Moving to Panama from Ghana

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ghana to Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ghana to Panama, you would find that Panama is 2.1 times more expensive than Ghana overall. A GHS832,383 salary in Ghana would need to be roughly PAB143,397 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Ghana to Panama.

What does your salary buy?

GHS832,383 PAB143,397

To maintain the same standard of living in Panama

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.1 times more

Groceries

pay 31.8% more

Transportation

pay 70.9% more

Housing

pay 2.7 times more

Childcare

pay 2.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 77.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GHS = 0.0901 PAB (June 2026)

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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Key Indicator Comparison

How Ghana and Panama stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GH
1.8
PA
11.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

GH
83%
PA
33%

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GH
$234
PA
$3,318
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GH
1.4
PA
17.3

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GH
89.0
PA
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GH
0.7t
PA
2.7t

Ghana generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GH
0.6
PA
15.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GH
6.3%
PA
0.9%

Panama performs significantly better than Ghana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GH
3.1%
PA
6.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GH
$6,700
PA
$35,800

Ghana generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GH
69.4 yrs
PA
77.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GH
32.6
PA
16.4

Panama generally does better on family life, though Ghana leads in education spending.

Data: Ghana Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Accra Rain: 29.2 in/yr (741 mm)
88° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Panama City Rain: 75.1 in/yr (1907 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Accra Panama City
Jan–Mar 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) 94°/65°F (34°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) 94°/69°F (35°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) 92°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) 91°/68°F (33°/20°C)
View all months
Month Accra Panama City
Jan 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)
Feb 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)
Mar 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)
Apr 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)
Jul 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)
Oct 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)
Nov 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)
Dec 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)

Data: Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Meteorological Agency, IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ghana 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.

Ghana passport

Ghana passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Required
Ghana passport holders need a visa to enter Panama.
Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting Ghana

Visa Required
Panama passport holders need a visa to enter Ghana.

Data: 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 Ghana?

Day-to-day costs in Panama run about 91% higher than Ghana on average; specific cities can swing further.

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 GHS832,383 comparable salary, that's around PAB35,849 in Panama for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Panama?

With 15.5 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 Ghana and Panama.

Is Panama safe for expats?

Ghana 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 1.8 in Ghana. About 33% of people in Panama feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Panama compared to Ghana?

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 1.4 in Ghana. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ghana: 48).

What's the weather like in Panama compared to Ghana?

The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 88°F in Accra. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Accra gets 29.2 in.

What language do they speak in Panama?

The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Ghana, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GH PA
Population 33,107,275 4,337,768
Currency Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) Panamanian Balboa (PAB)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +233 +507
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911