Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Panama

Name: Panama
Address: PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,285 a month against $1,604 in Panama, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Panama
Learn more

Panama Living Index

Jump to prices

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,604

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Rio de Janeiro is 18.4% cheaper than Panama without rent, and 19.9% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Rio de Janeiro is 17.9% cheaper than Panama without rent, and 24.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 R$49.83

$7.86 PAB 7.86

26.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 R$201

$44.75 PAB 44.75

-9.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 R$42.35

$7.89 PAB 7.89

7.48%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R$11.80

$3.84 PAB 3.84

-38.54%

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

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.59 PAB 1.59

2.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.06

$1.41 PAB 1.41

-28.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 R$12.19

$2.19 PAB 2.19

11.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 R$18.43

$4.04 PAB 4.04

-8.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.72

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 R$10.34

$2.32 PAB 2.32

-10.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$2.99 PAB 2.99

-56.86%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.32

$2.48 PAB 2.48

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 R$54.9

$12.28 PAB 12.28

-10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.51

$6.94 PAB 6.94

-37.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 R$48.63

$10.11 PAB 10.11

-3.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.12

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-32.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.17

$1.48 PAB 1.48

24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$3.65 PAB 3.65

-56.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.00

$3.73 PAB 3.73

-51.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.28

$2.50 PAB 2.50

-49.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.34

$3.29 PAB 3.29

-67.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.75

$2.34 PAB 2.34

-67.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.29

$1.57 PAB 1.57

-57.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 R$15.21

$6.08 PAB 6.08

-49.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 R$40.84

$9.88 PAB 9.88

-17.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$5.92

$1.39 PAB 1.39

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.92

$2.42 PAB 2.42

-1.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.06

$0.43 PAB 0.43

134.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 R$250

$20.96 PAB 20.96

139.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 R$6.33

$2.43 PAB 2.43

-47.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R$4.51

$1.82 PAB 1.82

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 R$47.13

$21.79 PAB 21.79

-56.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.65

$1.18 PAB 1.18

12.71%

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

$23.4K R$117.0K

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

9.02%

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

$33.6K R$167.6K

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

51.28%

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

$134 R$666

$119 PAB 119

12.18%

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

$12.23 R$61.0

$27.03 PAB 27.03

-54.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.65 R$113

$47.70 PAB 47.70

-52.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.56 R$158

$48.94 PAB 48.94

-35.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 R$154

$30.16 PAB 30.16

2.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 R$41.07

$7.84 PAB 7.84

4.97%

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

$603 R$3,011

$536 PAB 536

12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K R$66.1K

$8,069 PAB 8,069

64.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 R$208

$53.5 PAB 53.5

-22.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.94 R$249

$42.77 PAB 42.77

16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$375

$87.4 PAB 87.4

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 R$341

$103 PAB 103

-33.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 R$4,519

$944 PAB 944

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 R$2,633

$697 PAB 697

-24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 R$6,720

$1,728 PAB 1,728

-22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 R$3,865

$1,262 PAB 1,262

-38.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,981 R$19.9K

$2,941 PAB 2,941

35.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 R$7,798

$1,673 PAB 1,673

-6.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,210

$826 PAB 826

-22.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.37

87.28%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 6, 2026

Last update for Panama: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41%

Panama

$697 44% 32.1% $169

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Panama

$302 19.1% 40.8% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1%

Panama

$194 12.2% 15.1% $25

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7%

Panama

$164 10.3% 0.1% $0.2

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Panama

$129 8.2% 22.2% $23

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Panama

$34 2.2% 42.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7%

Panama

$65 4.1% 34.6% $17

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇵🇦 Panama

🕒 Local time

08:26 8:26 AM

06:26 6:26 AM

2 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

4,098,587

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 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 BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Panama 5,310 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Panama

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

Rio de Janeiro vs other spots: cost of living compared

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