Moving to North Carolina from Panama

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Panama to North Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Panama to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 72.5% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly $99,814 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Asheville averages 67°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Panama and North Carolina.

What does your salary buy?

PAB75,000 $99,814

To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 64.1% more

Groceries

pay 41.5% more

Transportation

pay 43.7% more

Housing

pay 73.3% more

Childcare

pay 3.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 70.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PAB = 1.0 USD (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?

What the data shows about people moving from Panama to North Carolina.

Moved in 2023
1,060 ↑ 14% vs 2022

people moved from Panama to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in North Carolina compared to Panama.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

PA
22.7%
NC
33.6%

Panama performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

PA
68.0%
NC
88.7%

North Carolina performs significantly better than Panama across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
6.7%
NC
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$35,800
NC
$59,308

North Carolina performs significantly better than Panama across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PA
77.6 yrs
NC
76.1 yrs

Panama performs better than North Carolina across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Panama City Asheville
Jan–Mar 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) 52°/32°F (11°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) 58°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Panama City Asheville
Jan 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C)
Feb 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C)
Mar 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C)
Apr 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
May 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Jul 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C)
Aug 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C)
Sep 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C)
Oct 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C)
Nov 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C)
Dec 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C)

Data: IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Panama passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Panama without a visa.

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 North Carolina than Panama?

On average North Carolina is around 33% pricier than Panama, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?

Budget about $24,954 for 3 months in North Carolina (based on a PAB75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from North Carolina?

From major North Carolina cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Panama and North Carolina are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to Panama?

Panama performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to Panama?

The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.

What language do they speak in North Carolina?

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

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At a Glance

PA
Population 4,337,768 9,535,483
Currency Panamanian Balboa (PAB) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +507 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911 911