Living in Panama

"Do not be surprised by the most modern technological society living in a first class environment," explained one expat living in Panama City, Panama.

"The public library in Bouquete is a wonderful place to relax and sponsors many programs for both expats and Panamanians. Amigos de los Animales is a good place to volunteer if you like dogs and cats. You can always find friendly expats at the weekly farmer's market. Many native people in Bouquete speak English fluently and if you make friends with someone your social circle will expand rapidly," remarked one expat living in Panama.

"Expats in Panama often join niche interest groups, such as local book clubs and photography clubs. Many Internet-based expat forums and websites also offer chances for locals to meet and find activities together, such as hiking and sailing. There are also several expat-run organizations in Panama, such as the American Society of Panama. Expats also often meet each other through networking events, such as get-togethers at bars and restaurants, industry awards dinners and holiday parties, as well as volunteer opportunities with local charities and social organizations," remarked one expat who made the move to Panama.

"Besides the bars and restaurants, there are fitness classes, Spanish classes, dive lessons, Catamaran tours, Live music venues, the beaches, volunteer opportunities and just meeting people walking down the street," explained one expat living in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

"The Tuesday Market at the BCP (Boquete Community Players) is a good place to see and be seen. Very easy to meet others if you are at all outgoing. There is also a newcomers group that meets a couple of times a month. There is always something happening, somewhere to go, something to do. There are many non-profits looking for volunteers, so just find one that speaks to you," said one expat in Boquete.

"Living in Panama for expats and digital nomads can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Panama is known for its tropical climate, vibrant culture, gorgeous beaches and national parks, and its thriving expat community. With excellent infrastructure, a modern banking system, and a low cost of living, Panama is an attractive option for people looking to live and work abroad. The government also welcomes expat entrepreneurs, providing incentives to help them start and run businesses. Expats in Panama can look forward to making friends in the local international activities, making the most of their new home by exploring the many outdoor activities and attractions Panama has to offer. Finally, safety ranks among the highest in Latin America, making life in Panama even more attractive for expats and digital nomads," explained one expat living in Panama.

"Definitely life revolves around family and work here. The Panamanians are very friendly and family oriented. They have many festivals and celebrate life in many ways many times a year," said one expat in Bocas del Toro.

"Priorities start with family, extended family, family friends, other friends, socializing, sports, all other non-work related activities, and finally: work," said one expat who made the move to Panama City.

"The locals work hard and have lots of festivals. They honor the old folks, thier heritage, and way of life. They take time for coffee, for conversation. They are more then willing to show you and teach you and help you to find your place in their society. If you even try to speak spanish they admire you for that and even try thier hand at English or apologize for their lack of. Everyone says hello, waves, nods, gives recognition, an old fashioned thing that I missed in the U.S," explained one expat living in Boquete, Panama.

"We occasionally hear of petty crime in the area, mostly theft but there is little violent crime. We feel very safe here," said one expat in Nueva Gorgona.

"Yes, Panama is highly diverse. Panama is home to many different ethnic and racial groups, including Mestizos, Mulattos, Whites, Blacks, and Amerindians, and is also home to a large Chinese community. Additionally, Panama is home to many different religious groups, including Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others. This diversity is very visible in Panama, as different communities can be observed living and working side-by-side throughout the country. In general, people in Panama are very accepting and tolerant of differences, with many being proud of the nation's diversity," remarked one expat living in Panama.

"Besides the multicultural Panamanians there are people from all over the world here and seven different Indian tribes. For the most part everyone gets along great. There are occasional clashes in any community and this is a tight knit one where people help their neighbors. Panama welcomes people from many countries with great expat laws and easy residency," wrote one member in Bocas del Toro.

"Look closely at all of the schools Panama has to offer. The MET is a great option for an international school and they have the IB program for all grades. Consider Collegio De Javier or San Augustin for bilingual (mostly spanish) speaking schools with good curriculums and extra curricular activities. Another great choice is AIP. They far surpass ISP in academics, have a lovely campus, and is 1/2 the price," wrote an expat with kids at International School of Panama in Panama City, Panama.

"I would look into it if you want a Christian school OR a school that is high in moral teaching. Many of the parents and students are not Christian so it is not forced upon the students/families. Great school that I am very pleased with," commented one expat when asked about Crossroads Christian Academy in Panama City.

