Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,932 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,932

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,932 in Panama City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Panama City $1,932

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,887 in Panama City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Panama City $2,887

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,841 in Panama City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Panama City $3,841

Playa del Carmen is about 38% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Panama City is 42% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$204

$11.72 PAB 11.72

-6.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$810

$46.74 PAB 46.74

-7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$220

$7.98 PAB 7.98

47.62%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.2

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-8.85%

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

$1.28 MX$23.96

$1.95 PAB 1.95

-34.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.63

$1.64 PAB 1.64

-52.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.2

$3.26 PAB 3.26

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.2

$3.90 PAB 3.90

26.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.28

$1.91 PAB 1.91

-26.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.43

$2.54 PAB 2.54

-12.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.48

$3.37 PAB 3.37

-57.86%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.14

$2.82 PAB 2.82

-10.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

$12.60 PAB 12.60

-42.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

$6.71 PAB 6.71

14.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$237

$10.53 PAB 10.53

20.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.0

$4.04 PAB 4.04

-31.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.56

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-29.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.66

$4.25 PAB 4.25

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.67

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.22

$3.32 PAB 3.32

-41.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.24

$4.34 PAB 4.34

-56.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.42

$2.40 PAB 2.40

-52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.03

$1.71 PAB 1.71

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.3

$6.05 PAB 6.05

-28.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$186

$11.38 PAB 11.38

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.59

$1.36 PAB 1.36

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.91

$2.80 PAB 2.80

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.34

$0.34 PAB 0.34

61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$497

$21.28 PAB 21.28

25.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.9

$2.43 PAB 2.43

104.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.2

$1.85 PAB 1.85

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

$21.77 PAB 21.77

-75.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.98

$1.20 PAB 1.20

20.00%

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

$20.7K MX$386.2K

$24.8K PAB 24.8K

-16.59%

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

$23.5K MX$438.5K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

10.69%

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

$84.8 MX$1,584

$132 PAB 132

-35.95%

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

$23.41 MX$437

$28.34 PAB 28.34

-17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$535

$48.88 PAB 48.88

-41.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,066

$43.02 PAB 43.02

32.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$540

$34.94 PAB 34.94

-17.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.0

$8.43 PAB 8.43

-39.03%

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

$207 MX$3,860

$545 PAB 545

-62.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.4K

$9,648 PAB 9,648

-59.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$810

$65.8 PAB 65.8

-34.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$774

$47.25 PAB 47.25

-12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,386

$94.6 PAB 94.6

-21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,668

$110 PAB 110

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.3K

$1,407 PAB 1,407

-30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,116

$954 PAB 954

-60.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.9K

$2,272 PAB 2,272

-24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.1K

$1,662 PAB 1,662

-35.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.7K

$3,057 PAB 3,057

28.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.1K

$1,729 PAB 1,729

256.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$916 PAB 916

-19.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.39

79.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Panama City

$954 49.3% 150% $573

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Panama City

$326 16.9% 27.9% $71

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Panama City

$206 10.7% 2% $4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Panama City

$210 10.9% 53.2% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Panama City

$143 7.4% 27.8% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Panama City

$60 3.1% 11% $7.4

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 32% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,407 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 25% higher in Panama City, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $47 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $326 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

Same time as Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.11 PAB (1 PAB = 0.899 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Panama City 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
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

Playa del Carmen vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,899 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,407 in Panama City.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Panama City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $47 in Panama City. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Panama City at $1,932. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $1,932 in Panama City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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