Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $800 in Panama versus $719 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,193 in Panama versus $1,145 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,586 in Panama versus $1,570 in China.

Living in Panama is roughly 11% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Panama 42% lower, China 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 PAB 8.03

$2.90 ¥19.44

176.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.89 PAB 45.89

$22.13 ¥148

107.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 PAB 8.20

$5.31 ¥35.61

54.43%

Cappuccino

$3.93 PAB 3.93

$2.99 ¥20.06

31.44%

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

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$0.48 ¥3.21

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 PAB 1.31

$0.30 ¥2.03

336.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$1.02 ¥6.83

139.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 PAB 3.90

$2.21 ¥14.83

76.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 PAB 1.81

$1.74 ¥11.67

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 PAB 2.36

$1.68 ¥11.24

40.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 PAB 2.86

$0.96 ¥6.43

197.92%

Eggs

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$1.54 ¥10.35

66.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 PAB 12.41

$13.51 ¥90.7

-8.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 PAB 6.96

$3.48 ¥23.35

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 PAB 9.87

$11.34 ¥76.1

-12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 PAB 4.24

$1.88 ¥12.59

125.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

$1.29 ¥8.68

15.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 PAB 3.34

$1.52 ¥10.18

119.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 PAB 3.68

$1.27 ¥8.54

189.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

$0.72 ¥4.84

241.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 PAB 3.24

$0.88 ¥5.90

268.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$0.61 ¥4.06

267.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$0.55 ¥3.72

189.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 PAB 5.84

$3.73 ¥25.04

56.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 PAB 10.08

$11.87 ¥79.6

-15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$0.90 ¥6.04

54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PAB 2.35

$1.68 ¥11.28

39.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 PAB 0.52

$0.29 ¥1.94

79.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.16 PAB 21.16

$22.23 ¥149

-4.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 PAB 2.47

$1.52 ¥10.18

62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$0.37 ¥2.49

402.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.19 PAB 22.19

$7.33 ¥49.17

202.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PAB 1.13

$1.22 ¥8.20

-7.38%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$19.3K ¥129.5K

11.57%

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

$22.8K PAB 22.8K

$17.1K ¥114.9K

33.13%

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

$115 PAB 115

$53.8 ¥361

114.73%

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

$26.80 PAB 26.80

$8.71 ¥58.5

207.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.78 PAB 47.78

$10.93 ¥73.3

337.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.45 PAB 49.45

$40.74 ¥273

21.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.33 PAB 29.33

$14.53 ¥97.5

101.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 PAB 7.86

$6.55 ¥43.93

20.00%

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

$546 PAB 546

$457 ¥3,066

19.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,950 PAB 7,950

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-59.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 PAB 51.3

$45.62 ¥306

12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 PAB 38.17

$35.90 ¥241

6.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PAB 89.7

$76.1 ¥511

17.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 PAB 118

$76.4 ¥513

53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 PAB 937

$385 ¥2,582

143.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 PAB 728

$239 ¥1,603

204.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 PAB 1,675

$840 ¥5,634

99.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 PAB 1,212

$484 ¥3,246

150.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,983 PAB 2,983

$4,581 ¥30.7K

-34.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,684 PAB 1,684

$2,266 ¥15.2K

-25.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 PAB 842

$1,065 ¥7,147

-20.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

3.47

83.00%

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

Last update for Panama: August 31, 2026

Last update for China: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $340 in Panama, $294 in China. Capital cities: $1,276 in Panama City vs $959 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $719 in Panama, $864 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Panama.

Dining out costs 33% more in Panama.

Public transport is 467% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 20% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $853 per month in China and $938 in Panama, there's a 10% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Panama is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Panama it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Panama may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.