"This is a good option for a foreigner who wants their children to learn Spanish and the Latin culture versus being in an international school that is mostly in English," remarked one expat living in Costa del Este with children attending AIP (Academie Interamericana de Panamá).

"The Balboa Academy is an excellent English-language international school in Panama, founded in 1959. It educates students from pre-school up to 12th grade and offers the North American curriculum, including AP courses. The school also has a comprehensive extracurricular program with a variety of sports, clubs, and activities. The International School Nido de Aguilas is an accredited international school in Panama City. It is a part of the Nord Anglia Education Group, with a curriculum based on college-preparatory education. The school offers a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, including sports and music. The Oxford International School of Panama is a bilingual institution offering education in Spanish and English. The school focuses on teaching its students both academic excellence and life skills and offers a variety of extracurricular activities. The Bilingual International School of Panama is a private bilingual institution, which was founded in 1991. The school provides an English- and Spanish-language international curriculum for children from preschool to high school and offers a variety of extracurricular activities, such as sports and arts," said one expat in with children at .

"I suppose for normal people (unlike me) you'd best have a couple thousand dollars per month," said one expat who made the move to Las Tablas.

"Cost of groceries is good, especially when buying local produce. Some meats, sugars, and grains are price controlled and can be very inexpensive. Compared to my home area of rural Ohio, food expense is about the same. Cost of electricity at our house is less than $25.00 per month, and we use the air conditioner some mid-days. Usually ceiling fans provide more than enough comfort. Gas tanks are used for cooking, and the one tank we purchased for $25.00 has yet to run out after 7 months of use. ," said one expat living in Pedasi.

"Panama’s cost of living is considered to be average by Latin American standards. Generally, the larger cities such as Panama City, David and Colon tend to be more expensive to live in compared to exciting places such as the Panama Canal or the sprawling tropical jungles of Panama’s East Coast. The rental price for a nice 1 bedroom apartment in Panama is between $500-700 USD a month and a nice 2 bedroom apartment is between $700-900 USD a month. Eating dinner at a moderately priced restaurant would generally cost around $10-30 USD depending on the type of restaurant or food ordered," mentioned one expat inPanama.

"Cost of living entirely depends on your personal habits. A single person could survive on their US Social Security check if they don't insist on luxury. For most Americans, if they want to continue the profligate lifestyle to which they are accustomed, the cost will be comparable," commented one expat who moved to Panama.

"The beaches in Pedasi are a big draw for surfers, boogie boarders or just swimmers. One of the developments (Andromeda) has a restaurant and pool oceanside. People also do kite sailing. Fishing is a big draw as well. There are offerings of yoga classes and other activities of that sort," commented one expat living in Pedasi, Panama.

"Residents of Panama enjoy a variety of recreational facilities, including beaches, parks, and outdoor activities. Popular beaches include Playa Blanca, Santa Clara, and Coronado, which offer a variety of activities such as swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. There are also numerous parks throughout the country, such as Parque Natural Metropolitano, which offers a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and bird watching. Other outdoor activities include fishing, kayaking, and horseback riding. Additionally, Panama City is home to a variety of cultural attractions, such as the Panama Canal, the Panama Viejo ruins, and the Biomuseo," remarked one expat living in Panama.

"The weather in Panama is generally warm and humid, with temperatures ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-90s Fahrenheit throughout the year. The rainy season typically runs from May to December, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in October and November. The dry season runs from January to April, with the hottest months being March and April," remarked one expat living in Panama.

"No doubt it's humid but the best months are from December to around April with almost no rain and windy so it's refreshing. Buildings look dirty because of humidity, there should be a law where buildings needs to be cleaned once in a while," said one expat living in Panama City.

"They have great restaurants with excellent foods recognized internationally. Using your permanent residency card at restaurants will make you save around 25% but not on the total bill so it's not really 25% as advertised but it still very appreciated when you save money," said one expat.

"People living in Panama typically buy groceries and do other shopping at local supermarkets, convenience stores, and open-air markets. Many people also shop at larger chain stores, such as Walmart and PriceSmart, which offer a wide variety of products. Additionally, there are many small, independent stores and vendors throughout the country that offer unique items," commented one expat living in Panama.

