Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Joao da Boa Vista: $823 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Sao Joao da Boa Vista
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Sao Joao da Boa Vista Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Sao Joao da Boa Vista

🇧🇷 Brazil

$823

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $823 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista $823
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $1,320 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista $1,320
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $1,818 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista $1,818
Panama City $3,753

Sao Joao da Boa Vista is about 56% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista sits 39% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 R$28.22

$11.63 PAB 11.63

-51.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.03 R$116

$47.92 PAB 47.92

-51.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 R$35.45

$7.96 PAB 7.96

-11.18%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.29

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-51.42%

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

$1.17 R$5.89

$2.01 PAB 2.01

-41.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 R$4.62

$1.56 PAB 1.56

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 R$9.94

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-41.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.32

$3.94 PAB 3.94

-47.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-42.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 R$8.23

$2.56 PAB 2.56

-35.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.90

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-71.84%

Eggs

$2.37 R$11.90

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-11.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 R$50.2

$12.57 PAB 12.57

-20.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 R$25.09

$6.83 PAB 6.83

-26.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 R$50.5

$10.58 PAB 10.58

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 R$9.80

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-53.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.88

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 R$4.89

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-76.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.85

$4.03 PAB 4.03

-61.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 R$4.15

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-76.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 R$4.09

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-80.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 R$3.90

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-67.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.87

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 R$11.80

$6.14 PAB 6.14

-61.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 R$30.55

$11.30 PAB 11.30

-46.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$5.90

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 R$9.93

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.33 PAB 0.33

163.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.48 R$223

$21.23 PAB 21.23

109.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 R$7.89

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-37.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 R$7.87

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-15.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 R$41.10

$21.78 PAB 21.78

-62.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.35

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-14.40%

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

$19.8K R$99.3K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

-6.84%

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

$33.3K R$166.9K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

58.26%

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

$95.3 R$478

$130 PAB 130

-26.59%

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

$9.88 R$49.55

$28.13 PAB 28.13

-64.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.70 R$98.8

$48.21 PAB 48.21

-59.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.59 R$143

$45.78 PAB 45.78

-37.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.76 R$159

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 R$27.56

$8.67 PAB 8.67

-36.68%

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

$280 R$1,403

$544 PAB 544

-48.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K R$51.8K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

6.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 R$274

$66.8 PAB 66.8

-18.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.79 R$190

$49.14 PAB 49.14

-23.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 R$258

$93.9 PAB 93.9

-45.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 R$304

$112 PAB 112

-45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 R$1,753

$1,257 PAB 1,257

-72.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 R$1,018

$875 PAB 875

-76.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 R$3,402

$2,155 PAB 2,155

-68.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 R$2,333

$1,564 PAB 1,564

-70.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 R$7,931

$3,122 PAB 3,122

-49.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 R$5,175

$1,709 PAB 1,709

-39.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 R$3,307

$916 PAB 916

-28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.79

6.39

100.16%

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

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: October 12, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$203 24.7%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 331% $672

Groceries & Markets

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$193 23.4%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 68.7% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$125 15.2%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 65.1% $81

Eating Out

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$113 13.8%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 82.6% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$92 11.2%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 57.2% $53

Getting Around

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$57 7%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 40.1% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Joao da Boa Vista

$40 4.8%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 59.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 39% 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 $23.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $325 – making Sao Joao da Boa Vista the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Joao da Boa Vista

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

14:28 2:28 PM

2 h behind Sao Joao da Boa Vista

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,547

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.199 USD

1 BRL = 0.178 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.893 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 14, 2026: 1 USD = 5.02 BRL (1 BRL = 0.199 USD). 1 EUR = 5.62 BRL (1 BRL = 0.178 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.893 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sao Joao da Boa Vista Panama City 4,960 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Joao da Boa Vista
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

Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 126%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,234 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Panama City, 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 $23.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and $48.00 in Panama City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Sao Joao da Boa Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Joao da Boa Vista – 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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.