Moving to Panama from Australia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Australia to Panama, you would find that Panama is 36.4% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly PAB48,800 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Australia to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → PAB48,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 41.8% less
Groceries
pay 10.2% less
Transportation
pay 35.2% less
Housing
pay 39.0% less
Childcare
pay 67.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Panama, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Panama?
Top countries of origin for Panama's foreign-born residents.
- 119,553
- 50,702
- 22,427
- 16,867
- 15,517
- 9,711
- · · ·
-
41.335
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Australia and Panama stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Panama across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia 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.
Australia passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Australia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Panama than Australia?
Generally yes: Panama runs about 36% cheaper than Australia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$110,000 comparable salary, that's around PAB12,200 in Panama for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Panama?
With 18.1 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 Australia and Panama.
Is Panama safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Australia, the official language is English.
