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 $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,568 in Panama versus $1,550 in China.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 PAB 10.05

$2.86 ¥19.35

251.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.64 PAB 49.64

$23.44 ¥159

111.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.37 PAB 7.37

$4.84 ¥32.75

52.27%

Cappuccino

$3.53 PAB 3.53

$3.11 ¥21.06

13.50%

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

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$0.44 ¥3.00

234.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$0.29 ¥1.99

327.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 PAB 2.30

$0.98 ¥6.64

134.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 PAB 3.69

$2.05 ¥13.88

80.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 PAB 1.84

$1.84 ¥12.47

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 PAB 2.44

$1.62 ¥10.94

50.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 PAB 2.36

$0.93 ¥6.28

153.76%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$1.63 ¥11.03

65.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 PAB 11.25

$13.15 ¥89.0

-14.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 PAB 7.32

$3.26 ¥22.09

124.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.24 PAB 9.24

$10.62 ¥71.9

-12.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$1.80 ¥12.19

123.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 PAB 1.33

$1.30 ¥8.77

2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 PAB 2.89

$1.46 ¥9.90

97.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 PAB 2.99

$1.20 ¥8.15

149.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 PAB 2.18

$0.76 ¥5.14

186.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

$0.88 ¥5.93

179.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 PAB 2.12

$0.57 ¥3.86

271.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 PAB 1.63

$0.54 ¥3.63

201.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 PAB 5.77

$3.42 ¥23.17

68.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 PAB 9.98

$11.75 ¥79.5

-15.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$0.80 ¥5.40

51.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 PAB 2.17

$1.62 ¥10.95

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 PAB 0.52

$0.43 ¥2.94

20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.39 PAB 25.39

$20.47 ¥139

24.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.36 ¥9.24

47.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$0.35 ¥2.39

488.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 PAB 20.72

$6.50 ¥43.97

218.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PAB 0.91

$1.12 ¥7.59

-18.75%

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

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

$19.5K ¥131.8K

13.42%

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

$21.4K PAB 21.4K

$16.9K ¥114.1K

26.80%

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

$106 PAB 106

$51.7 ¥350

105.16%

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

$28.57 PAB 28.57

$10.17 ¥68.8

180.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.55 PAB 48.55

$11.16 ¥75.5

335.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 PAB 50.5

$39.62 ¥268

27.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.26 PAB 33.26

$14.53 ¥98.3

128.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 PAB 6.96

$6.38 ¥43.19

9.09%

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

$445 PAB 445

$407 ¥2,756

9.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K PAB 11.3K

$17.8K ¥120.7K

-36.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.40 PAB 47.40

$45.53 ¥308

4.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 PAB 40.37

$32.31 ¥219

24.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 PAB 83.5

$72.6 ¥491

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 PAB 116

$74.4 ¥504

56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 PAB 933

$443 ¥2,996

110.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 PAB 722

$258 ¥1,747

179.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 PAB 1,721

$910 ¥6,162

88.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 PAB 1,333

$543 ¥3,677

145.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,974 PAB 2,974

$4,934 ¥33.4K

-39.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 PAB 1,701

$2,398 ¥16.2K

-29.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$813 PAB 813

$1,065 ¥7,205

-23.68%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $371 in Panama, $287 in China. Capital cities: $1,158 in Panama City vs $894 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $713 in Panama, $855 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, 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 $862 per month in China and $907 in Panama, there's a 5% 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.