The practical guide to Panama
Moving to Panama, explained by people who live here
Residency, cost of living, healthcare, banking, pets and where to live, in plain English. Honest about the good and the hard parts, and checked against current rules.
Moving to Panama in one paragraph
Panama uses the US dollar, has one of the region's more accessible retiree visas (the Pensionado, for a lifetime pension of about US$1,000 a month), and offers a choice of climates within a few hours' drive: hot cities and beaches, and cool mountain towns like Boquete. Most successful movers visit first, choose a region, pick a residency route with their own lawyer, arrange health insurance and banking early, and rent for six to twelve months before buying.
The guides
- Start hereMoving to Panama: where to beginA plain-English roadmap for moving to Panama: visit first, choose a region, pick a residency route, sort healthcare and banking, then rent before you buy.
- ResidencyPanama residency visas explainedHow Panama's main residency routes work in 2026: the Pensionado retiree visa, the Friendly Nations visa and the Qualified Investor programme, with who each one suits.
- Cost of livingThe real cost of living in PanamaWhat drives the cost of living in Panama for expats: housing, electricity and air conditioning, food, healthcare and how costs differ between Panama City, the beaches, the highlands and Azuero.
- HealthcareHealthcare in Panama for expatsHow healthcare works for expats in Panama: private vs public care, local vs international health insurance, and where the main hospitals are by region.
- MoneyBanking and money in PanamaPanama uses the US dollar. How expats open a Panamanian bank account, move money to Panama, and what Panama's territorial tax system means.
- MovingMoving your life to PanamaHow to bring your dog or cat to Panama, whether to ship household goods or buy new, and what to know about bringing a car.
- Where to liveWhere to live in PanamaPanama's main expat regions compared: Panama City, the Pacific beaches, El Valle, the Chiriquí highlands and coast, the Azuero Peninsula, the Veraguas coast, the Caribbean and the islands.
- HousingRenting and buying a home in PanamaHow to find a long-term rental in Panama, why to rent before you buy, and how buying property in Panama works for foreigners: titles, lawyers and costs.
Planning a move? Start with the checklist.
A free, month-by-month timeline from twelve months out to your first week in Panama.