Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lima vs Panama City

Lima vs Panama City

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 49% cheaper Lima +64 Mbps Low / Moderate

Lima

Eduardo Flores/Unsplash

Panama City

Yosi Bitran/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,284

Lima

$2,533

Panama City

Internet

219

Mbps

155

Mbps

Safety

Low

Lima

Moderate

Panama City

Air Quality

5/5

Lima

5/5

Panama City

Healthcare

High

Lima

Moderate

Panama City

Population

8.9m

Lima

36.9k

Panama City

Lima (Peru) and Panama City (Panama) are both in Latin America, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Lima costs $1284/mo, saving 49% compared to Panama City's $2533/mo — that's $14988 per year.

For families, Lima costs $2188.437491200074/mo compared to Panama City's $5751.125/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Lima's 219 Mbps (global #26) — considerably faster than Panama City's 155 Mbps (#56).

Quality of Life

Panama City has a stronger safety profile than Lima, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Lima offers better healthcare infrastructure than Panama City — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lima is January (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454), while Panama City peaks in February (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 413). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LimaPanama City

Nomad$1,284/mo$2,533/mo

Expat$794/mo$2,055/mo

Local$625/mo$1,643/mo

Family$2,188/mo$5,751/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LimaPanama City

City Speed

219 Mbps#26

155 Mbps#56

Country Speed200 Mbps168 Mbps

Environment & Health

LimaPanama City

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity7077

Quality of Life

LimaPanama City

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lima

Panama City

Jan

27°

0mm454

36°

1mm404

Feb

29°

0mm454

35°

0mm413

Mar

28°

0mm454

38°

1mm404

Apr

25°

0mm434

38°

4mm340

May

21°

0mm414

38°

8mm268

Jun

18°

0mm414

35°

8mm222

Jul

17°

0mm414

36°

12mm268

Aug

17°

0mm414

36°

9mm253

Sep

18°

0mm414

35°

10mm268

Oct

19°

0mm414

35°

9mm268

Nov

23°

0mm434

33°

7mm268

Dec

25°

0mm434

36°

4mm283

Who Should Choose Lima?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
Major city energy with 8.9m residents
Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Who Should Choose Panama City?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 155 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 36.9k residents
Peak season in February — 35 degrees, score 413

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Lima is the stronger pick. At $1284/mo it beats Panama City's $2533/mo by 49%, and the 219 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Lima Panama City

ItemLimaPanama CityDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.92$8

51%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.19$52.5

58%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.22$6.5

20%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.66$3.34

20%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.09$2.5

16%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.92$4

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.86$1.66

48%

Water (0.33L)$0.57$1.34

57%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.22$1.58

23%

White bread (500g)$1.83$2.17

16%

White rice (1kg)$1.11$1.96

43%

Eggs (12)$1.81$2.13

15%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.99$7.2

31%

Beef round (1kg)$8.2$8.13

Local cheese (1kg)$6.89$7.79

12%

Apples (1kg)$1.54$2.98

48%

Bananas (1kg)$1.02$1.24

18%

Oranges (1kg)$0.93$2.97

69%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.98$3.31

70%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.74$1.87

60%

Onions (1kg)$0.89$1.96

55%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.72$2.26

68%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.72$1.5

52%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.83$9.5

18%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.6$1.23

23%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.33$1.72

26%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.22$5.8

10%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.52$0.35

33%

Monthly transport pass$15.66$27.5

43%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.61$2

23%

Taxi per 1km$1.44$1.75

18%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.27$20

69%

Gasoline (1L)$1.31$1.07

18%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,274.38$25,000

27%

Toyota Corolla (new)$21,697.31$20,431.25

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$71.32$98.85

28%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$30.91$46.98

34%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.14

22%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$37.19$39.36

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.4$24.17

49%

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.48$6

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$213.5$358.89

41%

International primary school/yr$5,851.01$11,675

50%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$43.81$51.43

15%

Summer dress (chain store)$28.35$44.55

36%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$71.57$75.25

Men's leather business shoes$68.37$89

23%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$511.24$908.95

44%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$349.69$516.18

32%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$954.12$1,784.21

47%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$701.14$977.78

28%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,962.17$2,200

11%

Price per m², outside centre$1,483.1$1,303.12

12%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$489.76$804.44

39%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.29$5.95

28%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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