Moving to Panama from El Salvador
What to Expect
Considering a move from El Salvador to Panama? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from El Salvador to Panama.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from El Salvador to Panama.
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
- · · ·
-
12.4,147
El Salvador
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Panama compared to El Salvador.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
El Salvador 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
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador 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
El Salvador generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Panama performs significantly better than El Salvador across all infrastructure metrics.
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 El Salvador leads in unemployment 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
El Salvador generally does better on family life, though Panama leads in life expectancy.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 Salvador | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Salvador | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Gerencia de Meteorología,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between El Salvador 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.
El Salvador passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting El Salvador
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Panama?
Connectivity is usually fine (Panama: 15.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Panama offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Panama safe for expats?
El Salvador 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 7.8 in El Salvador. About 33% of people in Panama feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to El Salvador?
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 15.5 in El Salvador. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to El Salvador?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
Both El Salvador and Panama share the same official language: Spanish.
