Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and San Jose 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in San Jose are 15.7% higher than in Panama City (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in San Jose are 2.7% higher than in Panama City | |
| Rent Prices in San Jose are 25.6% lower than in Panama City | |
| Restaurant Prices in San Jose are 1.6% higher than in Panama City | |
| Groceries Prices in San Jose are 21.4% higher than in Panama City | |
| Local Purchasing Power in San Jose is 0.1% lower than in Panama City | |
Restaurants | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
12.00 $ (6,116.12 ₡) |
10.40 $ (5,298.38 ₡) |
-13.4 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
60.00 $ (30,580.59 ₡) |
63.77 $ (32,501.50 ₡) |
+6.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
8.25 $ (4,204.83 ₡) |
9.81 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+18.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
2.50 $ (1,274.19 ₡) |
3.53 $ (1,800.00 ₡) |
+41.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
4.00 $ (2,038.71 ₡) |
5.30 $ (2,700.00 ₡) |
+32.4 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
3.70 $ (1,888.31 ₡) |
3.58 $ (1,824.19 ₡) |
-3.4 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
1.76 $ (895.65 ₡) |
2.03 $ (1,032.14 ₡) |
+15.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
1.33 $ (680.05 ₡) |
1.48 $ (752.26 ₡) |
+10.6 % |
Markets | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
6.66 $ (3,394.75 ₡) |
7.37 $ (3,757.23 ₡) |
+10.7 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
2.18 $ (1,110.73 ₡) |
2.42 $ (1,235.54 ₡) |
+11.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
0.95 $ (485.49 ₡) |
1.01 $ (516.51 ₡) |
+6.4 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
2.54 $ (1,296.66 ₡) |
3.27 $ (1,664.16 ₡) |
+28.3 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
4.93 $ (2,514.27 ₡) |
4.10 $ (2,091.57 ₡) |
-16.8 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
3.39 $ (1,726.96 ₡) |
4.58 $ (2,332.34 ₡) |
+35.1 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
4.06 $ (2,071.60 ₡) |
6.78 $ (3,453.16 ₡) |
+66.7 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
1.40 $ (713.96 ₡) |
2.29 $ (1,166.17 ₡) |
+63.3 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
0.62 $ (317.94 ₡) |
0.64 $ (323.73 ₡) |
+1.8 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
1.30 $ (660.08 ₡) |
1.31 $ (666.70 ₡) |
+1.0 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
1.41 $ (716.20 ₡) |
1.29 $ (655.92 ₡) |
-8.4 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
0.94 $ (479.34 ₡) |
1.23 $ (629.07 ₡) |
+31.2 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
0.97 $ (496.89 ₡) |
1.08 $ (552.18 ₡) |
+11.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
2.18 $ (1,109.90 ₡) |
1.13 $ (578.48 ₡) |
-47.9 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1.44 $ (731.54 ₡) |
2.32 $ (1,179.93 ₡) |
+61.3 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
9.00 $ (4,587.09 ₡) |
16.68 $ (8,500.00 ₡) |
+85.3 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1.20 $ (609.25 ₡) |
2.42 $ (1,234.04 ₡) |
+102.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
1.86 $ (946.30 ₡) |
3.06 $ (1,561.09 ₡) |
+65.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
5.75 $ (2,930.64 ₡) |
4.61 $ (2,350.00 ₡) |
-19.8 % |
Transportation | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
0.35 $ (178.39 ₡) |
0.88 $ (450.00 ₡) |
+152.3 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
25.00 $ (12,741.91 ₡) |
38.39 $ (19,565.22 ₡) |
+53.6 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
2.00 $ (1,019.35 ₡) |
1.68 $ (855.00 ₡) |
-16.1 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
2.41 $ (1,230.37 ₡) |
2.41 $ (1,230.37 ₡) |
0.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
20.00 $ (10,193.53 ₡) |
6.99 $ (3,562.50 ₡) |
-65.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
3.69 $ (1,883.02 ₡) |
5.62 $ (2,864.10 ₡) |
+52.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
22,250.00 $ (11,340,302.41 ₡) |
31,784.87 $ (16,200,000.00 ₡) |
+42.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
20,494.44 $ (10,445,536.98 ₡) |
32,577.74 $ (16,604,110.18 ₡) |
+59.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
112.65 $ (57,413.50 ₡) |
72.10 $ (36,746.74 ₡) |
-36.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
29.33 $ (14,950.51 ₡) |
22.17 $ (11,300.00 ₡) |
-24.4 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
51.82 $ (26,411.44 ₡) |
47.77 $ (24,348.99 ₡) |
-7.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
40.93 $ (20,862.76 ₡) |
59.13 $ (30,138.24 ₡) |
+44.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
25.00 $ (12,741.91 ₡) |
29.37 $ (14,967.74 ₡) |
+17.5 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
7.00 $ (3,567.74 ₡) |
7.85 $ (4,000.00 ₡) |
+12.1 % |
Childcare | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
408.12 $ (208,011.73 ₡) |
465.98 $ (237,500.00 ₡) |
+14.2 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
9,675.75 $ (4,931,502.52 ₡) |
10,763.73 $ (5,486,019.69 ₡) |
+11.2 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
53.94 $ (27,490.68 ₡) |
84.14 $ (42,885.29 ₡) |
+56.0 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
40.79 $ (20,787.52 ₡) |
52.48 $ (26,747.30 ₡) |
+28.7 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
82.58 $ (42,088.55 ₡) |
127.26 $ (64,860.18 ₡) |
+54.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
92.86 $ (47,327.10 ₡) |
119.92 $ (61,120.92 ₡) |
+29.1 % |
Rent Per Month | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
925.91 $ (471,914.12 ₡) |
703.31 $ (358,460.74 ₡) |
-24.0 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
598.61 $ (305,098.02 ₡) |
445.60 $ (227,111.37 ₡) |
-25.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
2,048.00 $ (1,043,817.50 ₡) |
1,355.84 $ (691,039.23 ₡) |
-33.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
1,194.12 $ (608,613.72 ₡) |
1,039.76 $ (529,939.35 ₡) |
-12.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
228.61 $ (116,515.08 ₡) |
164.71 $ (83,946.67 ₡) |
-28.0 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
135.37 $ (68,995.86 ₡) |
123.48 $ (62,933.77 ₡) |
-8.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | Panama City Edit |
San Jose Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
861.84 $ (439,260.68 ₡) |
884.71 $ (450,913.89 ₡) |
+2.7 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.07 | 9.58 | +57.8 % |
| Last update: | April 2024 | April 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 86 | 52 |
Moving to San Jose? Explore:
Cities near Panama City: | Cost of Living in San Miguelito | 8.11 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tocumen | 15.44 miles |
| Cost of Living in Pacora | 19.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in El Coco | 33.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aguadulce | 127.78 miles |
| Cost of Living in Santiago | 161.98 miles |
Cities near San Jose: | Cost of Living in San Juan | 2.95 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cartago | 38.87 miles |
| Cost of Living in Heredia | 53.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Quesada | 57.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Perez Zeledon | 89.36 miles |
| Cost of Living in Liberia | 131.27 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tamarindo | 161.02 miles |