Moving to Panama from Portugal
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Portugal to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Portugal to Panama, you would find that Panama is 7.2% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €64,304 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly PAB64,962 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Portugal to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → PAB64,962
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 24.1% less
Groceries
pay 29.6% more
Transportation
pay 15.6% less
Housing
pay 7.2% less
Childcare
pay 19.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.9% 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?
How many people actually move from Portugal to Panama, based on official data.
Who's moving to Panama?
Top countries of origin for Panama's foreign-born residents.
- 119,553
- 50,702
- 22,427
- 16,867
- 15,517
- 9,711
- · · ·
-
44.305
Portugal
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Portugal to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs 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
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
Portugal generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
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
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 better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal and Panama. To live, work, or study long-term in Panama, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Panama's immigration authority.
Portugal passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Panama than Portugal?
Yes — Panama is on average about 13% cheaper than Portugal. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PAB16,240 in Panama on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Panama?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Panama has 15.5 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 Panama safe for expats?
Portugal performs better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
