Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Suzano

For one person, living is cheaper in Suzano: $818 a month against $1,857 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,857
/mo nomad
Suzano
🇧🇷 Brazil
$818
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,857 per month in Panama City vs $818 in Suzano, rent included.

  • Panama City $1,857
  • Suzano $818

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Panama City vs $1,359 in Suzano, rent included.

  • Panama City $2,815
  • Suzano $1,359

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Panama City vs $1,901 in Suzano, rent included.

  • Panama City $3,773
  • Suzano $1,901

Panama City costs about 127% more than Suzano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Suzano is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.68 PAB 11.68
$5.40 R$27.39
116.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.76 PAB 47.76
$36.01 R$183
32.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.12 PAB 8.12
$6.30 R$31.95
28.89%
Cappuccino
$4.23 PAB 4.23
$2.35 R$11.92
80.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 PAB 1.92
$1.33 R$6.72
44.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 PAB 1.58
$0.95 R$4.83
66.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.31 PAB 3.31
$2.33 R$11.83
42.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 PAB 3.98
$4.07 R$20.63
-2.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 PAB 1.92
$1.01 R$5.13
90.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.63 PAB 2.63
$2.00 R$10.12
31.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.39 PAB 3.39
$0.95 R$4.83
256.84%
Eggs
$2.67 PAB 2.67
$1.95 R$9.87
36.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.21 PAB 12.21
$10.54 R$53.4
15.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.91 PAB 6.91
$3.14 R$15.93
120.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.58 PAB 10.58
$7.55 R$38.27
40.13%
Apples (1kg)
$4.16 PAB 4.16
$1.61 R$8.19
158.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 PAB 1.97
$1.71 R$8.69
15.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.06 PAB 4.06
$1.30 R$6.61
212.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.18 PAB 4.18
$1.39 R$7.05
200.72%
Potato (1kg)
$3.47 PAB 3.47
$1.25 R$6.34
177.60%
Onion (1kg)
$4.26 PAB 4.26
$0.84 R$4.24
407.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.44 PAB 2.44
$0.69 R$3.50
253.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 PAB 1.69
$0.46 R$2.31
267.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.83 PAB 5.83
$1.83 R$9.28
218.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.43 PAB 11.43
$6.03 R$30.59
89.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 PAB 1.38
$1.56 R$7.93
-11.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 PAB 2.76
$2.46 R$12.49
12.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 PAB 0.33
$1.12 R$5.66
-70.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.63 PAB 20.63
$50.5 R$256
-59.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 PAB 2.55
$1.21 R$6.16
110.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 PAB 1.78
$0.72 R$3.66
147.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.17 PAB 22.17
$8.56 R$43.38
159.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 PAB 1.24
$1.12 R$5.67
10.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K PAB 24.4K
$23.6K R$119.8K
3.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K PAB 21.3K
$28.9K R$146.7K
-26.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 PAB 131
$41.91 R$212
213.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.83 PAB 27.83
$14.68 R$74.4
89.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.32 PAB 49.32
$22.88 R$116
115.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.69 PAB 45.69
$25.66 R$130
78.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.10 PAB 34.10
$24.09 R$122
41.55%
Cinema Ticket
$8.47 PAB 8.47
$6.94 R$35.19
22.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$553 PAB 553
$175 R$889
215.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,719 PAB 9,719
$11.1K R$56.2K
-12.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.4 PAB 66.4
$64.1 R$325
3.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.39 PAB 47.39
$57.0 R$289
-16.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.7 PAB 95.7
$88.2 R$447
8.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 PAB 113
$79.2 R$401
42.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 PAB 1,322
$384 R$1,944
244.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$874 PAB 874
$209 R$1,060
318.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,153 PAB 2,153
$677 R$3,433
217.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,580 PAB 1,580
$463 R$2,348
241.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,097 PAB 3,097
$958 R$4,854
223.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,698 PAB 1,698
$906 R$4,592
87.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Panama City
Suzano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$914 PAB 914
$450 R$2,282
103.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.39
8
-20.13%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Suzano: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Panama City
$874
Suzano
$209 76.1% $665
Groceries & Markets
Panama City
$327
Suzano
$181 44.7% $146
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panama City
$208
Suzano
$79 61.9% $129
Eating Out
Panama City
$207
Suzano
$119 42.4% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Panama City
$145
Suzano
$130 10.4% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Panama City
$63
Suzano
$40 36.9% $23
Getting Around
Panama City
$33
Suzano
$60 78.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,322 in Panama City versus $384 in Suzano. 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 103% 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 $36.00 in Suzano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $181 – making Suzano the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇦 Panama City
🇧🇷 Suzano
🕒 Local time
05:13 5:13 AM
07:13 7:13 AM
2 h ahead of Panama City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,086,990 Capital
307,429
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

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).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Panama City Suzano 5,110 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Panama City
  • Suzano

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 Suzano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Suzano cheaper than Panama City?
Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 127%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,786 per month in Panama City and $1,226 in Suzano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Suzano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Panama City and in Suzano?
Groceries cost about 81% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Panama City or in Suzano?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City and $36.00 in Suzano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Panama City or in Suzano?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Suzano, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Panama City at $1,857. In Suzano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Panama City or Suzano more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Suzano – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Suzano. 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.

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