Moving to Panama from Romania

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Romania to Panama? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Romania to Panama, you would find that Panama is 35.4% more expensive than Romania overall. A RON337,808 salary in Romania would need to be roughly PAB91,826 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 63°F in Bucharest, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Romania and Panama.

What does your salary buy?

RON337,808 PAB91,826

To maintain the same standard of living in Panama

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 16.9% less

Groceries

pay 83.1% more

Transportation

pay 34.1% more

Housing

pay 2.5 times more

Childcare

pay 5.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 5.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RON = 0.222 PAB (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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Romania to Panama.

Living there in 2020
215 ↑ 18% vs 2015

people born in Romania live in Panama · UN DESA

Who's moving to Panama?

Top countries of origin for Panama's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Panama compared to Romania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RO
1.3
PA
11.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
PA
7.3

Romania generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RO
$2,614
PA
$3,318
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
PA
17.3

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RO
46.0
PA
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
PA
2.7t

Panama performs significantly better than Romania across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RO
32.4
PA
15.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
PA
0.9%

Romania generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RO
5.6%
PA
6.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
PA
$35,800

Romania performs better than Panama across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RO
75.8 yrs
PA
77.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
PA
16.4

Romania generally does better on family life, though Panama leads in life expectancy.

Data: National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bucharest Rain: 23.4 in/yr (594 mm)
63° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bucharest Panama City
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 94°/65°F (34°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 94°/69°F (35°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) 92°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) 91°/68°F (33°/20°C)
View all months
Month Bucharest Panama City
Jan 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)
Feb 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)
Mar 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)
Apr 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)
May 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)
Jun 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)
Aug 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)
Sep 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)
Nov 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)
Dec 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)

Data: National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration, 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 Romania 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.

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Panama without a visa.
Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
Panama passport holders can enter Romania 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 Panama than Romania?

On average Panama is around 22% pricier than Romania, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Panama?

Budget about PAB22,956 for 3 months in Panama (based on a RON337,808 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Panama?

Connectivity is usually fine (Panama: 15.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Panama offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Panama safe for expats?

Romania generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.

How is healthcare in Panama compared to Romania?

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in suicide rate. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 34.7 in Romania. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.

What language do they speak in Panama?

The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.

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At a Glance

RO PA
Population 18,519,899 4,337,768
Currency Romanian Leu (RON) Panamanian Balboa (PAB)
Languages Romanian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +40 +507
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911