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Grocery Prices in Panama in August 2026

RULATAM city price survey in Panama City, a basket of 50 products, fell to $213.10.

During the month, basket prices decreased by 0.8%; the current basket costs 213.10 USD. Prices are checked from 20 to 28 August for everyday retail goods; so the cost of living in Panama is tracked over time, not by anecdotal impressions.

August 2026
Main output

How much did a basic city basket cost in Panama City?

RULATAM city price survey in Panama City, a basket of 50 products, fell to $213.50.

period:August 2026History of Panama 50 begins in June 2026
comparison:-0,7%by July 2026, in USD
currencyUSDPanama prices are published in dollars
Panama 50:213,50 USDthe standard list of 50 products

What the measurement shows

During the month, basket prices fell by 0.7%; the current basket costs 213.50 USD. Prices are checked from 20 to 25 August for everyday retail goods; so the cost of living in Panama is tracked over time, not by anecdotal impressions.

The methodology, categories and full price table are published below.

Prices in Panama in August 2026. RULATAM city price survey in Panama City, a basket of 50 products, fell to $213.10.

Key Points in This Release

This is the third release of RULATAM Panama 50. Panama City has been selected as the country's main urban market and practical point of reference: the metric features premium, medium, mass and club retail formats.

What's published

The archive preserves the output and a limited comparative sample, the complete basket and the complete price register are internal RULATAM data.

How Prices Are Collected

Collection period: From August 20 to August 28, 2026, the survey takes place in Panama City, which is the price of the city, not the national average.

Sources of release: El Machetazo, Super 99, Super Xtra, Riba Smith and other online and offline marketplaces, including delivery services.

In this release, 68% of items are confirmed by public online prices, 32% by photos, checks, receipts or manual on-site checks, and all 50 lines are cross-edited: product, packaging, weight, unit of measurement, availability and deviation from the previous release are compared.

For each item, the minimum current retail price of a comparable product is searched for; a share per unit is allowed without a club card; discounts for several products are excluded; offers for two for the price of one, personal and club prices are not counted; price per kilogram is priority for bulk goods; inappropriate packaging is normalized only by a fixed rule.

Some of the retail prices are not published online: these lines are confirmed by local volunteers with photos, checks and receipts, the source and the screenshot are stored in the release register. The index is not an official cost of living statistic.

Compare Prices in Other Countries
Argentina199,86 USDBrazil212,83 USDPanama211,53 USDUruguay282,03 USDParaguay202,25 USDCosta Rica346,36 USD

Largest Price Increase and Decrease

Largest increase: Nutella, +1.0% on previous release.

Largest decrease: Condoms, -25.2% of the previous release.

History Price Archive Open →

Survey Summary

TOTAL FOR 50 ITEMS213 USDYou need to buy 50 standard products in Panama
Working hours:70 hours.You have to work to buy products from the index in Panama.
Coffee cup index:34 cupsEquivalent to the value of 50 products in the index in Panama
Country Publications about life in Panama Open →
RULATAM sign How to read How to Read the Index

We've been monitoring prices in Latin America since 2016, and in 2026, Panama joined the monitoring network, and it's going through Panama City, and the standard basket of 50 products is the same for all countries where RULATAM operates, and it helps to quickly compare the cost of living in different countries.

The index is checked by the locals, and if you want to participate in the development of a project in your city, fill out the volunteer questionnaire.

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RULATAM Obtaining a residence permit and citizenship of Panama Open →

Frequently Asked Questions

In 2026, the cost of living in Panama on the index is 213,10 USD For Panama, you don't need a separate local currency conversion: retail prices are published in dollars. It's an index of consumer items, not a full monthly life budget in Panama.

The index includes 50 comparable goods and services: foods, drinks, meats, vegetables and fruits, groceries, dairy products, household chemicals, hygiene, basic pharmacy goods, gasoline, coffee, cigarettes and Big Mac. The index excludes housing rent, utility payments, medicine, schools, taxes and flights.

For release for August 2026, prices are considered by city Panama City.

Want to know what these prices mean for your family?

At RULATAM, you can compare Latin American countries based on your income, family comitem, terms, documents and real expenses, not just the basic basket.

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Monthly dynamics are calculated on 22 out of 50 items with an unchanged base of comparison; the remaining items received a new comparable base after normalization.