Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Walnut Creek, CA and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,855 a month against $3,696 in Walnut Creek, CA, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

180

Cost of Living Index in Walnut Creek, CA
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Walnut Creek, CA Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Walnut Creek, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,696

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,696 per month in Walnut Creek, CA vs $1,855 in Panama City, rent included.

Walnut Creek, CA $3,696
Panama City $1,855

A couple spends around $5,404 per month in Walnut Creek, CA vs $2,804 in Panama City, rent included.

Walnut Creek, CA $5,404
Panama City $2,804

A family of three spends $7,112 per month in Walnut Creek, CA vs $3,753 in Panama City, rent included.

Walnut Creek, CA $7,112
Panama City $3,753

Walnut Creek, CA costs about 99% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Walnut Creek, CA and Panama City sit above the global median – Walnut Creek, CA by 174%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$11.63 PAB 11.63

72.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 $91.6

$47.92 PAB 47.92

91.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$7.96 PAB 7.96

89.32%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$4.22 PAB 4.22

32.23%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$2.01 PAB 2.01

45.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.56 PAB 1.56

46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$3.39 PAB 3.39

135.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.94 PAB 3.94

98.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.56 PAB 2.56

48.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-3.45%

Eggs

$5.66 $5.66

$2.69 PAB 2.69

110.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.93 $25.93

$12.57 PAB 12.57

106.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.63 $18.63

$6.83 PAB 6.83

172.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 $22.55

$10.58 PAB 10.58

113.14%

Apples (1kg)

$8.00 $8.00

$4.18 PAB 4.18

91.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.83 PAB 1.83

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.20 PAB 4.20

-20.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$4.03 PAB 4.03

64.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$3.48 PAB 3.48

-67.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$4.22 PAB 4.22

-28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.41 PAB 2.41

6.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.69 PAB 1.69

74.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.70 $11.70

$6.14 PAB 6.14

90.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$11.30 PAB 11.30

78.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.42 PAB 1.42

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-15.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.32 $6.32

$0.33 PAB 0.33

1815.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.52 PAB 2.52

25.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.86 PAB 1.86

26.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.60 $40.60

$21.78 PAB 21.78

86.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.25 PAB 1.25

24.00%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

77.55%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

22.91%

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

$186 $186

$130 PAB 130

42.91%

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

$77.3 $77.3

$28.13 PAB 28.13

174.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$48.21 PAB 48.21

41.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 $87.6

$45.78 PAB 45.78

91.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 $15.24

$34.92 PAB 34.92

-56.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$8.67 PAB 8.67

75.55%

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

$2,250 $2,250

$544 PAB 544

313.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.8K $36.8K

$9,697 PAB 9,697

279.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 $70.5

$66.8 PAB 66.8

5.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$49.14 PAB 49.14

27.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$93.9 PAB 93.9

12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 $201

$112 PAB 112

80.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 $2,324

$1,257 PAB 1,257

84.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 $2,126

$875 PAB 875

142.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,431 $4,431

$2,155 PAB 2,155

105.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,527 $3,527

$1,564 PAB 1,564

125.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,539 $6,539

$1,709 PAB 1,709

282.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,693 $6,693

$916 PAB 916

630.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.39

2.97%

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

Last update for Walnut Creek, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Walnut Creek, CA

$2.1K 57.5%

Panama City

$875 47.2% 58.8% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Walnut Creek, CA

$534 14.5%

Panama City

$325 17.5% 39.1% $209

Eating Out

Walnut Creek, CA

$349 9.4%

Panama City

$207 11.1% 40.8% $142

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Walnut Creek, CA

$331 9%

Panama City

$206 11.1% 37.8% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Walnut Creek, CA

$198 5.4%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 27% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Walnut Creek, CA

$118 3.2%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 46.6% $55

Getting Around

Walnut Creek, CA

$40 * 1.1%

Panama City

$34 1.9% 14.5% $5.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,324 in Walnut Creek, CA versus $1,257 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 631% higher in Walnut Creek, CA, 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 $92.0 in Walnut Creek, CA versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $534 vs $325 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Walnut Creek, CA

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

06:30 6:30 AM

08:30 8:30 AM

2 h ahead of Walnut Creek, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

70,166

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

PAB to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Walnut Creek, CA Panama City 5,330 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Walnut Creek, CA
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

Walnut Creek, CA vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Walnut Creek, CA is pricier by about 99%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,545 per month in Walnut Creek, CA and $2,783 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,696 in Walnut Creek, CA and $1,855 in Panama City. That's a gap of about 99%.

Kindergarten costs $2,250 per month in Walnut Creek, CA and $544 in Panama City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Panama City, where all-in costs run around $1,855, than in Walnut Creek, CA at $3,696. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Walnut Creek, CA 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Panama City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Walnut Creek, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.