Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Pembroke

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $2,355 in Pembroke, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. The total is higher in Pembroke despite lower rent and utilities.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Pembroke
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Pembroke Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Pembroke

🇧🇲 Bermuda

$2,355

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Panama City vs $2,355 in Pembroke, rent included.

Panama City $1,837
Pembroke $2,355

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Panama City vs $3,881 in Pembroke, rent included.

Panama City $2,825
Pembroke $3,881

A family of three spends $3,812 per month in Panama City vs $5,406 in Pembroke, rent included.

Panama City $3,812
Pembroke $5,406

Panama City is about 22% cheaper than Pembroke, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Panama City and Pembroke sit above the global median – Panama City by 37%, Pembroke by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 PAB 11.34

$50.6 BMD 50.6

-77.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 PAB 47.85

$151 BMD 151

-68.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 PAB 8.07

$16.82 BMD 16.82

-52.02%

Cappuccino

$4.02 PAB 4.02

$4.45 BMD 4.45

-9.66%

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

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$2.98 BMD 2.98

-34.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$3.18 BMD 3.18

-49.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 PAB 3.26

$7.66 BMD 7.66

-57.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PAB 3.99

$9.09 BMD 9.09

-56.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$4.82 BMD 4.82

-62.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 PAB 2.57

$7.95 BMD 7.95

-67.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$5.57 BMD 5.57

-40.22%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$7.35 BMD 7.35

-63.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 PAB 12.33

$23.15 BMD 23.15

-46.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 PAB 6.69

$21.62 BMD 21.62

-69.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 PAB 10.40

$19.72 BMD 19.72

-47.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$8.94 BMD 8.94

-53.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 PAB 1.84

$6.69 BMD 6.69

-72.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$7.01 BMD 7.01

-40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 PAB 4.08

$8.56 BMD 8.56

-52.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 PAB 3.50

$5.81 BMD 5.81

-39.76%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 PAB 4.37

$4.12 BMD 4.12

6.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$6.22 BMD 6.22

-62.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PAB 1.75

$3.56 BMD 3.56

-50.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 PAB 6.06

$17.84 BMD 17.84

-66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 PAB 11.72

$24.41 BMD 24.41

-51.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PAB 1.37

$5.32 BMD 5.32

-74.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PAB 2.84

$4.27 BMD 4.27

-33.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PAB 0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$129 BMD 129

-83.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$6.69 BMD 6.69

-62.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 PAB 1.79

$2.43 BMD 2.43

-26.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.01 PAB 22.01

$69.1 BMD 69.1

-68.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$2.42 BMD 2.42

-48.35%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$36.8K BMD 36.8K

-41.47%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$43.5K BMD 43.5K

-51.30%

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

$131 PAB 131

$286 BMD 286

-54.08%

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

$27.68 PAB 27.68

$151 BMD 151

-81.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.59 PAB 48.59

$161 BMD 161

-69.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.11 PAB 46.11

$80.2 BMD 80.2

-42.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 PAB 35.01

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 PAB 8.73

$13.32 BMD 13.32

-34.46%

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

$551 PAB 551

$1,324 BMD 1,324

-58.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,560 PAB 9,560

$24.7K BMD 24.7K

-61.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 PAB 67.6

$90.5 BMD 90.5

-25.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 PAB 48.03

$71.2 BMD 71.2

-32.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 PAB 94.9

$141 BMD 141

-32.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$128 BMD 128

-11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 PAB 1,238

$3,765 BMD 3,765

-67.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 PAB 873

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 PAB 2,197

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 PAB 1,538

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,116 PAB 3,116

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,725 PAB 1,725

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 PAB 934

$7,935 BMD 7,935

-88.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

8.63

-25.96%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Last update for Pembroke: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$873 47.2%

Pembroke

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$324 17.5%

Pembroke

$749 31.4% 131% $425

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Pembroke

$597 25% 188% $389

Eating Out

Panama City

$202 10.9%

Pembroke

$590 24.7% 192% $388

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$146 7.9%

Pembroke

$194 8.1% 33% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$64 3.4%

Pembroke

$107 4.5% 68.1% $43

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.8%

Pembroke

$148 * 6.2% 336% $114

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Panama City versus $3,765 in Pembroke. 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 749% higher in Pembroke, 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 $151 in Pembroke. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $749 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇲 Pembroke

🕒 Local time

09:20 9:20 AM

11:20 11:20 AM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

11,160

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Bermudian Dollar BMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1 BMD = 1 USD

1 BMD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BMD, 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).

Bermudian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BMD (1 BMD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BMD (1 BMD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Pembroke 3,010 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Pembroke

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 Pembroke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pembroke is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Panama City and $3,533 in Pembroke. 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.

Groceries cost about 131% more in Pembroke, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City and $151 in Pembroke. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Pembroke at $2,355. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pembroke it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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, Pembroke makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.