Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and El Paso, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,972 a month against $2,125 in El Paso, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in El Paso, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

95

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in El Paso, TX
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El Paso, TX Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,972

/mo nomad

El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,125

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in El Paso, TX

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 El Paso, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,972 per month in Panama City vs $2,125 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Panama City $1,972
El Paso, TX $2,125

A couple spends around $2,930 per month in Panama City vs $3,167 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Panama City $2,930
El Paso, TX $3,167

A family of three spends $3,888 per month in Panama City vs $4,209 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Panama City $3,888
El Paso, TX $4,209

Panama City is about 7% cheaper than El Paso, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Panama City and El Paso, TX sit above the global median – Panama City by 46%, El Paso, TX by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 PAB 11.37

$18.86 $18.86

-39.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.69 PAB 46.69

$77.0 $77.0

-39.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 PAB 7.98

$11.91 $11.91

-33.00%

Cappuccino

$4.12 PAB 4.12

$6.06 $6.06

-32.01%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$2.37 $2.37

-15.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$1.61 $1.61

-2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 PAB 3.28

$6.16 $6.16

-46.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$6.93 $6.93

-44.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$0.82 $0.82

121.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 PAB 2.61

$2.88 $2.88

-9.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 PAB 3.45

$2.49 $2.49

38.55%

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$3.48 $3.48

-22.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 PAB 12.42

$11.79 $11.79

5.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 PAB 6.73

$11.70 $11.70

-42.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 PAB 10.44

$12.69 $12.69

-17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 PAB 4.21

$3.61 $3.61

16.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.48 $1.48

31.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 PAB 4.07

$2.49 $2.49

63.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$3.59 $3.59

11.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 PAB 3.46

$2.15 $2.15

60.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 PAB 4.42

$2.75 $2.75

60.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$1.84 $1.84

32.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$1.56 $1.56

10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 PAB 6.04

$10.23 $10.23

-40.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$9.46 $9.46

23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$2.09 $2.09

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 PAB 2.74

$4.92 $4.92

-44.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.46 $1.46

-77.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.65 PAB 20.65

$48.84 $48.84

-57.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 PAB 2.45

$1.70 $1.70

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 PAB 1.76

$1.37 $1.37

28.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.86 PAB 21.86

$27.31 $27.31

-19.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$0.96 $0.96

25.00%

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

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

$27.4K $27.4K

-10.49%

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

$20.9K PAB 20.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-19.98%

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

$132 PAB 132

$163 $163

-19.38%

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

$27.89 PAB 27.89

$72.6 $72.6

-61.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.10 PAB 49.10

$69.0 $69.0

-28.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.53 PAB 44.53

$18.03 $18.03

146.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.01 PAB 34.01

$8.43 $8.43

303.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 PAB 8.70

$11.99 $11.99

-27.44%

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

$537 PAB 537

$699 $699

-23.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K PAB 20.5K

$11.6K $11.6K

77.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 PAB 65.8

$45.52 $45.52

44.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.45 PAB 48.45

$35.91 $35.91

34.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 PAB 95.4

$102 $102

-6.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 PAB 114

$177 $177

-35.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 PAB 1,405

$1,072 $1,072

31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 PAB 994

$908 $908

9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 PAB 2,221

$1,575 $1,575

41.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 PAB 1,714

$1,471 $1,471

16.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,139 PAB 3,139

$1,930 $1,930

62.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 PAB 1,724

$1,702 $1,702

1.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 PAB 936

$3,348 $3,348

-72.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.51

-1.84%

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

Last update for Panama City: November 3, 2026

Last update for El Paso, TX: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$994 50.4%

El Paso, TX

$908 42.7% 8.7% $86

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$326 16.5%

El Paso, TX

$325 15.3% 0.2% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$209 10.6%

El Paso, TX

$305 14.4% 46.1% $96

Eating Out

Panama City

$203 10.3%

El Paso, TX

$320 15.1% 57.7% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.4%

El Paso, TX

$162 7.6% 11.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$62 3.1%

El Paso, TX

$42 2% 32.2% $20

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.7%

El Paso, TX

$63 3% 90.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,405 in Panama City versus $1,072 in El Paso, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in El Paso, TX are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Panama City versus $77 in El Paso, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $326 in Panama City vs $325 in El Paso, TX – so El Paso, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇺🇸 El Paso, TX

🕒 Local time

07:17 7:17 AM

05:17 5:17 AM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

678,815

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City El Paso, TX 3,760 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
El Paso, TX

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 El Paso, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Paso, TX costs about 8% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,958 per month in Panama City and $3,187 in El Paso, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Paso, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,072 there versus $1,405 in Panama City.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Panama City and $77 in El Paso, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Panama City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,972 in Panama City and $2,125 in El Paso, TX, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Panama City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,972 in Panama City to $2,125 in El Paso, TX. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, El Paso, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.