Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Elk Grove, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,857 a month against $4,216 in Elk Grove, CA, rent and utilities included – about $28,300 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
205

Cost of Living Index in Elk Grove, CA
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Elk Grove, CA Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Elk Grove, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,216

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Elk Grove, CA

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 Elk Grove, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Panama City versus $4,216 in Elk Grove, CA.

Panama City $1,857
Elk Grove, CA $4,216

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,815 in Panama City versus $6,106 in Elk Grove, CA.

Panama City $2,815
Elk Grove, CA $6,106

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,773 in Panama City versus $7,995 in Elk Grove, CA.

Panama City $3,773
Elk Grove, CA $7,995

Living in Panama City costs roughly 56% less than in Elk Grove, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Elk Grove, CA 211% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$22.18 $22.18

-47.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.76 PAB 47.76

$65.0 $65.0

-26.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 PAB 8.12

$12.03 $12.03

-32.50%

Cappuccino

$4.23 PAB 4.23

$7.04 $7.04

-39.91%

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

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$2.14 $2.14

-10.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$2.59 $2.59

-39.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 PAB 3.31

$10.64 $10.64

-68.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PAB 3.98

$10.60 $10.60

-62.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.62 $1.62

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$4.02 $4.02

-34.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$8.65 $8.65

-60.81%

Eggs

$2.67 PAB 2.67

$5.47 $5.47

-51.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 PAB 12.21

$17.48 $17.48

-30.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PAB 6.91

$30.55 $30.55

-77.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$27.72 $27.72

-61.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$9.64 $9.64

-56.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$3.27 $3.27

-39.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 PAB 4.06

$10.00 $10.00

-59.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$8.03 $8.03

-47.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 PAB 3.47

$7.55 $7.55

-54.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 PAB 4.26

$6.16 $6.16

-30.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$3.04 $3.04

-19.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$1.95 $1.95

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PAB 5.83

$13.09 $13.09

-55.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 PAB 11.43

$20.61 $20.61

-44.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PAB 1.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PAB 2.76

$8.98 $8.98

-69.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$8.09 $8.09

-95.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

$148 $148

-86.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$6.88 $6.88

-62.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$3.66 $3.66

-51.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 PAB 22.17

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.38 $1.38

-10.14%

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

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

$31.2K $31.2K

-21.86%

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

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

$22.5K $22.5K

-5.15%

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

$131 PAB 131

$255 $255

-48.47%

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

$27.83 PAB 27.83

$108 $108

-74.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.32 PAB 49.32

$136 $136

-63.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 PAB 45.69

$102 $102

-55.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.10 PAB 34.10

$24.76 $24.76

37.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 PAB 8.47

$17.69 $17.69

-52.12%

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

$553 PAB 553

$1,436 $1,436

-61.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,719 PAB 9,719

$17.9K $17.9K

-45.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 PAB 66.4

$91.1 $91.1

-27.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.39 PAB 47.39

$89.7 $89.7

-47.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 PAB 95.7

$171 $171

-44.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$130 $130

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 PAB 1,322

$2,269 $2,269

-41.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 PAB 874

$2,088 $2,088

-58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 PAB 2,153

$3,368 $3,368

-36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

$3,473 $3,473

-54.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 PAB 3,097

$3,900 $3,900

-20.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 PAB 1,698

$3,165 $3,165

-46.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 PAB 914

$7,827 $7,827

-88.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.53

-2.14%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Elk Grove, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$874 47.1%

Elk Grove, CA

$2.1K 49.5% 139% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$327 17.6%

Elk Grove, CA

$679 * 16.1% 108% $352

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$208 11.2%

Elk Grove, CA

$498 11.8% 139% $290

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Elk Grove, CA

$391 9.3% 89% $184

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Elk Grove, CA

$217 5.1% 49.6% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Elk Grove, CA

$138 3.3% 120% $75

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.8%

Elk Grove, CA

$205 4.9% 515% $172

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 $1,322 in Panama City and $2,269 in Elk Grove, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elk Grove, CA pays 756% 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 $65.0 in Elk Grove, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $679 per month, with Panama City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇺🇸 Elk Grove, CA

🕒 Local time

12:05 12:05 PM

10:05 10:05 AM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

166,913

💱 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 October 20, 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 October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Elk Grove, CA 5,300 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Elk Grove, CA

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 Elk Grove, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 756% lower in Elk Grove, CA. 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: $1,322 in Panama City versus $2,269 in Elk Grove, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Panama City runs roughly 617% less than in Elk Grove, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $553 in Panama City versus $1,436 in Elk Grove, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,857 in Panama City versus $4,216 in Elk Grove, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Elk Grove, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Panama City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elk Grove, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Panama City and Elk Grove, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Elk Grove, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.