Living in Panama
Rent, health cover and ways to get residency for a foreign retiree in Panama, checked 2026-09-26.
Rent for a one-bedroom flat
| City | Centre | Outside centre |
|---|
| Panama City | $1,277 | $882 |
Towns such as Boquete and Coronado, popular with retirees, rent for less.
Healthcare
Most foreigners buy a local private plan, which is cheap while young and rises with age.
- Local private plan: $50–$125 a month
Residency routes
- Pensionado (Retirees with a pension): A lifetime pension of US$1,000 a month (US$750 with property over US$100,000). Portfolio income does not count.
- Friendly Nations (Citizens of ~50 listed countries): US$200,000 in Panamanian property or a fixed-term deposit, or a job in Panama.
- Qualified investor (Anyone): US$300,000 in property until 15 October 2026, then US$500,000. Permanent residence directly.
Tax on a portfolio
- Territorial: only Panamanian-source income is taxed, so a portfolio held with a foreign broker pays nothing.
- The balboa is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar, which circulates as the currency.
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