Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,972 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
Learn more

Panama City Living Index

Jump to prices

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,972

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Las Tablas

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

A single person spends $1,972 per month in Panama City vs $458 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Panama City $1,972
Las Tablas $458

A couple spends around $2,930 per month in Panama City vs $681 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Panama City $2,930
Las Tablas $681

A family of three spends $3,888 per month in Panama City vs $904 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Panama City $3,888
Las Tablas $904

Panama City costs about 330% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 46% above the global median, while Las Tablas is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 PAB 11.37

$10.08 PAB 10.08

12.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.69 PAB 46.69

$29.60 PAB 29.60

57.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 PAB 7.98

$8.75 PAB 8.75

-8.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 PAB 4.12

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.02 PAB 1.02

97.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$1.02 PAB 1.02

53.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 PAB 3.28

$1.24 PAB 1.24

164.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 PAB 3.88

$2.71 PAB 2.71

43.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 PAB 2.61

$1.97 PAB 1.97

32.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 PAB 3.45

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$2.06 PAB 2.06

30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 PAB 12.42

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 PAB 6.73

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 PAB 10.44

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 PAB 4.21

$4.38 PAB 4.38

-3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.29 PAB 1.29

51.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 PAB 4.07

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$1.51 PAB 1.51

166.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 PAB 3.46

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 PAB 4.42

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$1.28 PAB 1.28

89.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$0.98 PAB 0.98

75.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 PAB 6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$5.80 PAB 5.80

101.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.30 PAB 1.30

8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 PAB 2.74

$1.72 PAB 1.72

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.65 PAB 20.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 PAB 2.45

$1.01 PAB 1.01

142.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 PAB 1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.86 PAB 21.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$0.94 PAB 0.94

27.66%

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

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

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

$20.9K PAB 20.9K

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

$132 PAB 132

$147 PAB 147

-10.41%

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

$27.89 PAB 27.89

$22.59 PAB 22.59

23.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.10 PAB 49.10

$37.18 PAB 37.18

32.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.53 PAB 44.53

$20.02 PAB 20.02

122.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.01 PAB 34.01

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 PAB 8.70

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

$537 PAB 537

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K PAB 20.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 PAB 65.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.45 PAB 48.45

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 PAB 95.4

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 PAB 114

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 PAB 1,405

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 PAB 994

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 PAB 2,221

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 PAB 1,714

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,139 PAB 3,139

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 PAB 1,724

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 PAB 936

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

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

Last update for Panama City: November 3, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$994 50.4%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$326 16.5%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$209 10.6%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Panama City

$203 10.3%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.4%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$62 3.1%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.7%

Las Tablas

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Panama City versus $30 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $104 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

05:07 5:07 AM

Same time as Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

8,939

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Las Tablas 160 km

From you

Panama City
Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City costs about 330% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $687 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,972 in Panama City and $458 in Las Tablas. That makes Las Tablas about 77% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 214% more in Panama City, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Panama City at $1,972. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Panama City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $458 in Las Tablas to $1,972 in Panama City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.