Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Los Banos, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,857 a month against $2,394 in Los Banos, CA, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 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
116

Cost of Living Index in Los Banos, CA
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Los Banos, CA Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Los Banos, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,394

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Los Banos, 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 Los Banos, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Panama City versus $2,394 in Los Banos, CA.

Panama City $1,857
Los Banos, CA $2,394

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,815 in Panama City versus $3,580 in Los Banos, CA.

Panama City $2,815
Los Banos, CA $3,580

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,773 in Panama City versus $4,767 in Los Banos, CA.

Panama City $3,773
Los Banos, CA $4,767

Living in Panama City costs roughly 22% less than in Los Banos, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Panama City 37% above, Los Banos, CA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$14.86 $14.86

-21.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.76 PAB 47.76

$101 $101

-52.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 PAB 8.12

$9.83 $9.83

-17.40%

Cappuccino

$4.23 PAB 4.23

$5.11 $5.11

-17.22%

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

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$2.53 $2.53

-24.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$2.04 $2.04

-22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 PAB 3.31

$7.94 $7.94

-58.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PAB 3.98

$8.24 $8.24

-51.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.03 $1.03

86.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$3.21 $3.21

-18.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$2.95 $2.95

14.92%

Eggs

$2.67 PAB 2.67

$1.58 $1.58

68.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 PAB 12.21

$8.69 $8.69

40.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PAB 6.91

$7.73 $7.73

-10.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$12.80 $12.80

-17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$3.39 $3.39

22.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$1.35 $1.35

45.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 PAB 4.06

$2.79 $2.79

45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.83 $2.83

47.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 PAB 3.47

$2.92 $2.92

18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 PAB 4.26

$2.44 $2.44

74.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$2.30 $2.30

6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$2.49 $2.49

-32.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PAB 5.83

$11.10 $11.10

-47.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 PAB 11.43

$14.10 $14.10

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PAB 1.38

$1.87 $1.87

-26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PAB 2.76

$1.31 $1.31

110.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$2.04 $2.04

-83.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$2.71 $2.71

-5.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$1.56 $1.56

14.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 PAB 22.17

$32.88 $32.88

-32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.45 $1.45

-14.48%

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

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

$30.4K $30.4K

-19.68%

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

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

$27.0K $27.0K

-21.13%

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

$131 PAB 131

$217 $217

-39.59%

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

$27.83 PAB 27.83

$44.68 $44.68

-37.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.32 PAB 49.32

$88.7 $88.7

-44.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 PAB 45.69

$39.09 $39.09

16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.10 PAB 34.10

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 PAB 8.47

$14.86 $14.86

-43.00%

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

$553 PAB 553

$2,509 $2,509

-77.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,719 PAB 9,719

$29.5K $29.5K

-67.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 PAB 66.4

$23.82 $23.82

178.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.39 PAB 47.39

$21.67 $21.67

118.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 PAB 95.7

$52.3 $52.3

82.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$59.4 $59.4

89.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 PAB 1,322

$1,618 $1,618

-18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 PAB 874

$1,294 $1,294

-32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 PAB 2,153

$2,682 $2,682

-19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

$2,280 $2,280

-30.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 PAB 3,097

$2,713 $2,713

14.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 PAB 1,698

$2,408 $2,408

-29.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 PAB 914

$6,598 $6,598

-86.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.47

-1.24%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Los Banos, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$874 47.1%

Los Banos, CA

$1.3K 54.1% 48% $420

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$327 17.6%

Los Banos, CA

$307 12.8% 6% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$208 11.2%

Los Banos, CA

$351 14.7% 68.2% $142

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Los Banos, CA

$284 11.9% 37.2% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Los Banos, CA

$71 3% 51.2% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Los Banos, CA

$69 2.9% 9.9% $6.2

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.8%

Los Banos, CA

$19 * 0.8% 44.2% $15

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 $1,618 in Los Banos, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Banos, CA pays 622% 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 $101 in Los Banos, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $307, with Los Banos, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇺🇸 Los Banos, CA

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

06:15 6:15 AM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

35,972

💱 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 22, 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 22, 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 Los Banos, CA 5,190 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Los Banos, 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 Los Banos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Los Banos, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 622% lower in Los Banos, 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 $1,618 in Los Banos, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Los Banos, CA pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,857 per month in Panama City versus $2,394 in Los Banos, CA – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,857 in Panama City versus $2,394 in Los Banos, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Panama City but tight or insufficient in Los Banos, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Panama City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,857 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Panama City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Los Banos, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.