Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Panama City, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Panama City, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,737 in Panama City, FL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,627 in Panama City, FL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,517 in Panama City, FL.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 31% more expensive than Panama City, FL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Panama City, FL 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$18.49 $18.49

34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$54.2 $54.2

117.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.68 $10.68

28.93%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.94 $4.94

15.59%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.70 $2.70

12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.16 $2.16

15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$4.87 $4.87

60.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.63 $6.63

18.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.94 $0.94

43.62%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.20 $3.20

58.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.49 $2.49

116.47%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$3.28 $3.28

108.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$10.54 $10.54

137.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$11.49 $11.49

37.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$15.28 $15.28

34.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.44 $3.44

78.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.57 $1.57

79.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.96 $2.96

86.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.13 $4.13

63.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.06 $3.06

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.85 $2.85

34.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.05 $2.05

31.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.99 $1.99

32.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$8.11 $8.11

43.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$13.63 $13.63

15.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.75 $1.75

67.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.09 $3.09

37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.53 $1.53

84.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$136 $136

-26.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.52 $2.52

3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.57 $1.57

9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$25.51 $25.51

18.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.82 $0.82

45.12%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$22.7K $22.7K

44.17%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

5.43%

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

$263 $263

$218 $218

20.66%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$43.26 $43.26

40.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$65.7 $65.7

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$40.22 $40.22

97.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$13.17 $13.17

23.54%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$516 $516

342.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$8,028 $8,028

265.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$39.63 $39.63

73.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$42.24 $42.24

23.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$61.0 $61.0

89.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$73.6 $73.6

94.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,673 $1,673

39.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,512 $1,512

23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,335 $2,335

98.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$1,761 $1,761

97.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$3,702 $3,702

109.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$3,630 $3,630

44.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$4,085 $4,085

61.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.43

-0.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Panama City, FL: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,673 in Panama City, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $54.0 in Panama City, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $348 per month, with Panama City, FL cheaper across the board.

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

Seattle, WA vs Panama City, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Panama City, FL wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Panama City, FL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 62% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,673 in Panama City, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $516 in Panama City, FL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Panama City, FL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Panama City, FL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,737 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Panama City, FL hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Panama City, FL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.