Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reno, NV and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $2,930 in Reno, NV, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Reno, NV
🇺🇸 United States
$2,930
/mo nomad
Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,930 per month in Reno, NV vs $1,837 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Reno, NV $2,930
  • Panama City $1,837

A couple spends around $4,241 per month in Reno, NV vs $2,825 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Reno, NV $4,241
  • Panama City $2,825

A family of three spends $5,553 per month in Reno, NV vs $3,812 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Reno, NV $5,553
  • Panama City $3,812

Reno, NV costs about 59% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Reno, NV and Panama City sit above the global median – Reno, NV by 119%, Panama City by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.40 $26.40
$11.34 PAB 11.34
132.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.4 $86.4
$47.85 PAB 47.85
80.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.75 $12.75
$8.07 PAB 8.07
57.99%
Cappuccino
$5.36 $5.36
$4.02 PAB 4.02
33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$1.94 PAB 1.94
41.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.62 PAB 1.62
22.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.35 $7.35
$3.26 PAB 3.26
125.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.48 $7.48
$3.99 PAB 3.99
87.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.83 PAB 1.83
-39.34%
White Bread (500g)
$4.00 $4.00
$2.57 PAB 2.57
55.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.04 $4.04
$3.33 PAB 3.33
21.32%
Eggs
$5.44 $5.44
$2.69 PAB 2.69
102.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.49 $11.49
$12.33 PAB 12.33
-6.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.34 $16.34
$6.69 PAB 6.69
144.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.48 $23.48
$10.40 PAB 10.40
125.77%
Apples (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$4.16 PAB 4.16
8.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.84 PAB 1.84
-22.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$4.18 PAB 4.18
-27.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.89 $6.89
$4.08 PAB 4.08
68.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.95 $2.95
$3.50 PAB 3.50
-15.71%
Onion (1kg)
$3.80 $3.80
$4.37 PAB 4.37
-13.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.34 PAB 2.34
14.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.75 PAB 1.75
28.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.11 $10.11
$6.06 PAB 6.06
66.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.77 $12.77
$11.72 PAB 11.72
8.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.37 PAB 1.37
44.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 $3.64
$2.84 PAB 2.84
28.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 $1.98
$0.36 PAB 0.36
450.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.2 $64.2
$20.96 PAB 20.96
206.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.52 PAB 2.52
48.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.79 PAB 1.79
43.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.63 $33.63
$22.01 PAB 22.01
52.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.25 PAB 1.25
2.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K $37.8K
$21.5K PAB 21.5K
75.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$21.2K PAB 21.2K
21.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 $178
$131 PAB 131
35.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$96.7 $96.7
$27.68 PAB 27.68
249.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$90.2 $90.2
$48.59 PAB 48.59
85.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.79 $39.79
$46.11 PAB 46.11
-13.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.57 $15.57
$35.01 PAB 35.01
-55.53%
Cinema Ticket
$14.23 $14.23
$8.73 PAB 8.73
63.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,353 $1,353
$551 PAB 551
145.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.4K $27.4K
$9,560 PAB 9,560
186.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5 $52.5
$67.6 PAB 67.6
-22.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.49 $33.49
$48.03 PAB 48.03
-30.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.0 $75.0
$94.9 PAB 94.9
-20.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$146 $146
$113 PAB 113
29.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,238 PAB 1,238
54.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,413 $1,413
$873 PAB 873
61.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,141 $3,141
$2,197 PAB 2,197
42.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 $2,137
$1,538 PAB 1,538
38.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,391 $3,391
$3,116 PAB 3,116
8.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,633 $3,633
$1,725 PAB 1,725
110.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Reno, NV
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,255 $4,255
$934 PAB 934
355.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.39
6.73%

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

Last update for Reno, NV: October 4, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Reno, NV
$1.4K
Panama City
$873 38.2% $540
Groceries & Markets
Reno, NV
$450
Panama City
$324 27.9% $126
Eating Out
Reno, NV
$384
Panama City
$202 47.5% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reno, NV
$365
Panama City
$207 43.1% $157
Clothing & Footwear
Reno, NV
$138
Panama City
$146 5.3% $7.4
Getting Around
Reno, NV
$89
Panama City
$34 61.8% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Reno, NV
$68
Panama City
$64 6.9% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,907 in Reno, NV 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 355% higher in Reno, NV, 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 $86.0 in Reno, NV versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $324 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Reno, NV
🇵🇦 Panama City
🕒 Local time
03:44 3:44 AM
05:44 5:44 AM
2 h ahead of Reno, NV
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
271,953
1,086,990 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Reno, NV Panama City 5,240 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Reno, NV
  • 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
Reno, NV vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panama City cheaper than Reno, NV?
Yes – Reno, NV is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,395 per month in Reno, NV and $2,756 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Reno, NV and in Panama City?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Reno, NV, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Reno, NV or in Panama City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Reno, NV and $48.00 in Panama City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Reno, NV or in Panama City?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Reno, NV at $2,930. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reno, NV it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Reno, NV or Panama City more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reno, NV makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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