Moving to Panama from Afghanistan

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Afghanistan to Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Panama, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 67°F in Kabul, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Afghanistan and Panama stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
PA
11.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
PA
7.3

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
PA
$3,318
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
PA
17.3

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Afghanistan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
PA
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
PA
2.7t

Afghanistan generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
PA
15.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
PA
0.9%

Panama performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
PA
6.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
PA
$35,800

Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
PA
77.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
PA
16.4

Panama performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Panama City Rain: 75.1 in/yr (1907 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Panama City
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 94°/65°F (34°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 94°/69°F (35°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 92°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 91°/68°F (33°/20°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Panama City
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)

Data: IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Panama. To live, work, or study long-term in Panama, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Panama's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Required
Afghanistan passport holders need a visa to enter Panama.
Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Panama passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Panama?

With 15.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Panama can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Afghanistan and Panama.

Is Panama safe for expats?

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Panama compared to Afghanistan?

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Afghanistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Panama compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Panama?

The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF PA
Population 38,346,720 4,337,768
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Panamanian Balboa (PAB)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +93 +507
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911