Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $2,330 in Quesnel, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Quesnel
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Quesnel Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Quesnel

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,330

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,330 per month in Quesnel vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Quesnel $2,330
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $3,279 per month in Quesnel vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Quesnel $3,279
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $4,227 per month in Quesnel vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Quesnel $4,227
Panama City $3,753

Quesnel costs about 26% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Quesnel and Panama City sit above the global median – Quesnel by 73%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.27 CA$23.00

$11.63 PAB 11.63

39.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.91 CA$63.5

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-6.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.41

$7.96 PAB 7.96

36.93%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.69

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-4.74%

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

$2.38 CA$3.36

$2.01 PAB 2.01

18.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.81

$1.56 PAB 1.56

27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 CA$6.37

$3.39 PAB 3.39

32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.12

$3.94 PAB 3.94

45.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$1.85 PAB 1.85

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.46

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.59

$3.48 PAB 3.48

13.51%

Eggs

$4.66 CA$6.59

$2.69 PAB 2.69

73.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.72

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-5.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.49 CA$23.31

$6.83 PAB 6.83

141.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 CA$23.40

$10.58 PAB 10.58

56.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.72

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.82

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-29.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.17

$4.20 PAB 4.20

3.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$6.03

$4.03 PAB 4.03

5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 CA$4.30

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.15

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.48

$2.41 PAB 2.41

2.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.43

$1.69 PAB 1.69

1.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 CA$16.78

$6.14 PAB 6.14

93.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 CA$14.79

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-7.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.42 PAB 1.42

79.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CA$4.58

$2.73 PAB 2.73

18.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$0.33 PAB 0.33

572.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 CA$78.7

$21.23 PAB 21.23

162.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 CA$3.53

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 CA$3.03

$1.86 PAB 1.86

15.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.45 CA$58.6

$21.78 PAB 21.78

90.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.76

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-0.80%

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

$28.6K CA$40.4K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

34.64%

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

$22.1K CA$31.2K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

5.13%

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

$172 CA$243

$130 PAB 130

32.57%

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

$38.46 CA$54.4

$28.13 PAB 28.13

36.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 CA$97.7

$48.21 PAB 48.21

43.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.54 CA$57.3

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-11.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 CA$25.89

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-47.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 CA$10.26

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-16.26%

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

$736 CA$1,041

$544 PAB 544

35.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.5K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

27.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.45 CA$51.5

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-45.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.75 CA$64.7

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 CA$108

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-18.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$151

$112 PAB 112

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 CA$1,089

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-38.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 CA$1,601

$875 PAB 875

29.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,910 CA$2,701

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-11.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 CA$2,353

$1,564 PAB 1,564

6.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,754 CA$5,306

$3,122 PAB 3,122

20.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,780 CA$5,344

$1,709 PAB 1,709

121.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,424 CA$3,427

$916 PAB 916

164.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.35

6.39

-16.28%

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

Last update for Quesnel: October 10, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quesnel

$1.1K 48.6%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 22.8% $258

Groceries & Markets

Quesnel

$403 17.3%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 19.3% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quesnel

$280 12%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 26.3% $74

Eating Out

Quesnel

$263 11.3%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 21.3% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Quesnel

$120 5.1%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 20.9% $25

Getting Around

Quesnel

$78 3.3%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 55.7% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Quesnel

$55 2.4%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 14.6% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Quesnel 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 165% higher in Quesnel, 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 Quesnel versus $48.00 in Panama City. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in Quesnel vs $325 in Panama City – so Panama City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Quesnel

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

13:26 1:26 PM

15:26 3:26 PM

2 h ahead of Quesnel

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,007

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 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).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Quesnel Panama City 6,220 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Quesnel
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

Quesnel vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quesnel is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,495 per month in Quesnel 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.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Quesnel, 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 $45.00 in Quesnel 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 Quesnel at $2,330. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quesnel 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.

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