Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Dalles, OR and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,857 a month against $2,611 in The Dalles, OR, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

The Dalles, OR
🇺🇸 United States
$2,611
/mo nomad
Panama City
🇵🇦 Panama
$1,857
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,611 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $1,857 in Panama City, rent included.

  • The Dalles, OR $2,611
  • Panama City $1,857

A couple spends around $3,793 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $2,815 in Panama City, rent included.

  • The Dalles, OR $3,793
  • Panama City $2,815

A family of three spends $4,974 per month in The Dalles, OR vs $3,773 in Panama City, rent included.

  • The Dalles, OR $4,974
  • Panama City $3,773

The Dalles, OR costs about 41% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both The Dalles, OR and Panama City sit above the global median – The Dalles, OR by 93%, Panama City by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.07 $20.07
$11.68 PAB 11.68
71.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.8 $96.8
$47.76 PAB 47.76
102.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.96 $11.96
$8.12 PAB 8.12
47.29%
Cappuccino
$4.60 $4.60
$4.23 PAB 4.23
8.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$1.92 PAB 1.92
27.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.58 PAB 1.58
33.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.04 $5.04
$3.31 PAB 3.31
52.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.90 $6.90
$3.98 PAB 3.98
73.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.92 PAB 1.92
-46.35%
White Bread (500g)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.63 PAB 2.63
23.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.11 $4.11
$3.39 PAB 3.39
21.24%
Eggs
$2.95 $2.95
$2.67 PAB 2.67
10.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.43 $14.43
$12.21 PAB 12.21
18.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.55 $13.55
$6.91 PAB 6.91
96.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.94 $10.94
$10.58 PAB 10.58
3.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.80 $4.80
$4.16 PAB 4.16
15.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.97 PAB 1.97
-12.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$4.06 PAB 4.06
-3.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.00 $4.00
$4.18 PAB 4.18
-4.31%
Potato (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$3.47 PAB 3.47
-13.83%
Onion (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$4.26 PAB 4.26
-23.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.44 PAB 2.44
-23.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.69 PAB 1.69
21.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.25 $11.25
$5.83 PAB 5.83
92.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.22 $15.22
$11.43 PAB 11.43
33.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.38 PAB 1.38
18.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.76 PAB 2.76
5.80%
🚌 Getting Around
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
$0.33 PAB 0.33
487.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.93 $44.93
$20.63 PAB 20.63
117.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.55 PAB 2.55
36.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.78 PAB 1.78
23.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$49.48 $49.48
$22.17 PAB 22.17
123.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.24 PAB 1.24
4.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$24.4K PAB 24.4K
5.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K $24.7K
$21.3K PAB 21.3K
16.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 $188
$131 PAB 131
43.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.8 $59.8
$27.83 PAB 27.83
114.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$49.32 PAB 49.32
39.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.77 $41.77
$45.69 PAB 45.69
-8.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.10 PAB 34.10
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.83 $11.83
$8.47 PAB 8.47
39.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$987 $987
$553 PAB 553
78.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K $16.3K
$9,719 PAB 9,719
67.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.22 $40.22
$66.4 PAB 66.4
-39.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.38 $34.38
$47.39 PAB 47.39
-27.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.1 $60.1
$95.7 PAB 95.7
-37.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.5 $81.5
$113 PAB 113
-27.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,612 $1,612
$1,322 PAB 1,322
21.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,379 $1,379
$874 PAB 874
57.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 $2,526
$2,153 PAB 2,153
17.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,143 $2,143
$1,580 PAB 1,580
35.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,021 $3,021
$3,097 PAB 3,097
-2.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,708 $2,708
$1,698 PAB 1,698
59.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
The Dalles, OR
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,789 $3,789
$914 PAB 914
314.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
6.39
3.13%

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

Last update for The Dalles, OR: October 17, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
The Dalles, OR
$1.4K
Panama City
$874 36.6% $505
Groceries & Markets
The Dalles, OR
$377
Panama City
$327 13.4% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Dalles, OR
$316
Panama City
$208 34.1% $108
Eating Out
The Dalles, OR
$309
Panama City
$207 32.9% $102
Clothing & Footwear
The Dalles, OR
$97
Panama City
$145 49% $48
Getting Around
The Dalles, OR
$67
Panama City
$33 50.3% $34
Sport & Entertainment
The Dalles, OR
$65
Panama City
$63 4.3% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in The Dalles, OR versus $1,322 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 315% higher in The Dalles, OR, 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 $97.0 in The Dalles, OR versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $327 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 The Dalles, OR
🇵🇦 Panama City
🕒 Local time
15:09 3:09 PM
17:09 5:09 PM
2 h ahead of The Dalles, OR
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,783
1,086,990 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • The Dalles, OR Panama City 5,680 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • The Dalles, OR
  • 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
The Dalles, OR vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panama City cheaper than The Dalles, OR?
Yes – The Dalles, OR is pricier by about 41%, 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 $3,917 per month in The Dalles, OR and $2,786 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in The Dalles, OR and in Panama City?
Groceries cost about 15% more in The Dalles, OR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in The Dalles, OR or in Panama City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in The Dalles, OR and $48.00 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 The Dalles, OR or in Panama City?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,857, than in The Dalles, OR at $2,611. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in The Dalles, OR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is The Dalles, OR 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, The Dalles, OR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

The Dalles, OR vs other spots: cost of living compared

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