Moving to Pennsylvania from Panama

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Panama to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 58.4% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly $119,000 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Philadelphia averages 65°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Pennsylvania cheaper than Panama?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 68.4% more

Groceries

pay 19.3% more

Transportation

pay 41.9% more

Housing

pay 77.4% more

Childcare

pay 3.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 65.6% more

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

What salary do you need in Pennsylvania?

What does your salary buy?

PAB75,000 → $119,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Pennsylvania

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Panama to Pennsylvania.

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 Pennsylvania compared to Panama.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

PA
37.7%
PA
34.4%

Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Panama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

PA
72.8%
PA
88.8%

Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Panama across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
8.4%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$19,790
PA
$61,506

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

PA
79.8 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs

Panama performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Weather in Pennsylvania vs Panama

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Philadelphia Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
65° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Panama City Philadelphia
Jan–Mar 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) 74°/54°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
View all months
Month Panama City Philadelphia
Jan 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) 40°/26°F (4.6°/-3.6°C)
Feb 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) 44°/28°F (6.6°/-2.4°C)
Mar 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) 53°/34°F (11.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) 64°/44°F (17.7°/6.7°C)
May 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) 74°/54°F (23.2°/12.2°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.7°C)
Jul 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) 87°/69°F (30.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/19.9°C)
Sep 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C)
Oct 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) 67°/48°F (19.2°/9.1°C)
Nov 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) 56°/39°F (13.3°/4.0°C)
Dec 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) 45°/30°F (7.1°/-1.1°C)

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

Can you move from Panama to Pennsylvania?

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 Pennsylvania than Panama?

On average Pennsylvania is around 58% pricier than Panama, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

Budget about $29,750 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (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 Pennsylvania?

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

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Panama?

Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Panama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Philadelphia is 65°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Philadelphia receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.

What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?

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

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At a Glance

PA
Population 4,571,189 13,059,432
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