Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Timbo

For one person, living is cheaper in Timbo: $764 a month against $1,857 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Timbo
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Timbo Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Timbo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$764

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,857 per month in Panama City vs $764 in Timbo, rent included.

Panama City $1,857
Timbo $764

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Panama City vs $1,250 in Timbo, rent included.

Panama City $2,815
Timbo $1,250

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Panama City vs $1,737 in Timbo, rent included.

Panama City $3,773
Timbo $1,737

Panama City costs about 143% more than Timbo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Timbo is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 PAB 11.68

$4.90 R$24.82

138.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.76 PAB 47.76

$39.89 R$202

19.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 PAB 8.12

$3.93 R$19.90

106.62%

Cappuccino

$4.23 PAB 4.23

$2.05 R$10.41

106.34%

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

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$1.07 R$5.44

79.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.71 R$3.60

122.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 PAB 3.31

$1.89 R$9.57

75.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PAB 3.98

$2.35 R$11.93

69.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 PAB 1.92

$0.93 R$4.69

106.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$1.47 R$7.47

78.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$0.93 R$4.72

264.52%

Eggs

$2.67 PAB 2.67

$1.80 R$9.11

48.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 PAB 12.21

$7.84 R$39.76

55.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 PAB 6.91

$3.60 R$18.24

91.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$7.74 R$39.26

36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 PAB 4.16

$1.83 R$9.29

127.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$0.72 R$3.65

173.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 PAB 4.06

$0.83 R$4.20

389.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.34 R$6.81

211.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 PAB 3.47

$0.86 R$4.35

303.49%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 PAB 4.26

$0.78 R$3.96

446.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$0.63 R$3.18

287.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.83 R$4.20

103.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PAB 5.83

$1.63 R$8.25

257.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 PAB 11.43

$4.99 R$25.28

129.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PAB 1.38

$1.12 R$5.68

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PAB 2.76

$2.06 R$10.44

33.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.03 R$5.24

-67.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.63 PAB 20.63

$44.44 R$225

-53.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$1.31 R$6.65

94.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$0.83 R$4.20

114.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 PAB 22.17

$6.11 R$30.95

262.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.02 R$5.19

21.57%

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

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

$22.8K R$115.7K

6.98%

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

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

$27.3K R$138.4K

-21.98%

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

$131 PAB 131

$57.6 R$292

127.97%

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

$27.83 PAB 27.83

$12.86 R$65.2

116.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.32 PAB 49.32

$23.62 R$120

108.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 PAB 45.69

$25.78 R$131

77.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.10 PAB 34.10

$27.38 R$139

24.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 PAB 8.47

$5.84 R$29.62

45.03%

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

$553 PAB 553

$238 R$1,204

132.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,719 PAB 9,719

$2,918 R$14.8K

233.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 PAB 66.4

$31.48 R$160

111.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.39 PAB 47.39

$40.18 R$204

17.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 PAB 95.7

$59.2 R$300

61.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 PAB 113

$49.89 R$253

125.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 PAB 1,322

$351 R$1,781

276.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 PAB 874

$241 R$1,223

262.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,153 PAB 2,153

$662 R$3,354

225.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 PAB 1,580

$477 R$2,419

231.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 PAB 3,097

$1,726 R$8,751

79.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 PAB 1,698

$1,213 R$6,151

39.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 PAB 914

$713 R$3,613

28.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

-41.91%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Timbo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$874 47.1%

Timbo

$241 31.6% 72.4% $633

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$327 17.6%

Timbo

$159 20.9% 51.2% $167

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$208 11.2%

Timbo

$94 12.3% 54.9% $114

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.2%

Timbo

$97 12.7% 53.2% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Timbo

$81 10.6% 43.9% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Timbo

$37 4.9% 40.2% $25

Getting Around

Panama City

$33 1.8%

Timbo

$54 7.1% 61.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,322 in Panama City versus $351 in Timbo. 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 28% 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 $40.00 in Timbo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $159 – making Timbo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇷 Timbo

🕒 Local time

17:59 5:59 PM

19:59 7:59 PM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

46,099

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Timbo 5,150 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Timbo

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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 143%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,786 per month in Panama City and $1,147 in Timbo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 105% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City and $40.00 in Timbo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Timbo, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Panama City at $1,857. In Timbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Timbo. 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.