Moving to Spain from Panama
What to Expect
Considering a move from Panama to Spain? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Panama to Spain, you would find that Spain is 14.3% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly €76,500 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°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 Spain.
What does your salary buy?
PAB75,000 → €76,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 58.3% more
Groceries
pay 15.3% less
Transportation
pay 39.4% more
Housing
pay 13.3% more
Childcare
pay 5.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.9% 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 Spain.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Spain compared to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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
Spain 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 Spain 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
Spain 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
Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.
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
Spain performs significantly better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016), Agencia Tributaria, Spain (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Panama City | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Panama City | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.
Panama passport holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain 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 Spain than Panama?
On average Spain is around 14% pricier than Panama, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
Budget about €19,125 for 3 months in Spain (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 Spain?
Connectivity is usually fine (Spain: 39.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Spain offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Spain safe for expats?
Spain performs significantly better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.7 in Panama. About 78% of people in Spain feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Panama?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 16.2 in Panama. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).
What's the weather like in Spain compared to Panama?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.
