Cost of Living: Honolulu vs Panama City (2026)

Panama City is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1059/month there vs $2703/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Honolulu is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Honolulu has a rate of 1.50 per 100,000 and Panama City has 12.47 per 100,000.

Honolulu and Panama City are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Honolulu: no specific remote work visa. Panama City: Panama Pensionado Visa (easy to get, Permanent (renewable every 2 years)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Honolulu is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Panama City (32/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1059/month in Panama City, $2703/month in Honolulu (Numbeo). That's 61% cheaper rent in Panama City.

Honolulu scores 7.8/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 6.8/10 for Panama City. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.

Honolulu scores higher on our composite healthcare index (81/100 vs 68/100 for Panama City). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.