Moving to Panama from Thailand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Thailand to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Thailand to Panama, you would find that Panama is 46.9% more expensive than Thailand overall. A THB2,448,167 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly PAB92,576 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Thailand to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
THB2,448,167 → PAB92,576
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.4 times more
Groceries
pay 46.8% more
Transportation
pay 8.3% more
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 7.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.6% 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 Thailand 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
- · · ·
-
49.171
Thailand
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Thailand 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
Thailand 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
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Panama performs significantly better than Thailand across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Thailand 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
Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Thailand leads in unemployment 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
Thailand generally does better on family life, though Panama leads in education spending.
Data: The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand, 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 | Bangkok | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.
Thailand passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Free
Panama passport holder visiting Thailand
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 Thailand?
No — Panama is on average about 23% more expensive than Thailand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PAB23,144 in Panama on a THB2,448,167 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?
Thailand 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 4.8 in Thailand. About 33% of people in Panama feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Thailand?
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 9.3 in Thailand. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
