Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Luis: $834 a month against $1,837 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Sao Luis
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Sao Luis Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Sao Luis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$834

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $834 per month in Sao Luis vs $1,837 in Panama City, rent included.

Sao Luis $834
Panama City $1,837

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Sao Luis vs $2,825 in Panama City, rent included.

Sao Luis $1,310
Panama City $2,825

A family of three spends $1,786 per month in Sao Luis vs $3,812 in Panama City, rent included.

Sao Luis $1,786
Panama City $3,812

Sao Luis is about 55% cheaper than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sao Luis sits 38% below the global median, while Panama City is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 R$32.93

$11.34 PAB 11.34

-41.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.74 R$198

$47.85 PAB 47.85

-16.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 R$34.03

$8.07 PAB 8.07

-15.49%

Cappuccino

$2.15 R$10.71

$4.02 PAB 4.02

-46.52%

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

$1.27 R$6.33

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-34.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.65

$1.62 PAB 1.62

-54.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 R$9.77

$3.26 PAB 3.26

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 R$12.16

$3.99 PAB 3.99

-38.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.52

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 R$9.64

$2.57 PAB 2.57

-24.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.54

$3.33 PAB 3.33

-66.67%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.31

$2.69 PAB 2.69

-15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 R$50.6

$12.33 PAB 12.33

-17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 R$21.36

$6.69 PAB 6.69

-36.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 R$38.12

$10.40 PAB 10.40

-26.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 R$10.55

$4.16 PAB 4.16

-49.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 R$6.95

$1.84 PAB 1.84

-24.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.09

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-70.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.64

$4.08 PAB 4.08

-57.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.64

$3.50 PAB 3.50

-62.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.67

$4.37 PAB 4.37

-69.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 R$4.47

$2.34 PAB 2.34

-61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.62

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-58.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 R$12.17

$6.06 PAB 6.06

-59.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 R$41.00

$11.72 PAB 11.72

-29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.36

$1.37 PAB 1.37

-7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.60

$2.84 PAB 2.84

-18.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 R$4.27

$0.36 PAB 0.36

136.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.52 R$192

$20.96 PAB 20.96

83.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.12

$2.52 PAB 2.52

-59.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R$4.70

$1.79 PAB 1.79

-47.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.01 PAB 22.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.05

$1.25 PAB 1.25

-3.20%

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

$24.2K R$120.6K

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

12.20%

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

$30.4K R$151.5K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

43.26%

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

$97.5 R$487

$131 PAB 131

-25.71%

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

$18.02 R$90.0

$27.68 PAB 27.68

-34.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.42 R$107

$48.59 PAB 48.59

-55.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.11 R$100

$46.11 PAB 46.11

-56.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 R$76.2

$35.01 PAB 35.01

-56.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 R$34.14

$8.73 PAB 8.73

-21.65%

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

$183 R$915

$551 PAB 551

-66.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,911 R$14.5K

$9,560 PAB 9,560

-69.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 R$323

$67.6 PAB 67.6

-4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 R$273

$48.03 PAB 48.03

13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 R$375

$94.9 PAB 94.9

-20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.0 R$294

$113 PAB 113

-47.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 R$1,812

$1,238 PAB 1,238

-70.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 R$935

$873 PAB 873

-78.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,893

$2,197 PAB 2,197

-73.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 R$1,648

$1,538 PAB 1,538

-78.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 R$7,864

$3,116 PAB 3,116

-49.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$721 R$3,598

$1,725 PAB 1,725

-58.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 R$1,929

$934 PAB 934

-58.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

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

Last update for Sao Luis: October 3, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sao Luis

$197 23.6%

Panama City

$324 17.5% 64.2% $127

Accommodation & Living

Sao Luis

$187 22.3%

Panama City

$873 47.2% 366% $686

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Luis

$137 16.3%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 51.5% $71

Eating Out

Sao Luis

$122 14.5%

Panama City

$202 10.9% 65.8% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Luis

$114 13.6%

Panama City

$146 7.9% 27.7% $32

Getting Around

Sao Luis

$48 5.7%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 28.9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Luis

$34 4%

Panama City

$64 3.4% 88.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Sao Luis 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 142% 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 $40.00 in Sao Luis versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $324 – making Sao Luis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Luis

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

08:42 8:42 AM

06:42 6:42 AM

2 h behind Sao Luis

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,037,775

1,086,990 Capital

💱 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

Sao Luis Panama City 4,110 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Luis
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 Luis vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,251 per month in Sao Luis and $2,756 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 Luis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% 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 $40.00 in Sao Luis and $48.00 in Panama City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Luis, where all-in costs run around $834, than in Panama City at $1,837. In Sao Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Luis – 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 Luis. 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.