Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,837 a month against $2,024 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. The total is higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador despite lower rent and utilities.

100

Cost of Living Index in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
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St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,024

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Panama City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,024 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,837 in Panama City, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $2,024
Panama City $1,837

A couple spends around $3,089 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,825 in Panama City, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $3,089
Panama City $2,825

A family of three spends $4,154 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $3,812 in Panama City, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $4,154
Panama City $3,812

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 10% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Panama City sit above the global median – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador by 51%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 CA$24.66

$11.34 PAB 11.34

52.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 CA$99.9

$47.85 PAB 47.85

46.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 CA$16.70

$8.07 PAB 8.07

45.48%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.79

$4.02 PAB 4.02

1.24%

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

$2.58 CA$3.66

$1.94 PAB 1.94

32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$3.04

$1.62 PAB 1.62

32.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 CA$7.08

$3.26 PAB 3.26

52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CA$7.44

$3.99 PAB 3.99

31.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CA$4.29

$1.83 PAB 1.83

65.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 CA$4.27

$2.57 PAB 2.57

16.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.90

$3.33 PAB 3.33

24.32%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.39

$2.69 PAB 2.69

40.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 CA$16.27

$12.33 PAB 12.33

-7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.56

$6.69 PAB 6.69

95.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 CA$16.76

$10.40 PAB 10.40

13.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 CA$6.71

$4.16 PAB 4.16

13.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.14

$1.84 PAB 1.84

58.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 CA$6.80

$4.18 PAB 4.18

14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.17

$4.08 PAB 4.08

-27.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.76

$3.50 PAB 3.50

-24.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.08

$4.37 PAB 4.37

-50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.89

$2.34 PAB 2.34

17.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.80

$1.75 PAB 1.75

12.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.42 CA$19.09

$6.06 PAB 6.06

121.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.45 CA$21.98

$11.72 PAB 11.72

31.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.09 CA$5.81

$1.37 PAB 1.37

198.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 CA$5.95

$2.84 PAB 2.84

47.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 CA$2.54

$0.36 PAB 0.36

394.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 CA$77.3

$20.96 PAB 20.96

159.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 CA$4.36

$2.52 PAB 2.52

21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 CA$2.52

$1.79 PAB 1.79

-1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 CA$41.23

$22.01 PAB 22.01

31.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.90

$1.25 PAB 1.25

6.40%

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

$27.5K CA$39.1K

$21.5K PAB 21.5K

27.73%

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

$21.5K CA$30.6K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

1.44%

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

$177 CA$252

$131 PAB 131

35.06%

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

$40.72 CA$57.9

$27.68 PAB 27.68

47.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 CA$107

$48.59 PAB 48.59

55.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 CA$93.8

$46.11 PAB 46.11

43.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 CA$26.10

$35.01 PAB 35.01

-47.59%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 CA$14.89

$8.73 PAB 8.73

19.93%

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

$530 CA$754

$551 PAB 551

-3.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,977 CA$14.2K

$9,560 PAB 9,560

4.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 CA$92.9

$67.6 PAB 67.6

-3.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.72 CA$70.7

$48.03 PAB 48.03

3.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 CA$111

$94.9 PAB 94.9

-17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 CA$133

$113 PAB 113

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 CA$1,387

$1,238 PAB 1,238

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 CA$1,124

$873 PAB 873

-9.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 CA$2,192

$2,197 PAB 2,197

-29.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 CA$1,947

$1,538 PAB 1,538

-11.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 CA$2,807

$3,116 PAB 3,116

-36.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,531 CA$2,177

$1,725 PAB 1,725

-11.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,734 CA$3,889

$934 PAB 934

192.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

6.39

-28.48%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: October 4, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$790 38.4%

Panama City

$873 47.2% 10.5% $83

Groceries & Markets

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$408 19.8%

Panama City

$324 17.5% 20.6% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$293 14.3%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 29.3% $86

Eating Out

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$277 13.5%

Panama City

$202 10.9% 27.2% $75

Clothing & Footwear

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$129 6.3%

Panama City

$146 7.9% 13.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$87 4.2%

Panama City

$64 3.4% 26.8% $23

Getting Around

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

$73 3.6%

Panama City

$34 1.8% 53.8% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 193% higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $70.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $324 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

22:47 10:47 PM

20:17 8:17 PM

2 h 30 min behind St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,525

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 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 CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Panama City 4,980 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,036 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 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 26% more in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $70.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 $1,837, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,024. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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.

If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.