$1.74 ₲9,881

56.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$0.91 ₲5,160

-63.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.55 ₲8,801

62.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.57 ₲8,923

18.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$10.48 ₲59.6K

107.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.22 ₲6,955

2.46%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$17.5K ₲99.2M

21.68%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$17.3K ₲98.2M

21.70%

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

$130 PAB 130

$51.9 ₲295.2K

150.13%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$17.90 ₲101.8K

57.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$18.98 ₲107.9K

154.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$29.72 ₲169.0K

54.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

$14.30 ₲81.3K

144.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$6.20 ₲35.3K

39.84%

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

$544 PAB 544

$185 ₲1.1M

194.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$1,909 ₲10.9M

407.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$64.1 ₲364.6K

4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$33.87 ₲192.6K

45.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$99.6 ₲566.4K

-5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$56.8 ₲323.2K

96.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$354 ₲2.0M

255.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$261 ₲1.5M

235.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$744 ₲4.2M

189.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$980 ₲5.6M

59.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$1,923 ₲10.9M

62.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

$1,420 ₲8.1M

20.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$610 ₲3.5M

50.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

10.15

-37.04%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Este: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Ciudad del Este

$261 32.7% 70.2% $614

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Ciudad del Este

$171 21.4% 47.5% $155

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Ciudad del Este

$109 13.6% 47.3% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Ciudad del Este

$89 11.1% 56.9% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Ciudad del Este

$115 14.3% 20.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Ciudad del Este

$42 5.3% 33.2% $21

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Ciudad del Este

$13 * 1.6% 62.2% $21

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,257 in Panama City versus $354 in Ciudad del Este. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City versus $23.00 in Ciudad del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $171 – making Ciudad del Este the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇵🇾 Ciudad del Este

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

21:26 9:26 PM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

320,782

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Ciudad del Este 4,690 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Ciudad del Este

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 Ciudad del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 132%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,783 per month in Panama City and $1,198 in Ciudad del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ciudad del Este, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City and $23.00 in Ciudad del Este. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad del Este, where all-in costs run around $799, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Ciudad del Este it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ciudad del Este – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ciudad del Este. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.