Kuala Lumpur vs Panama City: cost of living for digital nomads

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Panama City, Panama, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Kuala Lumpur is about 28% cheaper than Panama City for a month of nomad living ($1,300 vs $1,800).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $550 in Kuala Lumpur against $850 in Panama City.
  • Both score 7/10 on safety.
  • Both have a tropical climate.

Kuala Lumpur wins 4 of the measured lines; Panama City wins 1.

LineKuala LumpurPanama City
Monthly total (USD)$1,300$1,800
Rent$550$850
Food$350$460
Transport$60$50
Coworking$120$140
Safety (out of 10)7/107/10
Internet (Mbps)100100
Climatetropicaltropical
City sizemetrometro
Settinginlandcoast
Nomad score (out of 10)8/108/10

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Panama City

Panama City, Panama.

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.