Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Tepic

For one person, living is cheaper in Tepic: $1,100 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 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
55

Cost of Living Index in Tepic
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Tepic Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Tepic

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,100

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Panama City vs $1,100 in Tepic, rent included.

Panama City $1,855
Tepic $1,100

A couple spends around $2,804 per month in Panama City vs $1,808 in Tepic, rent included.

Panama City $2,804
Tepic $1,808

A family of three spends $3,753 per month in Panama City vs $2,516 in Tepic, rent included.

Panama City $3,753
Tepic $2,516

Panama City costs about 69% more than Tepic, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Tepic is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$13.45 MX$249

-13.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$44.40 MX$820

7.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$9.21 MX$170

-13.57%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$3.24 MX$59.9

30.25%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.73 MX$31.90

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.23 MX$22.64

26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$2.81 MX$51.9

20.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$5.02 MX$92.8

-21.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.51 MX$27.89

22.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.45 MX$45.20

4.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$1.69 MX$31.24

105.92%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$2.11 MX$38.94

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$4.90 MX$90.5

156.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$9.48 MX$175

-27.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$11.69 MX$216

-9.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.81 MX$52.0

48.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.58 MX$29.26

15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$1.98 MX$36.53

112.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$1.82 MX$33.72

121.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$2.02 MX$37.37

72.28%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$1.83 MX$33.77

130.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.46 MX$26.98

65.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$1.07 MX$19.83

57.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$4.26 MX$78.8

44.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$10.56 MX$195

7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$0.78 MX$14.44

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$3.36 MX$62.1

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$0.83 MX$15.42

-60.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$2.24 MX$41.34

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.33 MX$24.65

39.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$12.03 MX$222

81.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.43 MX$26.37

-12.59%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$21.2K MX$392.2K

0.06%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$23.9K MX$441.4K

-11.99%

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

$130 PAB 130

$44.05 MX$814

194.76%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$12.13 MX$224

131.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$30.94 MX$572

55.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$34.03 MX$629

34.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

$20.32 MX$376

71.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$6.62 MX$122

30.97%

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

$544 PAB 544

$253 MX$4,676

115.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$10.7K MX$198.2K

-9.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$59.8 MX$1,105

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$39.45 MX$729

24.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$108 MX$1,998

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$83.4 MX$1,542

33.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$518 MX$9,568

142.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$360 MX$6,658

142.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$1,027 MX$19.0K

109.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$752 MX$13.9K

107.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$1,837 MX$33.9K

69.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

$1,128 MX$20.8K

51.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$657 MX$12.1K

39.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

11.68

-45.29%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tepic: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Tepic

$360 32.7% 58.8% $515

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Tepic

$253 23% 22.3% $72

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Tepic

$210 19.1% 1.6% $3.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Tepic

$87 7.9% 57.7% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Tepic

$131 11.9% 9.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Tepic

$47 4.3% 25.1% $16

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Tepic

$12 * 1.1% 64.4% $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 $518 in Tepic. 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 39% 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 $44.00 in Tepic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $253 – making Tepic the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇲🇽 Tepic

🕒 Local time

23:58 11:58 PM

21:58 9:58 PM

2 h behind Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

371,387

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Tepic 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Tepic

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 Tepic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 69%, 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 $1,651 in Tepic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tepic, 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 $1,100 in Tepic. That's a gap of about 69%.

Kindergarten costs $544 per month in Panama City and $253 in Tepic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tepic, where all-in costs run around $1,100, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Tepic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tepic – 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 Tepic. 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.