Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Nova Friburgo

For one person, living is cheaper in Nova Friburgo: $611 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Nova Friburgo
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Nova Friburgo Living Index

Jump to prices

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Nova Friburgo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$611

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Nova Friburgo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,855 in Panama City versus $611 in Nova Friburgo.

Panama City $1,855
Nova Friburgo $611

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,804 in Panama City versus $1,026 in Nova Friburgo.

Panama City $2,804
Nova Friburgo $1,026

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,753 in Panama City versus $1,440 in Nova Friburgo.

Panama City $3,753
Nova Friburgo $1,440

Living in Panama City is roughly 204% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Panama City is 37% above, Nova Friburgo is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$5.87 R$29.44

98.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$30.15 R$151

58.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$6.38 R$32.01

24.76%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$1.76 R$8.84

139.77%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$0.88 R$4.42

128.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$0.58 R$2.89

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.19 R$5.95

184.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$2.45 R$12.30

60.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$0.97 R$4.85

90.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$1.51 R$7.58

69.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$1.38 R$6.94

152.17%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$1.94 R$9.75

38.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$9.21 R$46.22

36.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$3.42 R$17.16

99.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$9.52 R$47.79

11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.62 R$8.14

158.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.20 R$6.04

52.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$0.93 R$4.65

351.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$1.28 R$6.43

214.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$0.65 R$3.25

435.38%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$0.81 R$4.04

420.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$0.56 R$2.82

330.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.76 R$3.83

122.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$1.58 R$7.94

288.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$6.07 R$30.43

86.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$1.01 R$5.07

40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$1.42 R$7.12

92.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$0.96 R$4.83

-65.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.22 R$6.11

106.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$0.56 R$2.79

232.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$6.87 R$34.45

217.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.25 R$6.27

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$20.0K R$100.3K

6.26%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$31.0K R$155.6K

-32.19%

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

$130 PAB 130

$41.63 R$209

211.89%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$9.54 R$47.85

194.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$18.74 R$94.0

157.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$22.35 R$112

104.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$6.77 R$33.95

28.06%

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

$544 PAB 544

$147 R$739

269.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$2,693 R$13.5K

260.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$71.1 R$357

-6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$84.5 R$424

-41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$68.1 R$342

37.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$47.77 R$240

133.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$161 R$809

679.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$99.3 R$498

781.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$396 R$1,987

444.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$243 R$1,221

542.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$1,604 R$8,050

94.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

$810 R$4,062

111.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$521 R$2,613

75.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

10.67

-40.11%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Nova Friburgo

$99 16.3% 88.7% $776

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Nova Friburgo

$172 28.1% 47.2% $153

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Nova Friburgo

$104 17% 49.7% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Nova Friburgo

$70 11.5% 66.1% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Nova Friburgo

$122 20% 15.5% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Nova Friburgo

$36 5.9% 43.1% $27

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Nova Friburgo

$7.9 * 1.3% 77.2% $27

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 $1,257 in Panama City and $161 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Panama City pays 76% 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 $30.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $172 per month, with Nova Friburgo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇷 Nova Friburgo

🕒 Local time

15:16 3:16 PM

17:16 5:16 PM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

189,939

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.893 EUR

1 BRL = 0.199 USD

1 BRL = 0.178 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 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.893 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 5.02 BRL (1 BRL = 0.199 USD). 1 EUR = 5.62 BRL (1 BRL = 0.178 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Nova Friburgo 5,330 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Nova Friburgo

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 Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Friburgo wins on cost – living expenses run 204% lower than in Panama City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nova Friburgo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Panama City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,257 in Panama City versus $161 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Panama City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,855 per month in Panama City versus $611 in Nova Friburgo – a 204% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $611 in Nova Friburgo versus $1,855 in Panama City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Panama City. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Friburgo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $611 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nova Friburgo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Panama City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.