Moving to Panama from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Panama, you would find that Panama is 11.3% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly PAB65,769 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 77°F in San Jose, 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?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → PAB65,769
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 21.9% less
Groceries
pay 1.6% less
Transportation
pay 23.2% less
Housing
pay 11.8% more
Childcare
pay 15.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.5% 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?
How many people actually move from Costa Rica 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
- · · ·
-
7.9,320
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Panama performs significantly better than Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs better than Panama 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
Costa Rica 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
Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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 Costa Rica?
Yes — Panama is on average about 12% cheaper than Costa Rica. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PAB16,442 in Panama on a CRC33,997,640 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 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 performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in adult obesity rate. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
Both Costa Rica and Panama share the same official language: Spanish.
