Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Luque

For one person, living is cheaper in Luque: $1,050 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 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
51

Cost of Living Index in Luque
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Luque Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Luque

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$1,050

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Panama City vs $1,050 in Luque, rent included.

Panama City $1,855
Luque $1,050

A couple spends around $2,804 per month in Panama City vs $1,582 in Luque, rent included.

Panama City $2,804
Luque $1,582

A family of three spends $3,753 per month in Panama City vs $2,115 in Luque, rent included.

Panama City $3,753
Luque $2,115

Panama City costs about 77% more than Luque, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Luque is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$4.41 ₲25.1K

163.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$35.23 ₲200.3K

36.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$5.17 ₲29.4K

53.97%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$3.40 ₲19.3K

24.12%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.07 ₲6,078

87.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$0.57 ₲3,265

173.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.95 ₲11.1K

73.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$1.80 ₲10.2K

118.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.29 ₲7,347

43.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$1.53 ₲8,720

67.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$1.40 ₲7,950

148.57%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$2.09 ₲11.9K

28.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$10.18 ₲57.9K

23.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$5.20 ₲29.6K

31.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$10.19 ₲57.9K

3.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$3.01 ₲17.1K

38.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.25 ₲7,119

46.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$1.25 ₲7,101

236.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$2.47 ₲14.0K

63.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$1.35 ₲7,685

157.78%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$1.38 ₲7,853

205.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$0.91 ₲5,194

164.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.78 ₲4,425

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$2.30 ₲13.1K

166.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$9.54 ₲54.2K

18.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$1.35 ₲7,682

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$1.81 ₲10.3K

50.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$0.73 ₲4,153

-54.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.50 ₲8,529

68.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.62 ₲9,191

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$10.44 ₲59.4K

108.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.29 ₲7,311

-3.10%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$17.9K ₲101.8M

18.60%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$35.3K ₲200.6M

-40.41%

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

$130 PAB 130

$26.84 ₲152.6K

383.76%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$17.64 ₲100.3K

59.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$20.79 ₲118.2K

131.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$49.51 ₲281.5K

-7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$8.65 ₲49.2K

0.23%

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

$544 PAB 544

$184 ₲1.0M

195.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$4,747 ₲27.0M

104.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$64.0 ₲363.9K

4.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$57.6 ₲327.5K

-14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$107 ₲607.9K

-12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$71.7 ₲407.6K

55.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$440 ₲2.5M

185.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$440 ₲2.5M

98.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$1,484 ₲8.4M

45.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$672 ₲3.8M

132.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$1,272 ₲7.2M

145.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$488 ₲2.8M

87.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

10.15

-37.04%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Luque: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Luque

$440 41.9% 49.7% $435

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Luque

$218 20.8% 32.8% $107

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Luque

$112 10.6% 46% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Luque

$65 6.2% 68.3% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Luque

$135 12.9% 6.6% $9.5

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Luque

$67 6.4% 5.8% $3.7

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Luque

$13 * 1.2% 63.7% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,257 in Panama City versus $440 in Luque. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 88% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City versus $35.00 in Luque. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $218 – making Luque the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇵🇾 Luque

🕒 Local time

13:57 1:57 PM

15:57 3:57 PM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

224,000

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.889 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, 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 = 0.889 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Luque 4,490 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Luque

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 Luque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,783 per month in Panama City and $1,575 in Luque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Luque, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,855 in Panama City and $1,050 in Luque. That's a gap of about 77%.

Kindergarten costs $544 per month in Panama City and $184 in Luque. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Luque, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Luque it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Luque – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Luque. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.