Panama City Cost of Living: Overview
What it costs to live and work remotely from Panama City, broken down by category.
Panama City is more expensive than most Central American nomad destinations, closer to Mexico City pricing, but offers a genuinely modern, high-rise urban environment with the US dollar as legal tender — removing currency conversion entirely for US-income nomads.
- 1BR apartment, city area — $900-1,700/month in expat-popular neighborhoods (El Cangrejo, San Francisco, Bella Vista); more budget-friendly city-fringe areas run $600-1,000
- Coworking, monthly — $200/month or more at established spaces; USD is the local currency, which simplifies budgeting and eliminates currency-conversion risk entirely
- Eating out, per meal — roughly $8-15 for a casual local meal, considerably more at restaurants in upscale waterfront neighborhoods like Punta Pacífica
Run your own numbers
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Open the Cost CalculatorThis is informational, not advice. Visa, tax, and immigration rules change, and a general guide can't account for your specific situation. Before you act on anything here, confirm current details with the relevant embassy, consulate, or a licensed immigration or tax professional. See our editorial policy for how we verify what we publish.