Moving to Panama from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to Panama, you would find that Panama is 57.3% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF58,584 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly PAB32,717 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 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Switzerland to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
CHF58,584 → PAB32,717
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 70.4% less
Groceries
pay 31.8% less
Transportation
pay 58.0% less
Housing
pay 47.6% less
Childcare
pay 79.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.0% less
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 Switzerland 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
- · · ·
-
38.439
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland performs better than Panama across all family life metrics.
Data: Swiss Federal Tax Administration, 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 | Bern | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
Yes — Panama is on average about 56% cheaper than Switzerland. 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 PAB8,179 in Panama on a CHF58,584 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?
Switzerland performs better than Panama across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland. About 33% of people in Panama feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland 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 44.4 in Switzerland. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
