Start here
Moving to Panama: where to begin
Most successful moves to Panama follow the same order: visit first, choose a region, pick a residency route, sort out healthcare and banking, then rent for six to twelve months before you buy anything. Doing it in that order saves people the most money and the most regret.
The move, step by step
- Visit with a purpose. Spend at least two weeks, ideally in the season you like least. Rainy-season afternoons, highland chill and coastal heat feel very different from a dry-season holiday.
- Narrow it to one or two regions. Panama City, the Pacific beaches, the Chiriquí highlands, the Azuero Peninsula and the Caribbean side each suit different people. See Where to live.
- Choose a residency route. Retirees usually look at the Pensionado visa; working-age movers often look at Friendly Nations. See Residency.
- Hire your own immigration lawyer. Residency in Panama is filed through a Panamanian attorney. Pick one before you start gathering documents, because each route needs different paperwork, apostilles and translations.
- Plan healthcare. Decide between local private insurance and an international plan before you arrive. See Healthcare.
- Start on banking early. Opening a Panamanian bank account can take weeks and usually needs reference letters from your home bank. See Money.
- Decide what to bring. Pets, household goods and cars each have their own process. See Moving.
- Rent before you buy. Six to twelve months in a rental tells you more about a town than any number of visits. See Housing.
Is Panama right for you?
Panama suits people who want a US-dollar economy, a relatively easy residency process for retirees, good private hospitals in the larger centres and a wide choice of climates within a few hours' drive. It is a less natural fit for anyone who wants things to work the way they do at home.
What people tend to love
- The US dollar is legal tender, so there's no exchange-rate risk for dollar earners.
- Retiree residency (Pensionado) is among the more accessible in the region, with lifetime discounts.
- Climate choice: cool mountain towns, dry Pacific beaches and the Caribbean, all in one small country.
- Panama City has modern private hospitals and direct flights to much of the Americas and Europe.
What takes adjusting to
- Bureaucracy is paper-heavy and slow, and rules change.
- Outside Panama City, specialist care can mean a drive of several hours.
- Imported goods and air-conditioned electricity cost more than many people expect.
- Spanish matters more than you think once you leave the expat bubble.
What expats wish they'd known
We're interviewing people who have made the move to every region of Panama, and adding their lessons here as we go. The themes that come up most often so far:
- Rent first. Almost everyone who bought in their first month would do it differently.
- Start Spanish lessons before you arrive, even an hour a week.
- Keep a home-country bank account and card open; local banking takes time.
- Build in buffer time for every government process.
Get the free move checklist
Our free Panama move checklist turns everything on this page into a month-by-month timeline, from twelve months out to your first week in the country.
Common questions
What is the first step in moving to Panama?
Visit first, for at least two weeks and ideally in the season you like least, then narrow your search to one or two regions before choosing a residency route.
Should I rent or buy when I first move to Panama?
Rent for six to twelve months first. Living in a town through both seasons tells you far more than short visits, and it avoids the most common and most expensive mistake new arrivals make.
Do I need a lawyer to get residency in Panama?
Yes. Residency applications in Panama are filed through a Panamanian attorney, so choose one before you start gathering documents.
Planning a move? Start with the checklist.
A free, month-by-month timeline from twelve months out to your first week in Panama.