Moving to Panama from Chile
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Chile to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Chile to Panama, you would find that Panama is 27.3% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,696 salary in Chile would need to be roughly PAB102,222 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 73°F in Santiago, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Chile to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
CLF1,696 → PAB102,222
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.8% more
Groceries
pay 48.0% more
Transportation
pay 10.5% more
Housing
pay 63.8% more
Childcare
pay 42.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Panama
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Chile to Panama, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
18.2,178
Chile
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Chile to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Panama generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Chile 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
Panama performs significantly better than Chile across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Chile 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
Panama performs significantly better than Chile across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Chile performs better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Data: Chilean Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Santiago | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Santiago | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile 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.
Chile passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Chile
Visa FreeData: 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 Chile?
No — Panama is on average about 36% more expensive than Chile. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PAB25,556 in Panama on a CLF1,696 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Panama?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Panama has 15.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Panama safe for expats?
Panama generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Chile. About 33% of people in Panama feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Chile?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 31.7 in Chile. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Chile?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
Both Chile and Panama share the same official language: Spanish.
