Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama: $1,604 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. The total is higher in Buenos Aires despite lower rent and utilities.

77

Cost of Living Index in Panama
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Panama Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index

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🇵🇦 Panama

$1,604

/mo nomad

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,685

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Panama is 19.8% cheaper than Buenos Aires without rent, and 4.8% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Panama is 17.5% cheaper than Buenos Aires without rent, and 13% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 PAB 7.86

$18.73 ARS 28.4K

-58.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.75 PAB 44.75

$64.5 ARS 97.8K

-30.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 PAB 7.89

$12.88 ARS 19.5K

-38.74%

Cappuccino

$3.84 PAB 3.84

$3.98 ARS 6,029

-3.52%

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

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$2.05 ARS 3,103

-22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.55 ARS 2,349

-9.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$3.84 ARS 5,830

-42.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PAB 4.04

$4.60 ARS 6,970

-12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.44 ARS 2,181

28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 PAB 2.32

$2.46 ARS 3,738

-5.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 PAB 2.99

$1.63 ARS 2,467

83.44%

Eggs

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$2.89 ARS 4,385

-14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 PAB 12.28

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

15.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 PAB 6.94

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

-30.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 PAB 10.11

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

-26.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.75 ARS 4,166

52.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 PAB 1.48

$2.18 ARS 3,300

-32.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 PAB 3.65

$1.45 ARS 2,205

151.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 PAB 3.73

$1.99 ARS 3,013

87.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 PAB 2.50

$1.24 ARS 1,885

101.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 PAB 3.29

$1.27 ARS 1,921

159.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$1.70 ARS 2,575

37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$1.73 ARS 2,617

-9.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PAB 6.08

$4.18 ARS 6,337

45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 PAB 9.88

$5.80 ARS 8,790

70.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$2.09 ARS 3,163

-33.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$2.77 ARS 4,198

-12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PAB 0.43

$0.75 ARS 1,132

-42.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$27.15 ARS 41.2K

-22.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$1.62 ARS 2,451

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$0.98 ARS 1,481

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.79 PAB 21.79

$7.72 ARS 11.7K

182.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PAB 1.18

$1.36 ARS 2,058

-13.24%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$28.0K ARS 42.5M

-23.27%

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

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

-35.72%

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

$119 PAB 119

$216 ARS 326.9K

-44.80%

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

$27.03 PAB 27.03

$25.61 ARS 38.8K

5.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 PAB 47.70

$31.36 ARS 47.6K

52.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 PAB 48.94

$49.82 ARS 75.6K

-1.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.16 PAB 30.16

$17.06 ARS 25.9K

76.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$10.43 ARS 15.8K

-24.83%

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

$536 PAB 536

$466 ARS 706.7K

14.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 PAB 8,069

$9,057 ARS 13.7M

-10.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 PAB 53.5

$122 ARS 185.2K

-56.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 PAB 42.77

$97.4 ARS 147.8K

-56.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PAB 87.4

$117 ARS 177.4K

-25.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 PAB 103

$140 ARS 211.9K

-26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 PAB 944

$763 ARS 1.2M

23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 PAB 697

$505 ARS 766.1K

37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 PAB 1,728

$1,598 ARS 2.4M

8.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 PAB 1,262

$1,185 ARS 1.8M

6.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,941 PAB 2,941

$2,678 ARS 4.1M

9.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,673 PAB 1,673

$1,858 ARS 2.8M

-9.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 PAB 826

$954 ARS 1.4M

-13.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

57.25

-88.87%

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

Last update for Panama: October 5, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama

$697 44%

Buenos Aires

$505 30.4% 27.5% $191

Groceries & Markets

Panama

$302 19.1%

Buenos Aires

$284 17.1% 6% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama

$194 12.2%

Buenos Aires

$273 16.4% 40.7% $79

Eating Out

Panama

$164 10.3%

Buenos Aires

$279 16.8% 70.5% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Panama

$129 8.2%

Buenos Aires

$214 12.9% 65.9% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Panama

$65 4.1%

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3% 9.4% $6.1

Getting Around

Panama

$34 2.2%

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2% 7% $2.4

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🕒 Local time

00:10 12:10 AM

02:10 2:10 AM

2 h ahead of Panama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,098,587

2,891,082 Capital

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, 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).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Panama Buenos Aires 5,330 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama
Buenos Aires

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 vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Buenos Aires

ARS, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Panama

Buenos Aires

Panama

Buenos Aires

Panama vs other spots: cost of living compared

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