CostIndexUSA

Panama City, FL vs Reading, PA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostFL
Panama City
97.3
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
PA
Reading
97.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

Panama City and Reading have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing11.4%
Panama City
96.4
Reading
85.4
🛒 Groceries+4.7%
Panama City
96.2
Reading
100.7
🚗 Transportation1.2%
Panama City
103.8
Reading
102.6
🏥 Healthcare1.2%
Panama City
93.9
Reading
92.8
Utilities+22.8%
Panama City
88.1
Reading
108.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Panama City to see what you'd need to earn in Reading to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Reading, PA
$79,800
$200 less needed in Reading

Formula: salary × (97.1 ÷ 97.3) = salary × 0.9979. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Panama City, FL

Median Home Price
$337,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
96.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.5×

Reading, PA

Median Home Price
$299,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
85.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.8×

Panama City has 11.4% lower housing costs compared to Reading.

Income & Job Market

Panama City, FL

Median Household Income
$69,700
Per Capita Income
$39,700
Unemployment Rate
3%
Population
36,877
Top Industries
MilitaryTourismHealthcareManufacturingRetail

Reading, PA

Median Household Income
$75,700
Per Capita Income
$43,100
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
95,112
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingRetailEducationLogistics

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Panama City, FL
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Reading, PA
4.5×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.