Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Penasco and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Penasco: $1,216 a month against $1,837 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Penasco
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Puerto Penasco Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Puerto Penasco

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,216

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,216 per month in Puerto Penasco vs $1,837 in Panama City, rent included.

Puerto Penasco $1,216
Panama City $1,837

A couple spends around $1,963 per month in Puerto Penasco vs $2,825 in Panama City, rent included.

Puerto Penasco $1,963
Panama City $2,825

A family of three spends $2,710 per month in Puerto Penasco vs $3,812 in Panama City, rent included.

Puerto Penasco $2,710
Panama City $3,812

Puerto Penasco is about 34% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Puerto Penasco sits 9% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 MX$224

$11.34 PAB 11.34

7.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.66 MX$820

$47.85 PAB 47.85

-6.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 MX$157

$8.07 PAB 8.07

6.07%

Cappuccino

$4.83 MX$88.7

$4.02 PAB 4.02

20.15%

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

$1.40 MX$25.67

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-27.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$19.32

$1.62 PAB 1.62

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$49.05

$3.26 PAB 3.26

-18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MX$72.6

$3.99 PAB 3.99

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MX$29.32

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 MX$55.9

$2.57 PAB 2.57

18.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$30.92

$3.33 PAB 3.33

-49.55%

Eggs

$2.99 MX$54.8

$2.69 PAB 2.69

11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 MX$89.7

$12.33 PAB 12.33

-60.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 MX$197

$6.69 PAB 6.69

60.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MX$178

$10.40 PAB 10.40

-6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 MX$82.1

$4.16 PAB 4.16

7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MX$35.06

$1.84 PAB 1.84

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 MX$57.8

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-24.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$38.80

$4.08 PAB 4.08

-48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.88

$3.50 PAB 3.50

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.14

$4.37 PAB 4.37

-53.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$26.85

$2.34 PAB 2.34

-37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.19

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-9.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MX$82.2

$6.06 PAB 6.06

-26.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 MX$252

$11.72 PAB 11.72

16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$28.91

$1.37 PAB 1.37

14.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$28.67

$2.84 PAB 2.84

-45.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.71

$0.36 PAB 0.36

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 PAB 20.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 MX$41.40

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-10.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 MX$57.5

$1.79 PAB 1.79

74.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.22 MX$206

$22.01 PAB 22.01

-49.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$25.27

$1.25 PAB 1.25

10.40%

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

$21.3K MX$391.3K

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

-1.05%

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

$24.4K MX$448.1K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

15.16%

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

$71.5 MX$1,314

$131 PAB 131

-45.46%

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

$12.60 MX$231

$27.68 PAB 27.68

-54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 MX$804

$48.59 PAB 48.59

-9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.41 MX$613

$46.11 PAB 46.11

-27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.26 MX$372

$35.01 PAB 35.01

-42.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MX$99.6

$8.73 PAB 8.73

-37.80%

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

$226 MX$4,143

$551 PAB 551

-59.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,696 MX$86.2K

$9,560 PAB 9,560

-50.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 MX$1,026

$67.6 PAB 67.6

-17.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 MX$773

$48.03 PAB 48.03

-12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MX$1,839

$94.9 PAB 94.9

5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 MX$1,664

$113 PAB 113

-19.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 MX$9,787

$1,238 PAB 1,238

-56.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MX$7,112

$873 PAB 873

-55.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 MX$17.6K

$2,197 PAB 2,197

-56.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 MX$14.0K

$1,538 PAB 1,538

-50.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,873 MX$34.4K

$3,116 PAB 3,116

-39.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 MX$21.4K

$1,725 PAB 1,725

-32.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MX$10.9K

$934 PAB 934

-36.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.55

6.39

65.10%

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

Last update for Puerto Penasco: October 3, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Puerto Penasco

$387 31.9%

Panama City

$873 47.2% 125% $486

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Penasco

$293 24.1%

Panama City

$324 17.5% 10.8% $32

Eating Out

Puerto Penasco

$212 17.5%

Panama City

$202 10.9% 5% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Penasco

$130 10.7%

Panama City

$146 7.9% 12% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Penasco

$128 10.5%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 62.1% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Penasco

$44 3.6%

Panama City

$64 3.4% 43.6% $19

Getting Around

Puerto Penasco

$20 * 1.7%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 65.7% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in Puerto Penasco versus $1,238 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 57% 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 $45.00 in Puerto Penasco versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $324 – making Puerto Penasco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Puerto Penasco

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

01:55 1:55 AM

03:55 3:55 AM

2 h ahead of Puerto Penasco

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,756

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

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).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Puerto Penasco Panama City 4,300 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Penasco
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

Puerto Penasco vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,824 per month in Puerto Penasco and $2,756 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,216 in Puerto Penasco and $1,837 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 51%.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Puerto Penasco and $551 in Panama City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Penasco, where all-in costs run around $1,216, than in Panama City at $1,837. In Puerto Penasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Penasco – 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 Puerto Penasco. 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.