Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicaragua and Panama 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Panama is 32.8% higher than in Nicaragua (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Panama is 57.2% higher than in Nicaragua | |
| Rent Prices in Panama are 179.9% higher than in Nicaragua | |
| Restaurant Prices in Panama are 66.9% higher than in Nicaragua | |
| Groceries Prices in Panama are 20.0% higher than in Nicaragua | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Panama is 84.2% higher than in Nicaragua | |
Restaurants | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 4.14 $ | 10.00 $ | +141.3 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 30.00 $ | 50.00 $ | +66.7 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 7.00 $ | 7.49 $ | +7.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 1.36 $ | 2.00 $ | +47.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.00 $ | 3.50 $ | +75.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 2.08 $ | 3.47 $ | +66.6 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 0.83 $ | 1.48 $ | +77.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 0.66 $ | 1.22 $ | +84.0 % |
Markets | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.44 $ | 6.85 $ | +54.3 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 1.85 $ | 2.21 $ | +19.9 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 0.71 $ | 1.04 $ | +46.1 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 2.08 $ | 2.67 $ | +28.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 3.92 $ | 5.31 $ | +35.3 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 2.83 $ | 3.29 $ | +16.5 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 3.60 $ | 4.08 $ | +13.3 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.87 $ | 1.83 $ | -2.0 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.53 $ | 0.60 $ | +12.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.06 $ | 1.27 $ | +20.1 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 0.94 $ | 1.33 $ | +41.8 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.59 $ | 0.95 $ | -40.0 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 0.91 $ | 1.05 $ | +15.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 0.89 $ | 2.08 $ | +132.8 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 0.99 $ | 1.56 $ | +58.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.41 $ | 1.20 $ | -14.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.15 $ | 2.15 $ | -0.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 3.17 $ | 5.92 $ | +86.6 % |
Transportation | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 0.14 $ | 0.55 $ | +297.8 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 6.01 $ | 25.00 $ | +316.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 1.01 $ | 2.25 $ | +123.9 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 1.01 $ | 3.22 $ | +220.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 6.80 $ | 21.00 $ | +208.8 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 5.04 $ | 3.51 $ | -30.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 22,973.64 $ | 20,000.00 $ | -12.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 27,106.26 $ | 21,464.58 $ | -20.8 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 70.38 $ | 109.00 $ | +54.9 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 17.23 $ | 29.47 $ | +71.0 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 38.31 $ | 48.80 $ | +27.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 33.03 $ | 52.40 $ | +58.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 15.00 $ | 37.50 $ | +150.0 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 8.00 $ | 7.00 $ | -12.5 % |
Childcare | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 89.33 $ | 446.67 $ | +400.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 8,000.00 $ | 10,425.00 $ | +30.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 66.91 $ | 48.27 $ | -27.9 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 49.97 $ | 41.15 $ | -17.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 101.98 $ | 83.67 $ | -18.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 94.38 $ | 110.45 $ | +17.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 347.50 $ | 920.45 $ | +164.9 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 271.88 $ | 698.62 $ | +157.0 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 594.87 $ | 1,805.53 $ | +203.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 491.98 $ | 1,351.92 $ | +174.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 113.03 $ | 200.90 $ | +77.7 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 48.22 $ | 143.56 $ | +197.7 % |
Salaries And Financing | Nicaragua Edit |
Panama Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 285.37 $ | 826.28 $ | +189.5 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.25 | 6.30 | -38.5 % |
| Last update: | March 2025 | March 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 31 | 90 |
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