Moving to Portugal from Panama
What to Expect
Considering a move from Panama to Portugal? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Panama to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 18.9% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly €75,710 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Panama and Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
PAB75,000 → €75,710
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 33.7% more
Groceries
pay 16.8% less
Transportation
pay 42.5% more
Housing
pay 10.5% more
Childcare
pay 26.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.5% more
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 Portugal.
Who's moving to Portugal?
Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents.
- 179,524
- 154,017
- 104,164
- 80,570
- 68,299
- 53,384
- · · ·
-
118.38
Panama
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs significantly 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
Portugal 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
Panama generally does better on environment, though Portugal leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Portugal 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
Portugal 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal performs significantly better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Data: General Directorate of Revenues, Panama, 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 | Panama City | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Panama City | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority.
Panama passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting Panama
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 Portugal than Panama?
On average Portugal is around 15% pricier than Panama, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Budget about €18,928 for 3 months in Portugal (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 Portugal?
Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Portugal safe for expats?
Portugal performs significantly better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.3 in Panama.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Panama?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 17.3 in Panama. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Panama?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.
