Moving to Panama from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Panama, you would find that Panama is 20.7% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly PAB58,300 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 66°F in Auckland, 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 New Zealand?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 25.3% less
Groceries
pay 6.1% more
Transportation
pay 36.9% less
Housing
pay 18.9% less
Childcare
pay 43.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.0% 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.
What salary do you need in Panama?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → PAB58,300
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Panama
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Panama, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
70.59
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Panama stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand performs better than Panama 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
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama 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
New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama 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
New Zealand performs better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Panama vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Can you move from New Zealand to Panama?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 New Zealand?
Generally yes: Panama runs about 21% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 NZ$130,000 comparable salary, that's around PAB14,575 in Panama for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Panama?
With 18.1 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 New Zealand and Panama.
Is Panama safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
