Retiring in Panama City, Panamá

Overview

Panama's capital combines a genuine retiree visa discount program with real big-city hospitals and infrastructure.

Home Price

Homes in Panama City typically range from $272k to $481k.

Source: Zillow Home Value Index. Estimates only — verify current pricing before making decisions.

Cost of Living

Panama City's cost of living index is 52.4 compared to a U.S. national average of 100 (adjusted to a common basis so it can be compared directly with U.S. destinations).

Climate

Average summer highs around 84°F and winter daytime temperatures around 87°F, with high humidity and a “Tropical” seasonal pattern.

Geography & Landscape

Healthcare

Healthcare access and quality index: 61.2/100 (Numbeo Health Care Index — a crowdsourced perception score, not a clinical outcomes measure).

Safety & Stability

Panama City scores a safety index of 50.0/100 and a political stability score of 5.0/10, based on sourced crime and stability data.

Airport Access

About 9 minutes to the nearest major airport we could confirm.

Lifestyle & Activities

Outdoor activities:

• Golf
• Boating / kayaking
• Tennis / racquet sports
• Nature / bird watching

Culture & lifestyle:

• Food culture
• Museums
• Shopping

Things to Consider

• Big-city heat, humidity, and traffic
• Higher cost of living than Boquete or Chitré

Visa & Residency Notes

Pensionado (Jubilado): $1,000/mo lifetime/guaranteed pension. Confidence: Statutory basis (per WhereNext, checked 2026-06-25, source: Servicio Nacional de Migración). Must be annuity-style from a government/international org/company — drawdown accounts don't qualify.

Visa terms vary by nationality and change often — verify current requirements with the destination’s official immigration authority before making decisions.