Moving to Panama from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Panama? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Panama, you would find that Panama is 60.2% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall. A ZWL24,000,000 salary in Zimbabwe would need to be roughly PAB119,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Panama cheaper than Zimbabwe?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 50.8% more
Groceries
pay 54.5% more
Transportation
pay 27.7% less
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 40.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Panama?
What does your salary buy?
ZWL24,000,000 → PAB119,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Panama compared to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Zimbabwe 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe 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
Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Panama leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Panama performs significantly better than Zimbabwe 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
share of people below the poverty line
Panama performs significantly better than Zimbabwe 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
Panama performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), General Directorate of Revenues, Panama (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Panama vs Zimbabwe
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Can you move from Zimbabwe to Panama?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe 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.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Required
Panama passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Zimbabwe?
On average Panama is around 60% pricier than Zimbabwe, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Budget about PAB29,750 for 3 months in Panama (based on a ZWL24,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Panama?
Connectivity is usually fine (Panama: 18.1 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?
Zimbabwe 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 6.8 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Zimbabwe?
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 1.4 in Zimbabwe. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.
Compare further: Zimbabwe vs. Panama
At a Glance
ZW
|
PA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,950,795 | 4,571,189 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Panamanian Balboa (PAB) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +263 | +507 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 911 |