Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama and Sao Paulo

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,244 a month against $1,604 in Panama, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index

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🇵🇦 Panama

$1,604

/mo nomad

Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,244

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Panama is 6.2% more expensive than Sao Paulo without rent, and 28.9% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Panama is 8.3% more expensive than Sao Paulo without rent, and 12.9% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 PAB 7.86

$8.94 R$44.64

-12.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.75 PAB 44.75

$49.46 R$247

-9.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 PAB 7.89

$9.22 R$46.01

-14.43%

Cappuccino

$3.84 PAB 3.84

$2.54 R$12.70

51.18%

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

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$1.45 R$7.25

9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$0.91 R$4.55

54.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$3.07 R$15.31

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PAB 4.04

$4.36 R$21.75

-7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.27 R$6.32

45.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 PAB 2.32

$1.84 R$9.17

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 PAB 2.99

$1.41 R$7.05

112.06%

Eggs

$2.48 PAB 2.48

$2.84 R$14.20

-12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 PAB 12.28

$12.56 R$62.7

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 PAB 6.94

$5.37 R$26.81

29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 PAB 10.11

$10.72 R$53.5

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$2.74 R$13.67

52.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 PAB 1.48

$1.81 R$9.03

-18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 PAB 3.65

$1.55 R$7.74

135.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 PAB 3.73

$1.98 R$9.90

88.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 PAB 2.50

$1.47 R$7.34

70.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 PAB 3.29

$1.24 R$6.20

165.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 PAB 2.34

$1.27 R$6.35

84.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$0.96 R$4.79

63.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 PAB 6.08

$3.04 R$15.16

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 PAB 9.88

$10.19 R$50.8

-3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 PAB 1.39

$1.73 R$8.64

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PAB 2.42

$2.64 R$13.19

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 PAB 0.43

$1.04 R$5.18

-58.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

$48.10 R$240

-56.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$1.82 R$9.07

33.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 PAB 1.82

$1.02 R$5.07

78.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.79 PAB 21.79

$10.16 R$50.7

114.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PAB 1.18

$1.27 R$6.35

-7.09%

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

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

$24.3K R$121.4K

-11.64%

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

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

$34.0K R$169.8K

-34.74%

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

$119 PAB 119

$104 R$519

14.49%

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

$27.03 PAB 27.03

$16.16 R$80.7

67.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 PAB 47.70

$22.59 R$113

111.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 PAB 48.94

$36.27 R$181

34.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.16 PAB 30.16

$47.78 R$239

-36.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$9.85 R$49.19

-20.41%

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

$536 PAB 536

$525 R$2,622

1.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 PAB 8,069

$16.6K R$82.8K

-51.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 PAB 53.5

$66.9 R$334

-20.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 PAB 42.77

$62.3 R$311

-31.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 PAB 87.4

$101 R$505

-13.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 PAB 103

$90.9 R$454

13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 PAB 944

$663 R$3,309

42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 PAB 697

$423 R$2,110

64.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 PAB 1,728

$1,527 R$7,622

13.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 PAB 1,262

$1,009 R$5,035

25.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,941 PAB 2,941

$2,744 R$13.7K

7.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,673 PAB 1,673

$2,068 R$10.3K

-19.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 PAB 826

$881 R$4,396

-6.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

11.68

-45.46%

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

Last update for Panama: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Panama

$697 44%

Sao Paulo

$423 34.3% 39.3% $274

Groceries & Markets

Panama

$302 19.1%

Sao Paulo

$243 19.8% 19.5% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama

$194 12.2%

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6% 26.3% $51

Eating Out

Panama

$164 10.3%

Sao Paulo

$163 13.3% 0.2% $0.4

Clothing & Footwear

Panama

$129 8.2%

Sao Paulo

$145 11.7% 11.9% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Panama

$65 4.1%

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6% 13.4% $8.6

Getting Around

Panama

$34 2.2%

Sao Paulo

$59 4.8% 72.8% $25

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🕒 Local time

01:37 1:37 AM

03:37 3:37 AM

2 h ahead of Panama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,098,587

11,451,999

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, 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).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Panama Sao Paulo 5,090 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama
Sao Paulo

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 Sao Paulo

BRL, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Panama

Sao Paulo

Panama

Sao Paulo

Panama vs other spots: cost of living compared

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