Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Diadema

For one person, living is cheaper in Diadema: $623 a month against $1,857 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Diadema
Learn more

Diadema Living Index

Jump to prices

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Diadema

🇧🇷 Brazil

$623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Panama City versus $623 in Diadema.

Panama City $1,857
Diadema $623

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,815 in Panama City versus $1,074 in Diadema.

Panama City $2,815
Diadema $1,074

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,773 in Panama City versus $1,526 in Diadema.

Panama City $3,773
Diadema $1,526

Living in Panama City is roughly 198% more expensive than in Diadema, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Panama City is 37% above, Diadema is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$8.72 R$44.22

33.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.76 PAB 47.76

$49.36 R$250

-3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 PAB 8.12

$8.79 R$44.55

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$4.23 PAB 4.23

$2.17 R$11.02

94.93%

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

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.36 R$6.87

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.89 R$4.52

77.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 PAB 3.31

$2.83 R$14.36

16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PAB 3.98

$4.27 R$21.67

-6.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.18 R$5.97

62.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$1.87 R$9.48

40.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.14 R$5.77

197.37%

Eggs

$2.67 PAB 2.67

$2.66 R$13.48

0.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 PAB 12.21

$9.11 R$46.17

34.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PAB 6.91

$4.31 R$21.86

60.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$10.73 R$54.4

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$2.70 R$13.70

54.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$1.85 R$9.36

6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 PAB 4.06

$1.61 R$8.18

152.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.83 R$9.26

128.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 PAB 3.47

$1.43 R$7.23

142.66%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 PAB 4.26

$1.23 R$6.25

246.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$0.92 R$4.65

165.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.80 R$4.07

111.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PAB 5.83

$2.74 R$13.89

112.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 PAB 11.43

$9.00 R$45.64

27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PAB 1.38

$1.69 R$8.58

-18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PAB 2.76

$2.47 R$12.51

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$1.27 R$6.43

100.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$1.01 R$5.13

76.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 PAB 22.17

$9.27 R$46.97

139.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.30 R$6.58

-4.62%

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

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

$23.9K R$120.9K

2.34%

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

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

$33.3K R$168.8K

-36.06%

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

$131 PAB 131

$43.18 R$219

204.05%

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

$27.83 PAB 27.83

$14.52 R$73.6

91.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.32 PAB 49.32

$18.47 R$93.6

167.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 PAB 45.69

$19.98 R$101

128.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.10 PAB 34.10

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 PAB 8.47

$7.84 R$39.73

8.04%

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

$553 PAB 553

$439 R$2,223

26.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,719 PAB 9,719

$7,604 R$38.5K

27.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 PAB 66.4

$55.0 R$279

20.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.39 PAB 47.39

$57.9 R$293

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 PAB 95.7

$95.3 R$483

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$85.5 R$434

31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 PAB 1,322

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 PAB 874

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 PAB 2,153

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 PAB 3,097

$1,209 R$6,128

156.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 PAB 1,698

$796 R$4,036

113.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 PAB 914

$505 R$2,558

81.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

11.12

-42.54%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Diadema: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$874 47.1%

Diadema

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$327 17.6%

Diadema

$218 35.1% 33.1% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$208 11.2%

Diadema

$76 12.2% 63.5% $132

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Diadema

$154 24.7% 25.7% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Diadema

$132 21.2% 8.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Diadema

$36 5.7% 43.1% $27

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.8%

Diadema

$6.3 * 1% 81.1% $27

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

Cost Breakdown

Panama City pays 81% 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 $49.00 in Diadema. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $218, with Diadema cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇷 Diadema

🕒 Local time

05:17 5:17 AM

07:17 7:17 AM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

393,237

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Diadema 5,100 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Diadema

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 Diadema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 198% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 81% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,857 per month in Panama City versus $623 in Diadema – a 198% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $623 in Diadema versus $1,857 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema 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.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 198% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.