Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama: $1,604 a month against $1,949 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Panama
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Panama Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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🇵🇦 Panama

$1,604

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Panama is 29.1% cheaper than San Jose without rent, and 17.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Panama is 26.4% cheaper than San Jose without rent, and 14.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 PAB 7.86

$12.22 ₡5,510

-35.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.75 PAB 44.75

$60.1 ₡27.1K

-25.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 PAB 7.89

$11.77 ₡5,305

-32.97%

Cappuccino

$3.84 PAB 3.84

$4.30 ₡1,939

-10.70%

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

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$2.72 ₡1,226

-41.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.84 ₡830

-23.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$3.28 ₡1,480

-33.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PAB 4.04

$4.36 ₡1,966

-7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$2.38 ₡1,074

-22.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 PAB 2.32

$3.12 ₡1,408

-25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 PAB 2.99

$2.41 ₡1,086

24.07%

Eggs

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$3.47 ₡1,564

-28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 PAB 12.28

$10.57 ₡4,767

16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 PAB 6.94

$10.56 ₡4,758

-34.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 PAB 10.11

$13.75 ₡6,196

-26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$5.04 ₡2,274

-17.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 PAB 1.48

$1.61 ₡727

-8.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 PAB 3.65

$4.59 ₡2,069

-20.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 PAB 3.73

$3.84 ₡1,731

-2.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 PAB 2.50

$3.77 ₡1,700

-33.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 PAB 3.29

$3.76 ₡1,693

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$1.12 ₡506

108.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$3.20 ₡1,441

-50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PAB 6.08

$5.84 ₡2,632

4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 PAB 9.88

$19.73 ₡8,897

-49.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$2.75 ₡1,240

-49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$3.66 ₡1,650

-33.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PAB 0.43

$1.12 ₡503

-61.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$65.1 ₡29.4K

-67.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$2.46 ₡1,110

-1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$1.54 ₡692

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.79 PAB 21.79

$8.46 ₡3,815

157.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PAB 1.18

$1.55 ₡699

-23.87%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$21.7K ₡9.8M

-0.97%

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

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

$34.9K ₡15.7M

-36.36%

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

$119 PAB 119

$94.7 ₡42.7K

25.69%

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

$27.03 PAB 27.03

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 PAB 47.70

$58.6 ₡26.4K

-18.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 PAB 48.94

$72.2 ₡32.5K

-32.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.16 PAB 30.16

$25.19 ₡11.4K

19.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$7.83 ₡3,532

0.13%

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

$536 PAB 536

$971 ₡437.9K

-44.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 PAB 8,069

$17.0K ₡7.7M

-52.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 PAB 53.5

$71.6 ₡32.3K

-25.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 PAB 42.77

$54.9 ₡24.7K

-22.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PAB 87.4

$129 ₡58.2K

-32.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 PAB 103

$133 ₡60.0K

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 PAB 944

$934 ₡420.9K

1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 PAB 697

$770 ₡347.2K

-9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 PAB 1,728

$1,945 ₡876.7K

-11.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 PAB 1,262

$1,316 ₡593.5K

-4.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,941 PAB 2,941

$2,277 ₡1.0M

29.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,673 PAB 1,673

$1,795 ₡809.1K

-6.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 PAB 826

$1,006 ₡453.5K

-17.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

8.62

-26.10%

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

Last update for Panama: October 5, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama

$697 44%

San Jose

$770 39.9% 10.6% $74

Groceries & Markets

Panama

$302 19.1%

San Jose

$399 20.7% 32% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama

$194 12.2%

San Jose

$188 9.8% 2.8% $5.4

Eating Out

Panama

$164 10.3%

San Jose

$228 11.8% 39.4% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Panama

$129 8.2%

San Jose

$175 9.1% 35.4% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Panama

$65 4.1%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 35.9% $23

Getting Around

Panama

$34 2.2%

San Jose

$80 4.1% 133% $45

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

06:56 6:56 AM

05:56 5:56 AM

1 h behind Panama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,098,587

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, 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).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Panama San Jose 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Panama
San Jose

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 San Jose

CRC, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Panama

San Jose

Panama

San Jose

Panama vs other spots: cost of living compared

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