Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Escape Plan
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Events
    • Shop
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Scandinavia
      • Spain
      • United Kingdom
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
    • Others
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australia
      • North America
      • South America
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Escape Plan
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Events
    • Shop
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Scandinavia
      • Spain
      • United Kingdom
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
    • Others
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australia
      • North America
      • South America
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
👤

THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR EXPATS, DIGITAL NOMADS, AND DREAMERS.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Your Escape Plan

Moving to Panama

  • BY EA Editors
  • October 24, 2014
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

How Does “There” Compare to “Here”?

How does Panama compare to where I live now? That’s a really good question. Asking it now will help determine whether or not you’ll feel comfortable adopting Panama as your new home.

Launched in 2009, Numbeo (http://www.numbeo.com/common/) is an easy-to-use database which compiles and analyzes user-contributed data from cities and countries around the world. Since the data is free from government influence, Numbeo is an outstanding resource for comparative information on costs of living, housing, health care, traffic, crime, and pollution.

Quality of Life RankingsDoes quality of life matter to you? In 2013 Panama rated 38th out of 67 countries ranked by Numbeo, which gives pollution and safety the highest weight in their formula.

Purchasing power? Panama ranks 53rd, which might be somewhat lower than expected. (Purchasing power looks at the goods and services that can be purchased for a country’s average wage.) Keep in mind, though, that many foreigners arrive in Panama with a higher-than-Panama-average income which effectively mitigates this ranking for them. The ranking does, however, help give a clearer picture of Panama as a whole.

2013 Health Care Rankings PanamaIn terms of health care, Panama can hardly be beat. Numbeo’s formulas attempt to estimate the overall quality of each country’s health care system by looking at the number of health care professionals, equipment, staff, doctors, cost, etc. Panama comes in at an impressive 5th place out of 82 countries worldwide.

As of this writing, Malta is rated the safest place to live in terms of crime compared to 127 other countries. (The indices are updated weekly.) Panama’s rate is a relatively low 56th, the United Kingdom is in 61st place, the United States is at 85th, and Mexico comes in at 90th.

Interested in food prices? Numbeo provides average prices by countries and cities for common commodities, and allows you to see those prices in your currency of choice. There are also estimates for daily and monthly grocery expenses. The only caveat to this section is that all quantities are listed in metric units only.

2013 Crime Rates PanamaNumbeo also claims to be “the world’s largest database about worldwide housing (real estate) prices and its indicators.” Don’t be confused, though – this is not a real estate site, and land values are not a focus. What Numbeo does attempt to compare are the human costs of housing, including rental comparisons and mortgage rates.

While Numbeo’s feature allowing comparisons between cities is exciting, be aware that in some cases the number of user reports is too low for their data to be meaningful. However, from a country-wide perspective the statistics that are presented are straightforward and clearly defined. This site is a great source for timely information as you consider Panama for your new home!

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Previous Article
  • Food + Culture

Typical Food In Paraguay

  • BY EA Editors
  • September 11, 2014
View Post
Next Article
  • Australia

Renting or Buying in Australia

  • BY EA Editors
  • April 24, 2015
View Post
You May Also Like
Belize Language Reality: Multilingual Life Beyond Official English
View Post
  • Belize
Belize Language Reality: Multilingual Life Beyond Official English
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 11, 2025
Cost of Living in Portugal 2025: What It Really Takes to Live Well
View Post
  • Portugal
Cost of Living in Portugal 2025: What It Really Takes to Live Well
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 11, 2025
Cost of Living in New Zealand: 2025 Complete Guide
View Post
  • New Zealand
Cost of Living in New Zealand: 2025 Complete Guide
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 10, 2025
Costa Rica Cost of Living Guide: Prices, Budgets, and Tips
View Post
  • Costa Rica
Costa Rica Cost of Living Guide: Prices, Budgets, and Tips
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 10, 2025
Top 10 Best Places to Live in Mexico – Discover Your Ideal City
View Post
  • Mexico
Top 10 Best Places to Live in Mexico – Discover Your Ideal City
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 8, 2025
Buying a Property abroad
View Post
  • Your Escape Plan
Why More Investors Are Buying Homes Offshore
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 8, 2025
Best Places to Live in Spain: A City-by-City Guide for 2025
View Post
  • Spain
Best Places to Live in Spain: A City-by-City Guide for 2025
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • October 8, 2025
Hungarian Citizenship by Descent Journey from Amercia
View Post
  • Second Citizenship
Our Journey from America to Hungarian Citizenship
  • BY Ethan Cohen & Learn Hungarian Anywhere
  • October 1, 2025
Trending Posts
  • Hungarian Citizenship by Descent Journey from Amercia 1
    • Second Citizenship
    Our Journey from America to Hungarian Citizenship
    • October 1, 2025
  • Buying a Property abroad 2
    • Your Escape Plan
    Why More Investors Are Buying Homes Offshore
    • October 8, 2025
  • Abkhazia jewel of Soviet summer escapes 3
    • Field Notes
    Secrets of the Soviet Riviera
    • October 3, 2025
  • Expat Child Syndrome 4
    • Wellness
    The Untold Story of Expat Kids
    • October 6, 2025
  • Every relocation begins with intention: a checklist, a map, a plan, and the clarity to choose the country that fits your next chapter. 5
    • Plan B
    Where to Move Next: The Best Expatriate Countries in 2025
    • October 7, 2025
Subscribe
Know Before You Go
  • Belize Language Reality: Multilingual Life Beyond Official English 1
    • Belize
    Belize Language Reality: Multilingual Life Beyond Official English
    • October 11, 2025
  • Cost of Living in Portugal 2025: What It Really Takes to Live Well 2
    • Portugal
    Cost of Living in Portugal 2025: What It Really Takes to Live Well
    • October 11, 2025
  • Cost of Living in New Zealand: 2025 Complete Guide 3
    • New Zealand
    Cost of Living in New Zealand: 2025 Complete Guide
    • October 10, 2025
  • Costa Rica Cost of Living Guide: Prices, Budgets, and Tips 4
    • Costa Rica
    Costa Rica Cost of Living Guide: Prices, Budgets, and Tips
    • October 10, 2025
  • Living in Paris: Digital Nomad Guide 5
    • Digital Nomadism
    A Digital Nomad’s Guide to Living Like a Local in Paris
    • October 10, 2025
Learn More
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
Why Subscribe

The newly imagined Escape Artist brings you fresh content with a global focus, and sharp, up-to-the-minute coverage of the joys, challenges, and opportunities of life abroad.

For a limited time, we’re offering a special discount on all subscription deals, so be sure to lock-in these incredible savings and start receiving top-notch travel and expat content today!

Sign up for the EA Newsletter

Get important news delivered directly to your inbox and stay connected!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Escape Artist
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimer

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Newsletter Subscription
Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/