Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $1,604 in Panama, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 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
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,604

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Panama is 15.7% more expensive than Phuket without rent, and 34.8% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Panama is 22.3% more expensive than Phuket without rent, and 17.1% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 PAB 7.86

$4.35 ฿146

80.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.75 PAB 44.75

$32.45 ฿1,087

37.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 PAB 7.89

$8.42 ฿282

-6.29%

Cappuccino

$3.84 PAB 3.84

$2.81 ฿94.0

36.65%

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

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$0.87 ฿29.29

82.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$0.46 ฿15.39

206.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$2.59 ฿86.6

-15.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PAB 4.04

$3.64 ฿122

10.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.71 ฿57.2

8.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 PAB 2.32

$1.45 ฿48.42

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 PAB 2.99

$1.56 ฿52.3

91.67%

Eggs

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$2.10 ฿70.3

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 PAB 12.28

$19.53 ฿654

-37.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 PAB 6.94

$3.40 ฿114

104.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 PAB 10.11

$11.14 ฿373

-9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.83 ฿94.8

47.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 PAB 1.48

$1.62 ฿54.3

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 PAB 3.65

$2.22 ฿74.5

64.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 PAB 3.73

$2.15 ฿71.9

73.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 PAB 2.50

$1.49 ฿49.95

67.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 PAB 3.29

$1.33 ฿44.40

147.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$1.07 ฿35.72

118.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$0.51 ฿17.01

207.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PAB 6.08

$4.38 ฿147

38.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 PAB 9.88

$18.77 ฿629

-47.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$1.74 ฿58.3

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$2.78 ฿92.9

-12.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PAB 0.43

$2.17 ฿72.6

-80.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$22.28 ฿746

-5.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$3.02 ฿101

-19.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$1.06 ฿35.43

71.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.79 PAB 21.79

$3.71 ฿124

487.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PAB 1.18

$1.43 ฿47.88

-17.48%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$26.3K ฿882.1K

-18.43%

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

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

$26.2K ฿877.3K

-15.30%

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

$119 PAB 119

$96.7 ฿3,236

23.11%

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

$27.03 PAB 27.03

$11.41 ฿382

136.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 PAB 47.70

$17.11 ฿573

178.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 PAB 48.94

$52.8 ฿1,768

-7.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.16 PAB 30.16

$11.07 ฿371

172.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$7.65 ฿256

2.48%

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

$536 PAB 536

$555 ฿18.6K

-3.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 PAB 8,069

$11.3K ฿377.7K

-28.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 PAB 53.5

$63.4 ฿2,123

-15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 PAB 42.77

$28.61 ฿958

49.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PAB 87.4

$96.7 ฿3,238

-9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 PAB 103

$88.6 ฿2,967

16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 PAB 944

$735 ฿24.6K

28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 PAB 697

$458 ฿15.3K

52.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 PAB 1,728

$2,102 ฿70.4K

-17.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 PAB 1,262

$1,187 ฿39.7K

6.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,941 PAB 2,941

$3,493 ฿116.9K

-15.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,673 PAB 1,673

$2,491 ฿83.4K

-32.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 PAB 826

$501 ฿16.8K

64.80%

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 Phuket: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama

$697 44%

Phuket

$458 38.1% 34.2% $239

Groceries & Markets

Panama

$302 19.1%

Phuket

$268 22.3% 11.3% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama

$194 12.2%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 35.4% $69

Eating Out

Panama

$164 10.3%

Phuket

$119 9.9% 27.1% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Panama

$129 8.2%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 3.4% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Panama

$65 4.1%

Phuket

$68 5.7% 5.4% $3.5

Getting Around

Panama

$34 2.2%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 14.7% $5

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

23:06 11:06 PM

11:06 11:06 AM

12 h ahead of Panama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,098,587

79,308

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Panama Phuket 18,130 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama
Phuket

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 Phuket

THB, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Panama

Phuket

Panama

Phuket

Panama vs other spots: cost of living compared

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