Panama City-Panama City Beach cost of living
Prices in the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro area run at 97.3 against a national average of 100, ranking it #124 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 96.4.
What drives the number
Prices in Panama City-Panama City Beach run at 97.3 where the national average is 100, so about 2.7 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #124 of 387 metro areas. Against Florida as a whole it is 6.1 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.2, rents at 96.4, other services at 88.1. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 2.7 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Panama City-Panama City Beach is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 3,400 | $30,780 | $31,634 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,040 | $27,040 | $27,790 | $30,480 |
| Cashiers | 2,510 | $27,860 | $28,633 | $31,190 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,460 | $28,590 | $29,383 | $33,760 |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,050 | $84,870 | $87,225 | $102,950 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,820 | $38,530 | $39,599 | $43,630 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,710 | $38,080 | $39,137 | $37,090 |
| Registered Nurses | 1,600 | $78,620 | $80,802 | $93,600 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 97.3.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | 114.2 | 155.6 | #2 |
| Naples-Marco Island | 103.2 | 129.4 | #46 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | 102.4 | 128.0 | #54 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 102.3 | 125.1 | #55 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | 101.4 | 123.4 | #63 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | 100.9 | 125.8 | #73 |
Panama City-Panama City Beach: common questions
Is Panama City-Panama City Beach expensive?
Prices are 2.7% below the national average, a parity of 97.3 where the country is 100. It ranks #124 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Florida as a whole it is 6.1 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Panama City-Panama City Beach?
The median worker there earns $43,000, which buys what $44,193 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 96.4 against goods at 96.2. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.