Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Williams Lake, BC and Panama City

For one person, living is cheaper in Panama City: $1,857 a month against $2,019 in Williams Lake, BC, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Williams Lake, BC
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Williams Lake, BC Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index

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Williams Lake, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,019

/mo nomad

Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,857

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,019 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $1,857 in Panama City, rent included.

Williams Lake, BC $2,019
Panama City $1,857

A couple spends around $2,916 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $2,815 in Panama City, rent included.

Williams Lake, BC $2,916
Panama City $2,815

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Williams Lake, BC vs $3,773 in Panama City, rent included.

Williams Lake, BC $3,814
Panama City $3,773

Williams Lake, BC costs about 9% more than Panama City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Williams Lake, BC and Panama City sit above the global median – Williams Lake, BC by 49%, Panama City by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.93 CA$25.35

$11.68 PAB 11.68

53.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$92.1

$47.76 PAB 47.76

36.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 CA$14.76

$8.12 PAB 8.12

28.57%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.20

$4.23 PAB 4.23

-13.24%

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

$2.05 CA$2.90

$1.92 PAB 1.92

6.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.35

$1.58 PAB 1.58

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 CA$6.48

$3.31 PAB 3.31

38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.84

$3.98 PAB 3.98

39.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 CA$3.34

$1.92 PAB 1.92

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CA$3.54

$2.63 PAB 2.63

-4.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 CA$4.58

$3.39 PAB 3.39

-4.42%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.87

$2.67 PAB 2.67

28.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.52

$12.21 PAB 12.21

-15.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.07

$6.91 PAB 6.91

64.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 CA$21.59

$10.58 PAB 10.58

44.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.37

$4.16 PAB 4.16

-8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.82

$1.97 PAB 1.97

-34.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.11

$4.06 PAB 4.06

-11.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.44

$4.18 PAB 4.18

-7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.49

$3.47 PAB 3.47

-28.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.21

$4.26 PAB 4.26

-46.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.32

$2.44 PAB 2.44

-3.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.95 CA$19.72

$5.83 PAB 5.83

139.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 CA$17.65

$11.43 PAB 11.43

9.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 CA$3.79

$1.38 PAB 1.38

94.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.96

$2.76 PAB 2.76

27.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.29

$0.33 PAB 0.33

606.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 CA$86.7

$20.63 PAB 20.63

197.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.70

$2.55 PAB 2.55

30.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.18

$1.78 PAB 1.78

-13.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.03 CA$32.56

$22.17 PAB 22.17

3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.24 PAB 1.24

-1.61%

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

$26.7K CA$37.8K

$24.4K PAB 24.4K

9.47%

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

$21.0K CA$29.7K

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

-1.45%

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

$135 CA$190

$131 PAB 131

2.51%

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

$32.15 CA$45.44

$27.83 PAB 27.83

15.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.4 CA$118

$49.32 PAB 49.32

69.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.37 CA$58.5

$45.69 PAB 45.69

-9.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.29 CA$27.28

$34.10 PAB 34.10

-43.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 CA$15.24

$8.47 PAB 8.47

27.27%

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

$614 CA$868

$553 PAB 553

10.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K CA$20.6K

$9,719 PAB 9,719

49.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 CA$74.8

$66.4 PAB 66.4

-20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 CA$55.3

$47.39 PAB 47.39

-17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 CA$136

$95.7 PAB 95.7

0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 CA$132

$113 PAB 113

-16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 CA$1,322

$1,322 PAB 1,322

-29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 CA$1,239

$874 PAB 874

0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 CA$1,895

$2,153 PAB 2,153

-37.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 CA$1,777

$1,580 PAB 1,580

-20.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 CA$5,520

$3,097 PAB 3,097

26.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,349 CA$4,734

$1,698 PAB 1,698

97.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 CA$4,387

$914 PAB 914

239.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

6.39

-26.92%

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

Last update for Williams Lake, BC: October 20, 2026

Last update for Panama City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Williams Lake, BC

$876 43.4%

Panama City

$874 47.1% 0.2% $2

Groceries & Markets

Williams Lake, BC

$353 17.5%

Panama City

$327 17.6% 7.5% $27

Eating Out

Williams Lake, BC

$268 13.3%

Panama City

$207 11.2% 22.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Williams Lake, BC

$250 12.4%

Panama City

$208 11.2% 16.7% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Williams Lake, BC

$127 6.3%

Panama City

$145 7.8% 14.4% $18

Getting Around

Williams Lake, BC

$82 4.1%

Panama City

$33 1.8% 59.1% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Williams Lake, BC

$63 3.1%

Panama City

$63 3.4% 0.5% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $935 in Williams Lake, BC 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 240% higher in Williams Lake, BC, 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 $65.0 in Williams Lake, BC versus $48.00 in Panama City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $327 – making Panama City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Williams Lake, BC

🇵🇦 Panama City

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

16:36 4:36 PM

2 h ahead of Williams Lake, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,753

1,086,990 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 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).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Williams Lake, BC Panama City 6,150 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Williams Lake, BC
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

Williams Lake, BC vs Panama City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Williams Lake, BC is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,028 per month in Williams Lake, BC and $2,786 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 8% more in Williams Lake, BC, 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 $65.0 in Williams Lake, BC 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 $1,857, than in Williams Lake, BC at $2,019. In Panama City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Williams Lake, BC 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, Williams Lake, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.