Moving to Panama from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Panama, you would find that Panama is 78.5% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly PAB134,000 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Panama cheaper than China?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.4 times more
Groceries
pay 84.0% more
Transportation
pay 22.2% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 35.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Panama?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → PAB134,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from China 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
-
3.22,427
China
- 16,867
- 15,517
- 9,711
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China 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
China generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in suicide rate.
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 China 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
share of households with internet
China 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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama leads in gdp per capita.
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
China generally does better on family life, though Panama leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2016–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Panama vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Can you move from China to Panama?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Required
Panama passport holder visiting China
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 China?
No — Panama is on average about 79% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PAB33,500 in Panama on a CN¥500,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Panama?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Panama has 18.1 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?
China generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 33% of people in Panama feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in suicide rate. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 31.1 in China. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to China?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In China, the official language is Chinese.
