How much does food cost in Panama?
Alan Stone - Pedasi Palms | Gated Condominium Community
How much does food cost in Panama? I've noticed that food prices at the grocery stores in Panama get more expensive the further you move away from the city; maybe because it costs more to get it there. Anything American is more expensive, like cereal and name brand items, but buying fruit and veggies off the veggie truck is very inexpensive. Also eating at local Panamanian restaurants or fondas is usually the cheapest way to go. Try the $3 Comida del Dia...
How much does food cost in Panama? I've noticed that food prices at the grocery stores in Panama get more expensive the further you move away from the city; maybe because it costs more to get it there. Anything American is more expensive, like cereal and name brand items, but buying fruit and veggies off the veggie truck is very inexpensive. Also eating at local Panamanian restaurants or fondas is usually the cheapest way to go. Try the $3 Comida del Dia (meal of the day offered at most local places) it can't be beat! I paid about $6
for 3 bags full of veggies from the truck but paid over $6 for a six pack of Club Soda at the local grocery store. I say learn to eat the local Panamanian food and you'll save a ton!
for 3 bags full of veggies from the truck but paid over $6 for a six pack of Club Soda at the local grocery store. I say learn to eat the local Panamanian food and you'll save a ton! Posted April 8, 2013
Roy Cannon - Gestoria Cocle - main office in Penoneme
The Panamanian government has established what is called a "basket" of food basics for a typical family of 4. This cost is published periodically and often the government publishes comparisons between different supermarkets and areas. This is currently around $320 a month. But this is BASIC.
As a foreigner you will probably want to buy some of the things you are used to having, such as chunky peanut butter. Supermarket...
The Panamanian government has established what is called a "basket" of food basics for a typical family of 4. This cost is published periodically and often the government publishes comparisons between different supermarkets and areas. This is currently around $320 a month. But this is BASIC.
As a foreigner you will probably want to buy some of the things you are used to having, such as chunky peanut butter. Supermarket prices for imported things seem to run about 15-20% more than in the US or Canada. Having said this, drinks are at times less expensive. National beer averages 50 cents a can, and decent wines can be found at most supermarkets for less than $5 a bottle. Of course it is easy to pay $15-20 or more for those favorites, depending upon your palate and budget.
Every village and city has a number of Mini Supers, frequently run by Chinese Panamanians. These Mini Supers are open long hours, 7 days a week and as they are "down the street" or "around the corner" they are a convenient way to shop. However, the selection is limited, in line with the demand from the local population, and generally more expensive than the major supermarket chains.
Posted April 10, 2013
Howard Jones - The Haven Hotel and Health Spa, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Basic living can be quite cheap in Panama, especially in the regions where you're not paying the higher city prices. A nice pineapple in a local market stall that costs you a dollar in sell in a supermarket for $1.75 to $2. Locally grown fruit, vegetables and meat are all very affordable. Where the costs go up is if you want to buy anything imported or that one might associate with a premium product. Be wise and you can live cheaply!
Basic living can be quite cheap in Panama, especially in the regions where you're not paying the higher city prices. A nice pineapple in a local market stall that costs you a dollar in sell in a supermarket for $1.75 to $2. Locally grown fruit, vegetables and meat are all very affordable. Where the costs go up is if you want to buy anything imported or that one might associate with a premium product. Be wise and you can live cheaply!
Posted July 27, 2013
David Whittington - Tucan Golf Club and Resort
Compared to Canada, the food in Panama is quite a bit cheaper. Chicken and pork is certainly cheaper and I understand that beef is cheaper in Panama as well. While in Canada, if you buy items like chicken on sale it could be the same price as the non-sale price in Panama, it would be safe to say that your average grocery bills in Panama will be about 30% to 40% less than in Canada.
The exception to the lower cost for food costs in Panama compared with...
The exception to the lower cost for food costs in Panama compared with...
Compared to Canada, the food in Panama is quite a bit cheaper. Chicken and pork is certainly cheaper and I understand that beef is cheaper in Panama as well. While in Canada, if you buy items like chicken on sale it could be the same price as the non-sale price in Panama, it would be safe to say that your average grocery bills in Panama will be about 30% to 40% less than in Canada.
The exception to the lower cost for food costs in Panama compared with North America would be imported items. For example, the vegetables grown in Florida and shipped to Panama would be more expensive in Panama than in the US.
