Moving to Texas from Panama

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Panama to Texas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Panama to Texas, you would find that Texas is 48.1% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly $111,000 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Houston averages 80°F vs 93°F in Panama City, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Texas cheaper than Panama?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 70.5% more

Groceries

pay 7.3% more

Transportation

pay 34.9% more

Housing

pay 68.4% more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 56.2% 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 Texas?

What does your salary buy?

PAB75,000 → $111,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Texas

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Texas

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Panama to Texas, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Panama to Texas.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

PA
37.7%
TX
36.8%

Texas 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%
TX
90.1%

Texas 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%
TX
3.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$19,790
TX
$70,071

Texas 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
TX
76.5 yrs

Panama performs better than Texas across all family life metrics.

Weather in Texas 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

Houston Rain: 49.8 in/yr (1264 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Panama City Houston
Jan–Mar 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) 67°/48°F (20°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) 86°/67°F (30°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) 73°/53°F (23°/11°C)
View all months
Month Panama City Houston
Jan 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) 63°/43°F (17.2°/6.2°C)
Feb 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) 66°/47°F (19.1°/8.1°C)
Mar 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.4°C)
Apr 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) 80°/59°F (26.4°/15.2°C)
May 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) 86°/68°F (30.2°/19.8°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) 91°/73°F (33.0°/22.9°C)
Jul 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.9°C)
Aug 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/23.8°C)
Sep 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) 90°/70°F (32.1°/21.0°C)
Oct 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) 82°/61°F (27.8°/16.1°C)
Nov 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) 72°/52°F (22.5°/11.2°C)
Dec 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) 64°/45°F (17.9°/7.0°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 Texas?

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 Texas than Panama?

No — Texas is on average about 48% more expensive than Panama. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Texas?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $27,750 in Texas on a PAB75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Texas?

Usually fine from major cities in Texas. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Texas compared to Panama?

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

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

The average high temperature in Houston is 80°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Houston receives around 49.8 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.

What language do they speak in Texas?

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

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At a Glance

PA
Population 4,571,189 31,709,821
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