Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paso Robles, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,738 in Paso Robles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Paso Robles, CA
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Paso Robles, CA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Paso Robles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,738

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paso Robles, CA and in Panama City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Paso Robles, CA and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,738 per month in Paso Robles, CA vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Paso Robles, CA $2,738
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $4,319 per month in Paso Robles, CA vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Paso Robles, CA $4,319
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $5,900 per month in Paso Robles, CA vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Paso Robles, CA $5,900
Panama City $3,753

Paso Robles, CA costs about 48% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Paso Robles, CA and Panama City sit above the global median – Paso Robles, CA by 103%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 $24.70

$11.63 PAB 11.63

112.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$47.92 PAB 47.92

112.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$7.96 PAB 7.96

44.10%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$4.22 PAB 4.22

24.88%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$2.01 PAB 2.01

21.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.39 PAB 3.39

141.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.94 PAB 3.94

53.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-12.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-3.45%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.69 PAB 2.69

23.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 $15.18

$12.57 PAB 12.57

20.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$6.83 PAB 6.83

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$10.58 PAB 10.58

-18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-22.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-41.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-48.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-25.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-60.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-61.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-1.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-13.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$6.14 PAB 6.14

89.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 $14.29

$11.30 PAB 11.30

26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.42 PAB 1.42

50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.73 PAB 2.73

22.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.46 $5.46

$0.33 PAB 0.33

1554.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 $67.3

$21.23 PAB 21.23

217.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.52 PAB 2.52

136.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.86 PAB 1.86

25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$21.78 PAB 21.78

130.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.25 PAB 1.25

8.00%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

76.06%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

23.31%

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

$364 $364

$130 PAB 130

180.15%

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

$58.2 $58.2

$28.13 PAB 28.13

106.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$48.21 PAB 48.21

33.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 $41.94

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.84 $9.84

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-71.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 $12.19

$8.67 PAB 8.67

40.60%

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

$2,479 $2,479

$544 PAB 544

355.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

213.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 $49.79

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-25.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.46 $34.46

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-29.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 $82.6

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$112 PAB 112

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 $2,093

$1,257 PAB 1,257

66.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$875 PAB 875

48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,472 $3,472

$2,155 PAB 2,155

61.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,810 $2,810

$1,564 PAB 1,564

79.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,331 $6,331

$3,122 PAB 3,122

102.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,378 $6,378

$1,709 PAB 1,709

273.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,965 $2,965

$916 PAB 916

223.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

6.39

1.25%

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

Last update for Paso Robles, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Paso Robles, CA

$1.3K 47.4%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 32.6% $424

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Paso Robles, CA

$486 17.8%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 57.6% $280

Eating Out

Paso Robles, CA

$364 13.3%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 43.2% $157

Groceries & Markets

Paso Robles, CA

$290 10.6%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 12% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Paso Robles, CA

$125 4.6%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 15.6% $19

Getting Around

Paso Robles, CA

$107 3.9%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 67.8% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Paso Robles, CA

$66 2.4%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 4.8% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,093 in Paso Robles, CA versus $1,257 in Panama City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 224% higher in Paso Robles, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Paso Robles, CA versus $48.00 in Panama City. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Paso Robles, CA vs $325 in Panama City – so Paso Robles, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Paso Robles, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

18:43 6:43 PM

20:43 8:43 PM

2 h ahead of Paso Robles, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,793

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Paso Robles, CA Panama City 5,110 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Paso Robles, CA
Panama City

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

Paso Robles, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Paso Robles, CA is pricier by about 48%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,106 per month in Paso Robles, CA and $2,783 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panama City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Paso Robles, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Paso Robles, CA and $48.00 in Panama City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,855, than in Paso Robles, CA at $2,738. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paso Robles, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Panama City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paso Robles, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.