Moving to Panama from Iran

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iran to Panama, you would find that Panama is 3.4 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR103,196,250,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly PAB88,703 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 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

IRR103,196,250,000 PAB88,703

To maintain the same standard of living in Panama

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 82.3% more

Groceries

pay 3.4 times more

Transportation

pay 2.9 times more

Housing

pay 4.3 times more

Childcare

pay 7.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IRR = 0.0 PAB (July 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Iran to Panama, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
99 ↑ 15% vs 2015

people born in Iran live in Panama · UN DESA

Who's moving to Panama?

Top countries of origin for Panama's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Iran 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

IR
2.4
PA
11.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IR
20.6
PA
7.3

Iran 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

IR
$1,064
PA
$3,318
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

IR
15.1
PA
17.3

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran 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

IR
51.0
PA
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IR
9.1t
PA
2.7t

Panama performs significantly better than Iran across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IR
12.3
PA
15.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IR
81.3%
PA
0.9%

Iran generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
9.1%
PA
6.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$16,200
PA
$35,800

Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Iran leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IR
75.2 yrs
PA
77.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IR
14.8
PA
16.4

Panama generally does better on family life, though Iran leads in infant mortality.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Panama City
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 94°/65°F (34°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 94°/69°F (35°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 92°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 91°/68°F (33°/20°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Panama City
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)

Data: 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 Iran 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.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting Panama

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

Panama passport holder visiting Iran

Visa on Arrival
Panama passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Iran.

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 Iran?

Day-to-day costs in Panama run about 18% higher than Iran 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 IRR103,196,250,000 comparable salary, that's around PAB22,176 in Panama for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, 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 Iran and Panama.

Is Panama safe for expats?

Iran 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 2.4 in Iran.

How is healthcare in Panama compared to Iran?

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 15.1 in Iran. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in Panama?

The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR PA
Population 86,758,304 4,337,768
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) Panamanian Balboa (PAB)
Languages Persian (Farsi) Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +98 +507
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 115 911