Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Fort St John, BC

For one person, living costs are similar in Panama City and in Fort St John, BC: $1,855 and $1,913 a month, rent and utilities included.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
Learn more

Panama City Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Fort St John, BC
Learn more

Fort St John, BC Living Index

Jump to prices

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Fort St John, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,913

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Fort St John, BC

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 Fort St John, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Panama City versus $1,913 in Fort St John, BC.

Panama City $1,855
Fort St John, BC $1,913

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,804 in Panama City versus $2,956 in Fort St John, BC.

Panama City $2,804
Fort St John, BC $2,956

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,753 in Panama City versus $4,000 in Fort St John, BC.

Panama City $3,753
Fort St John, BC $4,000

Living in Panama City costs roughly 3% less than in Fort St John, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Fort St John, BC 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$17.24 CA$24.37

-32.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$41.68 CA$58.9

14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$9.28 CA$13.11

-14.22%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$3.84 CA$5.43

9.90%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.71 CA$2.42

17.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.20 CA$1.70

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$6.20 CA$8.76

-45.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$4.61 CA$6.51

-14.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$3.36 CA$4.75

-44.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.77 CA$3.91

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$3.70 CA$5.23

-5.95%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$3.93 CA$5.56

-31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$11.80 CA$16.69

6.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$13.63 CA$19.27

-49.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$18.56 CA$26.23

-43.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$5.70 CA$8.06

-26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$0.67 CA$0.95

173.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$3.75 CA$5.30

12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$3.50 CA$4.95

15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$2.73 CA$3.86

27.47%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$2.82 CA$3.99

49.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$2.03 CA$2.87

18.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$2.51 CA$3.54

-32.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$14.53 CA$20.55

-57.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$20.83 CA$29.44

-45.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$4.98 CA$7.04

-71.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$5.51 CA$7.80

-50.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.37 CA$1.94

-75.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

$28.24 CA$39.92

-24.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.17 CA$1.65

6.84%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

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

$130 PAB 130

$124 CA$175

4.82%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$96.6 CA$137

-70.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$59.4 CA$83.9

-18.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$13.11 CA$18.53

249.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$10.56 CA$14.93

-17.90%

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

$544 PAB 544

$707 CA$1,000

-23.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$71.3 CA$101

-6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$46.86 CA$66.3

4.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$105 CA$149

-10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$139 CA$197

-19.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$737 CA$1,041

70.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$692 CA$979

26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$1,520 CA$2,149

41.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$1,380 CA$1,951

13.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$3,001 CA$4,243

-69.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.1

4.75%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Fort St John, BC

$692 36.2% 20.9% $183

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Fort St John, BC

$446 23.3% 37.1% $121

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Fort St John, BC

$264 13.8% 27.6% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Fort St John, BC

$280 14.6% 35.7% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Fort St John, BC

$163 8.5% 12.8% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Fort St John, BC

$34 1.8% 45.8% $29

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Fort St John, BC

$34 * 1.8% 2% $0.7

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 $1,257 in Panama City and $737 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 228% 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 $42.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $446, with Panama City cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇨🇦 Fort St John, BC

🕒 Local time

15:53 3:53 PM

13:53 1:53 PM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

18,609

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Fort St John, BC 6,360 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Fort St John, BC

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 Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 228% lower in Fort St John, BC. 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 $737 in Fort St John, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Panama City – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $42.00 in Fort St John, BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,855 per month in Panama City versus $1,913 in Fort St John, BC – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,855 in Panama City versus $1,913 in Fort St John, BC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Fort St John, BC. 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 Fort St John, BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.