Panama City vs San Jose, Costa Rica - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Panama City San Jose
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1479
$1324
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3609
$3344
🏠 One person rent
$846
$606
🏘️ Family rent
$1592
$1094
🍽️ Food expenses
$440
$499
🚐 Transport expenses
$83
$78
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$967
$990
😷 Air quality
Good
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
7 km
🎓 Higher education
42
60
😀 Quality of life
67
66
🏙️ Population
881K
342K

The cost of living in Panama City is 12% more expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica. Cities ranked 3517th and 4143rd ($1479 vs $1324) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 2nd in Panama and Costa Rica, respectively. Check Panama vs Costa Rica comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.7 months in Panama City compared to 0.7 months in San Jose, Costa Rica. Panama City ranked 1st best city to live in Panama vs San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st in Costa Rica, while ranked 3734th and 4085th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Panama City vs San Jose, Costa Rica infographic

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Prices in Panama City vs San Jose, Costa Rica

Prices for goods and services in Panama City and San Jose are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Panama City San Jose
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$10.4
$11.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$48.5
$51.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.06
$9.6
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.97
$2.9
☕ Cappuccino
$3.99
$4.5
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.66
$1.97
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$891
$738
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$681
$444
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1749
$1315
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1344
$874
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$78
$53.7
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$121
$82.5
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$45.4
$49.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.28%
10.31%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2551
$2883
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1632
$1718
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.42
$0.98
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$23.2
$41.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$14.3
$16.2
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.96
$1.42
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.8
$2.07
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.19
$2.32
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.33
$1.94
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.77
$3.34
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.4
$11.2
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.09
$8.97
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.99
$14.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.44
$3.92
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.58
$1.46
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.89
$3.91
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.94
$2.99
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.23
$2.99
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.8
$2.81
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.07
$1.85
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.31
$3.17
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$10
$18.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.29
$2.43
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.98
$5.13
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$11.7
$8.09
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$7.94
$7.94
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.37
$3.22
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.71
$3.77
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$45.3
$65
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.22
$9.08
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$54.5
$72.3
💇 Haircut, simple
$12.9
$15.2
👖 Brand Jeans
$56.8
$68.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$93.2
$125
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$477
$601
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13616
$12527

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Cities near Panama City

Distance City Cost of living
8.1 km or 5 mi Balboa
$1328
16 km or 9.9 mi Tocumen
$1310
26 km or 16 mi Pacora
$1304
34 km or 21 mi La Chorrera
$957
59 km or 37 mi Colon
$1172
108 km or 67 mi Penonome
$1116
154 km or 96 mi Chitre
$1117
190 km or 118 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1089
321 km or 199 mi Turbo
$664
329 km or 204 mi David
$890
398 km or 247 mi Monteria
$645
403 km or 250 mi Limon
$1225
406 km or 252 mi Santa Cruz de Lorica
$669
452 km or 281 mi Sincelejo
$524
463 km or 288 mi Cartagena
$760
483 km or 300 mi Quibdo
$705
494 km or 307 mi Cartago
$1024
513 km or 319 mi San Jose
$1324
518 km or 322 mi Heredia
$1296
521 km or 324 mi Magangue
$604
526 km or 327 mi Bello
$839
529 km or 329 mi Alajuela
$1269
530 km or 329 mi Medellin
$906
534 km or 332 mi Envigado
$897
558 km or 347 mi Soledad
$741
559 km or 348 mi Barranquilla
$773
595 km or 370 mi Puntarenas
$801
617 km or 383 mi Cartago
$649
617 km or 383 mi Cienaga
$742
623 km or 387 mi Manizales
$653
627 km or 390 mi Santa Teresa
$1213
627 km or 390 mi Pereira
$680
631 km or 392 mi Santa Marta
$837
632 km or 393 mi Buenaventura
$742
636 km or 395 mi Minca
$759
651 km or 404 mi Salento
$605
652 km or 405 mi Armenia
$598
657 km or 408 mi Tulua
$513
658 km or 409 mi Barrancabermeja
$1031
675 km or 419 mi Liberia
$932

Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1296
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1269
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1024
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$801
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1225
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1213
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$932
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1710
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$839
246 km or 153 mi David
$890
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$666
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$701
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$710
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$738
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$624
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1089
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$455
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$632
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$598
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1116
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$638
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1117
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1172
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$957
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1328
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1479
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1310
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1304
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1088
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1083
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$753
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$755
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1204
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1182
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1175
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1160
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1194
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$626
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$903