Moving to Panama from Norway
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Norway to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Norway to Panama, you would find that Panama is 29.6% cheaper than Norway overall. A NOK723,540 salary in Norway would need to be roughly PAB50,793 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 49°F in Oslo, 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 Norway to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
NOK723,540 → PAB50,793
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 55.0% less
Groceries
pay 16.1% less
Transportation
pay 42.4% less
Housing
pay 30.2% less
Childcare
pay 16.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.1% 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 Norway 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
- · · ·
-
63.91
Norway
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Norway to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway 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
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway performs better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, 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 | Oslo | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Oslo | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Norwegian Meteorological Institute,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.
Norway passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Norway
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 Norway?
Yes — Panama is on average about 32% cheaper than Norway. 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 PAB12,698 in Panama on a NOK723,540 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?
Norway performs better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Norway?
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Norway?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
