Moving to United Arab Emirates from Panama

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Panama to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 35.3% more expensive than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly AED372,469 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Panama to United Arab Emirates.

What does your salary buy?

PAB75,000 AED372,469

To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 19.0% less

Groceries

pay 23.8% less

Transportation

pay 28.7% more

Housing

pay 73.0% more

Childcare

pay 11.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 PAB = 3.67 AED(June 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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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Panama to United Arab Emirates.

Is it safe?

Homicide rateUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PA
11.3
AE
0.5
Road traffic deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PA
7.3
AE
5.9

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Panama across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per personWorld Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PA
$3,318
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PA
17.3
AE
29.1

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PA
17.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capitaWorld Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PA
2.7t
AE
18.3t

Panama performs better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PA
15.5
AE
40.0
Water stress levelUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PA
0.9%
AE
1533.3%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
6.7%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$35,800
AE
$75,600

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Panama across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PA
77.6 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortalityThe World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PA
16.4
AE
5.1

United Arab Emirates generally does better on family life, though Panama leads in education spending.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Abu DhabiRain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93°/68°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsPanama CityAbu Dhabi
Jan–Mar94°/65°F (34°/18°C)78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun94°/69°F (35°/21°C)99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep92°/70°F (34°/21°C)106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec91°/68°F (33°/20°C)87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
MonthPanama CityAbu Dhabi
Jan92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Panama passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates than Panama?

No — United Arab Emirates is on average about 35% more expensive than Panama. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United Arab Emirates?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly AED93,117 in United Arab Emirates on a PAB75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Arab Emirates has 40.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.3 in Panama.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Panama?

Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 17.3 in Panama. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).

What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Panama?

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

PA AE
Population4,337,7689,915,803
CurrencyPanamanian Balboa (PAB)United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
LanguagesSpanishArabic
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+507+971
Time zones11
Emergency number911999