Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Panama City and in Nosara: $1,837 and $1,837 a month, rent and utilities included.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Panama City vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Panama City $1,837
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Panama City vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Panama City $2,825
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $3,812 per month in Panama City vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Panama City $3,812
Nosara $3,712

Panama City and Nosara have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Panama City and Nosara sit above the global median – Panama City by 37%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 PAB 11.34

$12.22 ₡5,509

-7.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 PAB 47.85

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 PAB 8.07

$7.54 ₡3,399

7.03%

Cappuccino

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$4.31 ₡1,941

-6.73%

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

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$1.72 ₡773

12.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$1.35 ₡608

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 PAB 3.26

$3.24 ₡1,459

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PAB 3.99

$4.48 ₡2,018

-10.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.57 ₡707

16.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 PAB 2.57

$3.17 ₡1,429

-18.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$2.42 ₡1,091

37.60%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$3.57 ₡1,609

-24.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 PAB 12.33

$7.43 ₡3,349

65.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 PAB 6.69

$10.42 ₡4,697

-35.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 PAB 10.40

$13.66 ₡6,156

-23.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$2.32 ₡1,044

79.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 PAB 1.84

$1.61 ₡728

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$4.74 ₡2,138

-11.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 PAB 4.08

$1.66 ₡747

145.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 PAB 3.50

$3.72 ₡1,679

-5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 PAB 4.37

$3.57 ₡1,611

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$1.10 ₡497

112.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PAB 1.75

$2.55 ₡1,149

-31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 PAB 6.06

$4.95 ₡2,232

22.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 PAB 11.72

$20.01 ₡9,020

-41.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PAB 1.37

$2.79 ₡1,256

-50.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PAB 2.84

$3.53 ₡1,589

-19.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PAB 0.36

$1.19 ₡537

-69.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-70.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$2.24 ₡1,011

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 PAB 1.79

$1.55 ₡701

15.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.01 PAB 22.01

$8.86 ₡3,993

148.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.57 ₡708

-20.38%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

-1.22%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-38.81%

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

$131 PAB 131

$93.5 ₡42.1K

40.37%

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

$27.68 PAB 27.68

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-21.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.59 PAB 48.59

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.11 PAB 46.11

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 PAB 35.01

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-1.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 PAB 8.73

$7.84 ₡3,535

11.35%

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

$551 PAB 551

$490 ₡220.7K

12.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,560 PAB 9,560

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-19.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 PAB 67.6

$53.5 ₡24.1K

26.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 PAB 48.03

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 PAB 94.9

$79.3 ₡35.7K

19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$78.9 ₡35.6K

43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 PAB 1,238

$786 ₡354.3K

57.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 PAB 873

$780 ₡351.6K

11.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 PAB 2,197

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-43.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 PAB 1,538

$1,407 ₡634.4K

9.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,116 PAB 3,116

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-55.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,725 PAB 1,725

$1,201 ₡541.3K

43.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 PAB 934

$876 ₡395.0K

6.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

8.62

-25.87%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$873 47.2%

Nosara

$780 43% 10.7% $93

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$324 17.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 7.8% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 13.2% $27

Eating Out

Panama City

$202 10.9%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 3.9% $7.8

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$146 7.9%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 17.3% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$64 3.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 37% $24

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 156% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Panama City versus $786 in Nosara. 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 7% higher in Panama City. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $350 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

20:11 8:11 PM

19:11 7:11 PM

1 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Nosara 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Nosara

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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Panama City and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 244% less in Panama City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara 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 $1,837 in Panama City to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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