Moving to Panama from Samoa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Samoa to Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Samoa to Panama, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Samoa and Panama stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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
Samoa generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
Panama performs significantly better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Panama performs significantly better than Samoa across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Samoa generally does better on family life, though Panama leads in life expectancy.
Data: Ministry of Revenue, Samoa, 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 | Apia | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Apia | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa 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.
Samoa passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Samoa
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Panama?
With 15.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Panama can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Samoa and Panama.
Is Panama safe for expats?
Samoa 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 6.2 in Samoa.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Samoa?
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Samoa?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.
