Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Vasto

For one person, living is cheaper in Vasto: $1,683 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Panama City outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Vasto
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Vasto Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Vasto

🇮🇹 Italy

$1,683

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Panama City vs $1,683 in Vasto, rent included.

Panama City $1,855
Vasto $1,683

A couple spends around $2,804 per month in Panama City vs $2,547 in Vasto, rent included.

Panama City $2,804
Vasto $2,547

A family of three spends $3,753 per month in Panama City vs $3,412 in Vasto, rent included.

Panama City $3,753
Vasto $3,412

Panama City costs about 10% more than Vasto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Panama City and Vasto sit above the global median – Panama City by 37%, Vasto by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$17.02 €15.14

-31.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$67.5 €60.0

-28.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$11.18 €9.94

-28.80%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$2.01 €1.79

109.95%

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

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$2.97 €2.64

-32.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$1.43 €1.27

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$5.62 €5.00

-39.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$6.87 €6.11

-42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.72 €1.53

7.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.20 €1.95

16.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$2.98 €2.65

16.78%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$4.51 €4.01

-40.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$14.71 €13.08

-14.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$12.36 €10.99

-44.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$19.88 €17.68

-46.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.55 €2.27

63.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$2.28 €2.02

-19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$2.41 €2.14

74.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$2.40 €2.13

67.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$1.44 €1.28

141.67%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$1.63 €1.45

158.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.38 €1.23

74.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.34 €0.31

397.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$7.29 €6.49

-15.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$5.71 €5.08

97.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$1.61 €1.43

-11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$2.51 €2.23

8.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.47 €1.31

-77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

$46.84 €41.66

-54.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$6.52 €5.80

-61.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.69 €1.50

10.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$33.42 €29.73

-34.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$2.15 €1.91

-41.86%

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

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$35.4K €31.5K

-40.05%

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

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$35.4K €31.5K

-40.67%

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

$130 PAB 130

$208 €185

-37.57%

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

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$11.50 €10.23

144.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$32.01 €28.47

50.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$52.7 €46.86

-13.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

$21.88 €19.46

59.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$11.32 €10.07

-23.41%

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

$544 PAB 544

$493 €439

10.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$17.0K €15.1K

-42.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$71.9 €64.0

-7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$36.66 €32.61

34.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$83.0 €73.8

13.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$121 €107

-7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$739 €657

70.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$570 €507

53.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$1,149 €1,022

87.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$905 €805

72.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

$2,931 €2,607

6.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

$1,996 €1,775

-14.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

3.52

81.53%

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

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Vasto: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Vasto

$570 33.9% 34.8% $305

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Vasto

$324 19.3% 0.2% $0.7

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Vasto

$253 15.1% 22.5% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Vasto

$251 15% 22% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Vasto

$140 8.4% 2.9% $4.1

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Vasto

$75 4.5% 19.3% $12

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Vasto

$68 4% 96.8% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,257 in Panama City versus $739 in Vasto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City versus $67.0 in Vasto. Groceries tell a different story – $325 in Panama City vs $324 in Vasto – so Vasto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇮🇹 Vasto

🕒 Local time

10:52 10:52 AM

17:52 5:52 PM

7 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

41,087

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama City Vasto 9,690 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Vasto

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 Vasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,783 per month in Panama City and $2,524 in Vasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $67.0 in Vasto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Vasto, where all-in costs run around $1,683, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Vasto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vasto – 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 Vasto. 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.