Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Imperatriz

For one person, living is cheaper in Imperatriz: $896 a month against $1,857 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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
42

Cost of Living Index in Imperatriz
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Imperatriz Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Imperatriz

🇧🇷 Brazil

$896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Panama City versus $896 in Imperatriz.

Panama City $1,857
Imperatriz $896

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,815 in Panama City versus $1,395 in Imperatriz.

Panama City $2,815
Imperatriz $1,395

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,773 in Panama City versus $1,894 in Imperatriz.

Panama City $3,773
Imperatriz $1,894

Living in Panama City is roughly 107% more expensive than in Imperatriz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Panama City is 37% above, Imperatriz is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$5.99 R$30.38

94.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.76 PAB 47.76

$34.01 R$172

40.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 PAB 8.12

$7.84 R$39.76

3.57%

Cappuccino

$4.23 PAB 4.23

$1.95 R$9.87

116.92%

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

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.35 R$6.86

42.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.53 R$2.67

198.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 PAB 3.31

$2.07 R$10.51

59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PAB 3.98

$2.96 R$14.99

34.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.25 R$6.36

53.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$1.52 R$7.70

73.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.42 R$7.18

138.73%

Eggs

$2.67 PAB 2.67

$2.06 R$10.42

29.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 PAB 12.21

$9.01 R$45.69

35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PAB 6.91

$4.32 R$21.89

59.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$8.78 R$44.49

20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$1.92 R$9.72

116.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$1.48 R$7.51

33.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 PAB 4.06

$1.10 R$5.58

269.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.58 R$8.03

164.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 PAB 3.47

$1.23 R$6.24

182.11%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 PAB 4.26

$1.24 R$6.30

243.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$0.75 R$3.80

225.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.81 R$4.08

108.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PAB 5.83

$2.69 R$13.63

116.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 PAB 11.43

$8.53 R$43.23

34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PAB 1.38

$1.17 R$5.92

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PAB 2.76

$2.12 R$10.73

30.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$0.93 R$4.73

-64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

$44.50 R$226

-53.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$1.38 R$6.99

84.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$0.91 R$4.59

95.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 PAB 22.17

$8.45 R$42.82

162.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.25 R$6.36

-0.80%

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

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

$20.7K R$105.2K

17.64%

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

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

$34.6K R$175.6K

-38.53%

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

$131 PAB 131

$68.8 R$349

90.72%

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

$27.83 PAB 27.83

$10.82 R$54.8

157.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.32 PAB 49.32

$20.83 R$106

136.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 PAB 45.69

$25.81 R$131

77.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.10 PAB 34.10

$30.36 R$154

12.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 PAB 8.47

$7.68 R$38.93

10.29%

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

$553 PAB 553

$288 R$1,459

92.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,719 PAB 9,719

$7,514 R$38.1K

29.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 PAB 66.4

$60.9 R$309

9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.39 PAB 47.39

$56.4 R$286

-16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 PAB 95.7

$83.6 R$424

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$64.2 R$326

75.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 PAB 1,322

$399 R$2,023

231.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 PAB 874

$269 R$1,361

225.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 PAB 2,153

$694 R$3,518

210.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

$447 R$2,265

253.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 PAB 3,097

$1,705 R$8,645

81.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 PAB 1,698

$1,081 R$5,482

57.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 PAB 914

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

-41.91%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Imperatriz: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$874 47.1%

Imperatriz

$269 30% 69.3% $606

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$327 17.6%

Imperatriz

$193 21.6% 40.8% $133

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$208 11.2%

Imperatriz

$100 11.2% 51.8% $108

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Imperatriz

$119 13.3% 42.7% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Imperatriz

$119 13.3% 17.7% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Imperatriz

$41 4.6% 34.3% $21

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.8%

Imperatriz

$54 6.1% 62% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,322 in Panama City and $399 in Imperatriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Panama City vs $34.00 in Imperatriz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $193 per month, with Imperatriz cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇷 Imperatriz

🕒 Local time

16:23 4:23 PM

18:23 6:23 PM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

273,110

💱 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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Between locations

Panama City Imperatriz 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Imperatriz

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 Imperatriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imperatriz is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,786 in Panama City and $1,343 in Imperatriz to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,322 in Panama City versus $399 in Imperatriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imperatriz – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $48.00 in Panama City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $896 in Imperatriz versus $1,857 in Panama City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.