Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidney, NE and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,972 a month against $2,638 in Sidney, NE, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sidney, NE, United States
Panama City, Panama
Sidney, NE
🇺🇸 United States
$2,638
/mo nomad
Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,972
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,638 per month in Sidney, NE vs $1,972 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Sidney, NE $2,638
  • Panama City $1,972

A couple spends around $3,783 per month in Sidney, NE vs $2,930 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Sidney, NE $3,783
  • Panama City $2,930

A family of three spends $4,928 per month in Sidney, NE vs $3,888 in Panama City, rent included.

  • Sidney, NE $4,928
  • Panama City $3,888

Sidney, NE costs about 34% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sidney, NE and Panama City sit above the global median – Sidney, NE by 95%, Panama City by 46%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.83 $19.83
$11.37 PAB 11.37
74.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.66 $40.66
$46.69 PAB 46.69
-12.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.10 $15.10
$7.98 PAB 7.98
89.22%
Cappuccino
$5.78 $5.78
$4.12 PAB 4.12
40.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.01 PAB 2.01
46.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.57 PAB 1.57
26.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.89 $3.89
$3.28 PAB 3.28
18.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06 $6.06
$3.88 PAB 3.88
56.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.82 PAB 1.82
-47.25%
White Bread (500g)
$3.33 $3.33
$2.61 PAB 2.61
27.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.55 $6.55
$3.45 PAB 3.45
89.86%
Eggs
$4.03 $4.03
$2.68 PAB 2.68
50.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.78 $11.78
$12.42 PAB 12.42
-5.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.70 $8.70
$6.73 PAB 6.73
29.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.36 $13.36
$10.44 PAB 10.44
27.97%
Apples (1kg)
$5.92 $5.92
$4.21 PAB 4.21
40.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.95 PAB 1.95
-24.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.08 $6.08
$4.07 PAB 4.07
49.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.19 $6.19
$4.02 PAB 4.02
53.98%
Potato (1kg)
$3.98 $3.98
$3.46 PAB 3.46
15.03%
Onion (1kg)
$3.73 $3.73
$4.42 PAB 4.42
-15.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 $0.99
$2.43 PAB 2.43
-59.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.72 PAB 1.72
34.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 $7.96
$6.04 PAB 6.04
31.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.25 $16.25
$11.68 PAB 11.68
39.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.41 PAB 1.41
35.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.14 $5.14
$2.74 PAB 2.74
87.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.82 $1.82
$0.33 PAB 0.33
451.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.6 $63.6
$20.65 PAB 20.65
208.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.45 PAB 2.45
-0.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 $1.44
$1.76 PAB 1.76
-18.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.61 $23.61
$21.86 PAB 21.86
8.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.20 PAB 1.20
-21.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$24.6K PAB 24.6K
12.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$20.9K PAB 20.9K
28.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$132 PAB 132
68.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.4 $71.4
$27.89 PAB 27.89
155.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.9 $73.9
$49.10 PAB 49.10
50.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.09 $40.09
$44.53 PAB 44.53
-9.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.01 PAB 34.01
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.94 $6.94
$8.70 PAB 8.70
-20.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 $793
$537 PAB 537
47.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.2K $32.2K
$20.5K PAB 20.5K
56.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.3 $69.3
$65.8 PAB 65.8
5.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.65 $48.65
$48.45 PAB 48.45
0.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.5 $92.5
$95.4 PAB 95.4
-3.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 $142
$114 PAB 114
25.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,565 $1,565
$1,405 PAB 1,405
11.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,252 $1,252
$994 PAB 994
25.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,617 $2,617
$2,221 PAB 2,221
17.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,090 $2,090
$1,714 PAB 1,714
21.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,888 $2,888
$3,139 PAB 3,139
-8.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,381 $2,381
$1,724 PAB 1,724
38.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sidney, NE
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$936 PAB 936
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
6.39
4.38%

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

Last update for Sidney, NE: November 1, 2026

Last update for Panama City: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sidney, NE
$1.3K
Panama City
$994 20.6% $257
Groceries & Markets
Sidney, NE
$401
Panama City
$326 18.9% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidney, NE
$368
Panama City
$209 43.2% $159
Eating Out
Sidney, NE
$325
Panama City
$203 37.5% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Sidney, NE
$159
Panama City
$145 8.3% $13
Getting Around
Sidney, NE
$81
Panama City
$33 58.7% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Sidney, NE
$54
Panama City
$62 14.7% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,565 in Sidney, NE versus $1,405 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Sidney, NE versus $47 in Panama City. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Sidney, NE vs $326 in Panama City – so Panama City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Sidney, NE
🇵🇦 Panama City
🕒 Local time
00:29 12:29 AM
02:29 2:29 AM
2 h ahead of Sidney, NE
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,400
1,086,990 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sidney, NE Panama City 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sidney, NE
  • 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
Sidney, NE vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panama City cheaper than Sidney, NE?
Yes – Sidney, NE is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,958 per month in Sidney, NE and $2,958 in Panama City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Panama City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,405 there versus $1,565 in Sidney, NE.
How do food prices compare in Sidney, NE and in Panama City?
Groceries cost about 23% more in Sidney, NE, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Sidney, NE or in Panama City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Sidney, NE and $47 in Panama City. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Sidney, NE or in Panama City?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,972, than in Sidney, NE at $2,638. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sidney, NE it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sidney, NE or Panama City more family-friendly?
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.

Sidney, NE vs other spots: cost of living compared

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