Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Panama instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

be 23.3% less likely to be obese

In French Polynesia, 49.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 37.7% of people as of 2024.

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live 4.4 years less

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 80 years (77 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 28.3% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Panama, that number is 8.4% as of 2025.

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make 11.8% less money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $22,440 as of 2024, while in Panama, the GDP per capita is $19,790 as of 2025.

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Life

have 48.5% more children

In French Polynesia, there are approximately 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Panama, there are 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 2.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In French Polynesia, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Panama, on the other hand, 12.0 children do as of 2024.

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Infrastructure

find 49.0% less home broadband

French Polynesia has 35.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Panama has 18.1 as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 20.8% less CO2

French Polynesia emits 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Panama emits 2.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2023–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: French Polynesia vs. Panama

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Panama is 28.9% cheaper than French Polynesia overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
French Polynesia is about 18 times smaller than Panama.
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Moving from French Polynesia to Panama · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Panama: At a glance

Panama is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 74,340 sq km. Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan (estimated to cost $5.3 billion) to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2015.
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How big is Panama compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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