"There are 3 good food stores in Pedasi. However, for more international foods, most people drive into Chitre (1 hour) or Las Tablas (3/4 hour). For people wanting a taste of home, Riba Smith has lots of items that other stores don't carry," remarked one expat living in Pedasi.

"To just come to Panama for 3 months, no visa is required if you are coming from USA or Canada. You can actually stay for 6 months, but if you want to drive while here, you can only drive for 3 months. You need to leave the country for 72 hours to renew your time for driving. Pensionado visas are popular for retirees and allow you to stay longer. It is quite a bit of paperwork, and costs around $1500 if you use an attorney (recommended). You must prove income of at least $1000/month for this visa type)," said an expat in Pedasi.

"The process of applying for a visa in Panama depends on the type of visa and the duration of stay. To apply for a tourist visa, you must provide a valid passport, a completed application form, a processing fee, and adequate evidence of financial means to cover the costs of your stay. A work visa requires an employment offer from a Panamanian company with an approved government business license, a valid passport and a completed application form, processing fees, and adequate financial means to cover the proposed length of stay. The process of applying for residency in Panama includes submitting an application for residency, providing supporting documents such as a valid passport, proof of financial means to cover living expenses, evidence of health insurance, a police certificate from the country of residence, and a valid work permit, depending on the type of residency being applied for. The applicant may also be required to wait for a period of 6 months to a year before a decision is made, and may even need to attend an interview in Panama. Once granted, the residency will remain valid for two years and can be renewed as long as certain requirements are fulfilled," remarked one expat in Panama.

"Healthcare and health insurance in Panama can be expensive, depending on the type of coverage and services needed. Private health insurance plans are available, but they can be costly and may not cover all medical expenses. Public health insurance is available, but it is limited and may not cover all medical expenses. Additionally, the cost of medical care in Panama can be higher than in other countries, so it is important to research the cost of medical care before making any decisions," said one expat living in Panama.

"In the event described above my experience was at least as good as I would have gotten in the U.S. This included the Dr. spending about 45 minutes sewing up the large wound in the back of my arm, 4 return visits for him to look at it to make sure it was healing properly and there was no infection. And on the other days if I hadn't taken and picture by noon to send to him and given an update that it was ok he sent me a text message to ask what was going on. On the 7th day I returned and had the stitches removed all for a grand total of $100. Keep in mind this was an open wound torn open on the pavement that was about a 2" circle exposing the muscle and tendons, this wasn't just a simple cut with stitches. There's a scar but I was amazed at how well it turned out. Not very noticeable unless I just raise my elbow and point it out," mentioned one expat inLa Chorrera.

"Last week I decided that it was time to do something about the chest pains I have been having for several months. I chose a private medical clinic in Boquete, "Clínica Especializada Boquete S.A." because there was an empty parking space in front of it. Within five minutes I was speaking with Dr. Josimar Gómez. He speaks fluent English and spent some time discussing my symptoms before measuring my blood pressure and strongly recommending that I do something about it immediately. A routine consultation costs $15. If you show up in the middle of the night it will be $40. He prescribed blood pressure medication immediately and told me to get blood and urine tests and a chest x-ray. I went to a medical laboratory around the corner where it took about 15 minutes to provide specimens. The results were available by email before the end of the day. Cost: $45.00. I had to go to Hospital Chiriquí in David for the x-ray. Again, no appointment necessary, but I did have to wait over an hour, possibly because they forgot about me. Cost: $25.50 and results were available by email the next day. After a week on the blood pressure medication I returned to Dr. Gomez, he found that my blood pressure was down to 140/80, I was no longer experiencing chest pains, and the tests did not show any serious problems. I will continue with the blood pressure medication and talk to him again in two months. Total cost: just over $100. In the US I'm quite sure that the first doctor would have sent me to the hospital emergency room and the total bill would have run into thousands of dollars. They would have prescribed the most expensive tests they could think of, possibly including invasive procedures that are painful and risky, and I expect that I would still be waiting for a diagnosis," remarked one expat living in Panama.

"Health insurance is not accepted by providers of care. Have Tricare which is military insurance world wide and is part of the Hopkins network so we thought the private hospital that says they are part of Hopkins would accept it. We were sadly mistaken and had the worst experience of our life. If you compare US costs and Panama cost, yes, it is less expensive. But, it is still expensive if you have to pay for surgery before any care is rendered. ," commented one expat.