The exception to the lower cost for food costs in Panama compared with North America would be imported items. For example, the vegetables grown in Florida and shipped to Panama would be more expensive in Panama than in the US.
Posted August 2, 2014
Diana Chacon
In my experience, based on how long I’ve been here in Panama, the cost of food varies; it depends on where you shop. There are certain supermarkets where you can shop for a lot of groceries for less than US $300. There are other places where it is cheaper. The local Panamanians will tell you where it is cheap to shop.
There are other supermarkets with imported goods like the ones you will find in the US, but of course, they will be more...
In my experience, based on how long I’ve been here in Panama, the cost of food varies; it depends on where you shop. There are certain supermarkets where you can shop for a lot of groceries for less than US $300. There are other places where it is cheaper. The local Panamanians will tell you where it is cheap to shop.
There are other supermarkets with imported goods like the ones you will find in the US, but of course, they will be more expensive. For me, my husband and our cat, we spend about $600 every 2 weeks on groceries, and that includes all of our cat’s food and supplies.
You can find Super Noventa y Nueve (Super 99) stores here, and convenience stores that are open 24/7, and that is really nice, because you know that there is somewhere you can go to even if it’s in the middle of the night. There is also an open market for seafood outside Casco Viejo called El Mercado El Mariscos. They sell fish, lobster, and other kinds of seafood.
Posted November 30, 2014
Bill Hamilton - Bill Hamilton
The food cost in Panama depends where you live. If you live in Coronado, it’s more expensive. They always up the prices. It’s the same in Panama City. In the provinces, for instance, I go to the market and I can buy a pound of king prawns for about US $4.50. These are fresh and uncooked. Usually in America and Europe, the shrimps are quite small compared to here. King prawns are the bigger ones. They cook them in Spain and call it a gamba or...
The food cost in Panama depends where you live. If you live in Coronado, it’s more expensive. They always up the prices. It’s the same in Panama City. In the provinces, for instance, I go to the market and I can buy a pound of king prawns for about US $4.50. These are fresh and uncooked. Usually in America and Europe, the shrimps are quite small compared to here. King prawns are the bigger ones. They cook them in Spain and call it a gamba or langostino. Here, they call them camarones.
You can buy a lobster for about US $5 a pound, pineapples for 75 cents to a dollar. Fruits and vegetables are very, cheap. In Calobre, you can live well on $100 a week, if you buy everything locally. That includes buying everything for two people and a dog, including a couple of bottles of wine and some beers. (Balboa beer of Panama, pictured.)
In Panama City, it is slightly more expensive. We bought everything at Price Smart, which is a lot like Costco. I would probably say it cost about 30 to 40 percent less than in the US.
Posted January 31, 2015
Duncan McGowan - Punta Pacifica Realty
If you’re shopping in the larger supermarkets in Panama, you can probably expect to pay roughly what you would pay in the US or a Canadian supermarket. You’re not going to see much price difference.Where the savings for food in Panama really comes in is if you, for example, love seafood and cooking like I do. I go to the seafood market here in Panama City where you can get beautiful, fresh seafood of all types for a very, very low amount. They’ve...
If you’re shopping in the larger supermarkets in Panama, you can probably expect to pay roughly what you would pay in the US or a Canadian supermarket. You’re not going to see much price difference.Where the savings for food in Panama really comes in is if you, for example, love seafood and cooking like I do. I go to the seafood market here in Panama City where you can get beautiful, fresh seafood of all types for a very, very low amount. They’ve also got a fruit and vegetable market, where you can purchase fruits and vegetables for a fraction for what you would pay at a supermarket.
As a result, the more adventurous people and those who enjoy going to the local markets can find great savings. For example, I can get fresh sea bass for $2.25 a pound.
I love to cook with jumbo shrimp (and when I say “jumbo shrimp,” it’s about the size of your hand), which at the seafood market costs about $7.50 a pound. If you want to get a normal sized shrimp as opposed to jumbo shrimp, you can get that for $3.50 a pound.
If you go to the local markets to purchase fruits and vegetables, you can buy mangoes for 30 cents a pound; extremely cheap. I personally like organic fruits and vegetables. There’s an organic food delivery service here in Panama City that will deliver once a week a huge box of a variety of fruits and vegetables, for which you pay $30. A similar sized box in Toronto, for example, would cost me about $80.
(Fish monger at a seafood market in Panama City, Panama, pictured.)
Posted August 18, 2015