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: $839 in Panama versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Panama versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,568 in Panama versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Panama is roughly 18% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Panama 37% lower, China 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 PAB 9.83

$2.81 ¥18.98

249.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.27 PAB 49.27

$23.30 ¥158

111.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 PAB 7.71

$5.01 ¥33.87

53.89%

Cappuccino

$3.58 PAB 3.58

$3.01 ¥20.38

18.94%

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

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$0.45 ¥3.03

226.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 PAB 1.28

$0.29 ¥1.97

341.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$0.95 ¥6.41

130.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 PAB 3.69

$2.05 ¥13.87

80.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 PAB 1.79

$1.76 ¥11.87

1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$1.62 ¥10.98

53.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 PAB 2.31

$0.95 ¥6.45

143.16%

Eggs

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$1.56 ¥10.55

68.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 PAB 11.15

$13.06 ¥88.3

-14.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 PAB 7.03

$3.28 ¥22.17

114.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.03 PAB 9.03

$10.65 ¥72.0

-15.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 PAB 3.91

$1.78 ¥12.03

119.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 PAB 1.33

$1.24 ¥8.42

7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 PAB 2.88

$1.50 ¥10.12

92.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 PAB 3.05

$1.15 ¥7.79

165.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 PAB 2.17

$0.75 ¥5.07

189.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 PAB 2.37

$0.86 ¥5.81

175.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 PAB 2.07

$0.62 ¥4.17

233.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$0.56 ¥3.81

192.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PAB 6.08

$3.51 ¥23.76

73.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 PAB 10.16

$11.66 ¥78.9

-12.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$0.80 ¥5.40

56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 PAB 2.22

$1.66 ¥11.25

33.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 PAB 0.52

$0.43 ¥2.93

20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.30 PAB 25.30

$20.86 ¥141

21.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$1.37 ¥9.26

47.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 PAB 1.97

$0.35 ¥2.38

462.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.62 PAB 20.62

$6.63 ¥44.82

211.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PAB 0.88

$1.14 ¥7.69

-22.81%

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

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

$19.2K ¥129.7K

15.22%

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

$20.7K PAB 20.7K

$16.8K ¥113.4K

23.27%

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

$108 PAB 108

$51.2 ¥346

111.67%

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

$29.06 PAB 29.06

$10.16 ¥68.7

186.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.71 PAB 48.71

$11.51 ¥77.9

323.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 PAB 49.82

$40.53 ¥274

22.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.48 PAB 33.48

$15.05 ¥102

122.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 PAB 6.79

$6.10 ¥41.26

11.31%

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

$451 PAB 451

$402 ¥2,719

12.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K PAB 11.4K

$17.7K ¥119.5K

-35.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.60 PAB 46.60

$45.57 ¥308

2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.52 PAB 41.52

$33.26 ¥225

24.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 PAB 83.5

$72.6 ¥491

14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 PAB 117

$74.5 ¥503

56.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 PAB 933

$429 ¥2,903

117.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 PAB 728

$257 ¥1,739

183.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 PAB 1,732

$895 ¥6,055

93.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 PAB 1,363

$541 ¥3,660

151.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,991 PAB 2,991

$5,015 ¥33.9K

-40.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,673 PAB 1,673

$2,469 ¥16.7K

-32.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 PAB 820

$1,055 ¥7,132

-22.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

4.06

55.17%

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

Last update for Panama: June 2, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $368 in Panama, $286 in China. Capital cities: $1,157 in Panama City vs $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $720 in Panama, $861 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 29% higher in Panama.

Dining out costs 29% more in Panama.

Public transport is 260% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 20% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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 $865 per month in China and $882 in Panama, there's a 2% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.