Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,604 in Panama, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Panama
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Panama Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,604

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Panama is 35.4% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 77% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Panama is 48% more expensive than Chiang Mai without rent, and 77.2% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 PAB 7.86

$2.13 ฿71.4

269.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.75 PAB 44.75

$19.40 ฿649

130.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 PAB 7.89

$5.47 ฿183

44.24%

Cappuccino

$3.84 PAB 3.84

$1.68 ฿56.4

128.57%

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

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$0.66 ฿22.10

140.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$0.34 ฿11.52

314.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$2.42 ฿81.0

-9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PAB 4.04

$3.73 ฿125

8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$2.06 ฿68.9

-10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 PAB 2.32

$1.46 ฿48.78

58.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 PAB 2.99

$1.35 ฿45.09

121.48%

Eggs

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$2.27 ฿76.0

9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 PAB 12.28

$16.31 ฿546

-24.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 PAB 6.94

$2.70 ฿90.3

157.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 PAB 10.11

$9.20 ฿308

9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.39 ฿80.1

74.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 PAB 1.48

$1.04 ฿34.66

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 PAB 3.65

$1.60 ฿53.7

128.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 PAB 3.73

$1.44 ฿48.37

159.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 PAB 2.50

$1.30 ฿43.59

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 PAB 3.29

$1.11 ฿37.29

196.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$0.70 ฿23.55

234.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$0.51 ฿16.99

207.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PAB 6.08

$4.13 ฿138

47.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 PAB 9.88

$17.78 ฿595

-44.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$1.63 ฿54.7

-14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$2.87 ฿96.0

-15.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PAB 0.43

$0.86 ฿28.76

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$53.2 ฿1,780

-60.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$1.22 ฿40.81

99.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$0.56 ฿18.81

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.79 PAB 21.79

$2.31 ฿77.5

843.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PAB 1.18

$1.50 ฿50.2

-21.33%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$20.9K ฿698.3K

3.04%

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

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

$26.7K ฿895.0K

-16.98%

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

$119 PAB 119

$61.3 ฿2,051

94.25%

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

$27.03 PAB 27.03

$12.50 ฿419

116.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 PAB 47.70

$20.36 ฿682

134.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 PAB 48.94

$37.94 ฿1,270

28.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.16 PAB 30.16

$3.77 ฿126

700.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$6.60 ฿221

18.79%

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

$536 PAB 536

$774 ฿25.9K

-30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 PAB 8,069

$14.4K ฿483.2K

-44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 PAB 53.5

$54.8 ฿1,835

-2.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 PAB 42.77

$25.26 ฿846

69.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PAB 87.4

$90.6 ฿3,032

-3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 PAB 103

$73.3 ฿2,453

41.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 PAB 944

$459 ฿15.4K

105.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 PAB 697

$294 ฿9,835

137.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 PAB 1,728

$919 ฿30.8K

87.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 PAB 1,262

$552 ฿18.5K

128.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,941 PAB 2,941

$1,917 ฿64.2K

53.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,673 PAB 1,673

$1,445 ฿48.4K

15.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 PAB 826

$592 ฿19.8K

39.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

5.57

14.36%

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

Last update for Panama: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama

$697 44%

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8% 57.8% $403

Groceries & Markets

Panama

$302 19.1%

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6% 21.9% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama

$194 12.2%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 51.4% $100

Eating Out

Panama

$164 10.3%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4% 52.8% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Panama

$129 8.2%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9% 15% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Panama

$65 4.1%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 20.9% $13

Getting Around

Panama

$34 2.2%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 77.1% $26

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

02:41 2:41 AM

14:41 2:41 PM

12 h ahead of Panama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,098,587

127,240

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, 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).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Panama Chiang Mai 16,920 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama
Chiang Mai

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 Chiang Mai

THB, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Panama

Chiang Mai

Panama

Chiang Mai

Panama vs other spots: cost of living compared

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