Moving to Panama from Syria

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Syria to Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Syria to Panama, you would find that Panama is 2.3 times more expensive than Syria overall. A SYP980,000,000 salary in Syria would need to be roughly PAB172,000 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 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Syria to Panama.

What does your salary buy?

SYP980,000,000 → PAB172,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Panama

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 45.5% more

Groceries

pay 2.3 times more

Transportation

pay 26.5% more

Housing

pay 3.5 times more

Childcare

pay 6.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 84.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SYP = 0.0001 PAB (October 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?

Real numbers on people moving from Syria to Panama, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
329 ↑ 24% vs 2015

people born in Syria 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

How Syria and Panama stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
PA
11.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
PA
7.3

Syria 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

SY
$122
PA
$3,318
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SY
15.2
PA
16.2

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
PA
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
PA
2.7t

Syria generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2023

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
6.9
PA
18.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
PA
0.9%

Panama performs significantly better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.6%
PA
8.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$1,057
PA
$19,790

Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

SY
72.6 yrs
PA
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
17.7
PA
12.0

Panama generally does better on family life, though Syria leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Syria (2016), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Panama City
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 94°/65°F (34°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 94°/69°F (35°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 92°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 91°/68°F (33°/20°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Panama City
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, 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 Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Panama

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter Panama.
Panama passport

Panama passport holder visiting Syria

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

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 Syria?

Day-to-day costs in Panama run about 129% higher than Syria on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Panama?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SYP980,000,000 comparable salary, that's around PAB43,000 in Panama for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Panama?

With 18.1 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 Syria and Panama.

Is Panama safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Panama compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 15.2 in Syria. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

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

The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Panama?

The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY PA
Population 25,620,427 4,571,189
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Panamanian Balboa (PAB)
Languages Arabic Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +507
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 911