Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Mateo, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $30,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

215

Cost of Living Index in San Mateo, CA
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San Mateo, CA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,419

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,419 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $4,419
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $6,644 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $6,644
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $8,868 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $8,868
Panama City $3,753

San Mateo, CA costs about 138% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Mateo, CA and Panama City sit above the global median – San Mateo, CA by 227%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$11.63 PAB 11.63

70.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$47.92 PAB 47.92

104.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$7.96 PAB 7.96

61.68%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$4.22 PAB 4.22

31.28%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.01 PAB 2.01

53.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.56 PAB 1.56

80.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 $8.31

$3.39 PAB 3.39

145.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$3.94 PAB 3.94

150.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-12.97%

White Bread (500g)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.56 PAB 2.56

132.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.48 PAB 3.48

71.84%

Eggs

$7.19 $7.19

$2.69 PAB 2.69

167.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$12.57 PAB 12.57

6.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$6.83 PAB 6.83

178.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

$10.58 PAB 10.58

87.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.18 PAB 4.18

44.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.83 PAB 1.83

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$4.03 PAB 4.03

119.85%

Potato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.48 PAB 3.48

24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.41 PAB 2.41

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.69 PAB 1.69

16.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$6.14 PAB 6.14

94.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 $14.53

$11.30 PAB 11.30

28.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.42 PAB 1.42

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-29.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.99 $3.99

$0.33 PAB 0.33

1109.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$21.23 PAB 21.23

357.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.52 PAB 2.52

60.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.86 PAB 1.86

9.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.25 PAB 1.25

24.80%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

73.43%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

23.71%

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

$267 $267

$130 PAB 130

105.48%

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

$41.54 $41.54

$28.13 PAB 28.13

47.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$48.21 PAB 48.21

29.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 $109

$45.78 PAB 45.78

137.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.40 $9.40

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-73.08%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 $18.35

$8.67 PAB 8.67

111.65%

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

$2,947 $2,947

$544 PAB 544

441.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K $28.8K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

197.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 $63.6

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 $47.52

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-3.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$93.9 PAB 93.9

24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$112 PAB 112

20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,421 $3,421

$1,257 PAB 1,257

172.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,741 $2,741

$875 PAB 875

213.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,944 $5,944

$2,155 PAB 2,155

175.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$1,564 PAB 1,564

227.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K $13.8K

$3,122 PAB 3,122

342.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,907 $8,907

$1,709 PAB 1,709

421.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,501 $7,501

$916 PAB 916

718.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.39

2.19%

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

Last update for San Mateo, CA: 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

San Mateo, CA

$2.7K 62%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 68.1% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

San Mateo, CA

$523 11.8%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 37.8% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Mateo, CA

$371 8.4%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 44.4% $165

Eating Out

San Mateo, CA

$348 7.9%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 40.7% $142

Clothing & Footwear

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.7%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 11.4% $19

Sport & Entertainment

San Mateo, CA

$146 3.3%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 56.7% $83

Getting Around

San Mateo, CA

$127 2.9%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 73% $93

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,421 in San Mateo, CA 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 719% higher in San Mateo, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Mateo, CA versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $523 vs $325 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

06:12 6:12 AM

08:12 8:12 AM

2 h ahead of San Mateo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,536

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Mateo, CA Panama City 5,330 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

San Mateo, CA
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

San Mateo, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Mateo, CA is pricier by about 138%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,628 per month in San Mateo, CA 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 61% more in San Mateo, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Mateo, CA 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 San Mateo, CA at $4,419. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Mateo, CA 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.

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 Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.