New members of the Panama forum, introduce yourselves here - 2026

Hello Interested in the Panama and like to know the cost of registering a company and opening a bank account under the business and personal. Thank you

Colin

@saratogaenergy

I would suggest opening a new thread to ask your questions about establishing a business. This is an introduction thread, for new members to introduce themselves. Having a dedicated thread for your question is much more likely to get appropriate responses.

@Julien

Hello…my husband and I are considering Panama for retirement. We live in the USA. We are middle class and fluent in Spanish. We are simple people. Our priority is safety and anlocation close to a major hospital. We were looking at Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Dominican Republic but Panama seems like a better choice…so far.

Thanks!

@Morena39

There are a lot of deciding factors here. Most of the big hospitals in Panama are what they call free hospitals, but there are private ones also. of course, if you’re going to live close to a hospital, then you’re looking at least living close to a big city. I lived there for a year, but that was 14 years ago. I still visit twice a year, though to visit family.

@saratogaenergy

Think about it like, it’s not much different than doing the same thing here. First, you must have residency. There is also a book called Panama tax laws that you should invest in before making any business investments. they are very strict about paying your taxes, so don’t look for loopholes like you do in the United States.

@Morena39

After 5.5 years in the Dominican Republic, we moved to Panama in January. One of the primary reasons we moved is that where we were in DR, Las Terrenas on the Samana Peninsula, we were 2.5-4 hours away from anything other than very basic healthcare. I needed PT for a shoulder injury, and my only options involved at least an hour's drive and $15 in tolls. I ended up researching and doing it on my own. I'm sure it took longer to rehab the injury, but it was a lot cheaper and more convenient.

We are now in Alto Boquete. Boquete, and all that it offers, is just a short 15-minute drive, and David, with an international airport, several private hospitals, medical specialists, and abundant shopping, is just half an hour away.

Hello all, new to the forum and looking to make the move to Panama in the next 12-24months.  Trying to get my things sorted before I make a decision.  Hoping to get advice and guidance on the subject, will have lots of questions.  Thanks in advance.

@Panama964

Welcome on board !

Feel free to post your questions on the Panama forum so that members may guide you.

Also, we have a comprehensive expat Guide for Panama, do not hesitate to read it.

All the best

Bhavna

@Julien

Hola everyone! I'm glad to be on board here. I'm a retired electronic and electromechanical tech. I have experience with commercial aircraft maintenance.

I've already spent a year ('09) in Panama in David and Volcan. Except for the hot muggy weather in the lowlands I really appreciated living there, especially with a lovely girlfriend! I'll be relocating soon to be with her and her projects that she needs help with. I hope to hear from the other expats here.

@ddmcghee

Hola DD,

I've visited Boquete in '09 and really liked it. I also lived in Volcan and David with my Panamanian GF! I'll be heading back to be with her and her projects soon.

How do you like it there? Is it a little too rainy for you now?

@Javion7322

Hi, I am a German expat living in Boquete since 2009.

Welcome.

For some time in in my life I was an electronics engineer but haven't held a soldering iron for a while now.

@Volker Piasta

Hi Volker. Wow, you have been there for quite some time now so you must like it there! I'm still trying to adjust to the weather here in David. It's been a while since I've used a soldering iron myself but then I'm still living out of my luggage! Hahaha.

Can anyone tell me if there are any VA Healthcare facilities in Panama?

@Javion7322

We’ve only been here since January, so we are in our first rainy season! We’re in Alto Boquete, near the checkpoint, so we don’t get as much rain as Bajo Boquete.

@saratogaenergy

Panama is an excellent choice for retirement, especially if safety, quality healthcare, and stability are your priorities. ***

@Julien

Hello. We are English expats who lived in Panama from 2020 until 2024. We were encouraged to choose Panama as a home by an American-based organisation (who I will not name ) but most will know as the main, supposedly respected source of recomendations for retirement locations. Prior to visiting Panama we also checked out (meaning visited) Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico and Costa Rica. Panama made the best impression of the five so we, mistakenly, decided to move there which, in retrospect, was a big mistake and would recommend others to be wary of making this choice. There are many touted benefits of living there, welcoming expats, the Pensionado scheme, etc,etc, but we found the reality to be very different and, unless perhaps you are American expats, we regretted our decision to move there for the following reasons:-

1. If you are not a city person and not willing to live in Panama City then typical choices of rural living include Boquete, David, Volcan and Bocas del Toro. We chose Boquete.
2. The 'Pensionado' scheme exists but any discounts are more than often offset by the inflated costs of essentials for ex pats. For example medication is imported from the USA and, apart from the import costs, medication from the 'Big Pharma' in the USA is extortionately expensive.
3. Panama relies upon ONE main road, the Interamericana. If this road is blocked, disrupted for any reason then supplies of all vital goods for the 'Provinces' are blocked. This occured in 2023 when political/industrial action over a disputed copper mine caused dissenters to close the road. This resulted inall supplies of food, medicines, fuel,etc,etc being blocked. It is a vital artery vulnerable to each and any problem. There is No rail service and air travel is costly and unreliable. The airports ,particularly, Tocumen in Panama City, are a nightmare - disorganised, nowhere to sit, nothing to eat or drink and thoroughly unpleasant.
4. The choice of products in many stores is very limited. The main shops do not have sufficient turnover to justify  stocking more than two or three alternatives. If you are used to the choice of goods typical in North America or Europe you will be very disappointed.
5. There is NO international postal service and a very limited domestic service. If you want something 'unusual' through Amazon, you can order it from them for delivery to Florida, where it is then air freighted to Panama (at a cost) and finally delivered to a local collection point. A real 'Third World' situation.
6. The main ex pat community there is from the United States. If you are American then you may well be happy in your ex pat comminity but if not, and you're not interested in baseball, pickup trucks, etc, then you're on your own.
7. The road system off the Interamericana is a nightmare. lack of road signs cannot be offset by Google Maps as 'Rubbish in - Rubbish out' means you will still get lost. The road surfaces can change in an instant between smooth to impassable within a few metres. Places like Boquete, Bocas del Toro are 'one road in,one road out' so you are isolated.
8. Unfortunately Panamanians we found are very 'scruffy' people who care little for their surroundings, drop litter everywhere, do not care for their historical sites, and leave rubbish all around some of the prettiest places.
9. The weather has two seasons - all very hot. 9 months of the year with daily violent afternoon thunderstorms and the other three months very dry and exceptionally windy.     

There are other issues but I think you get the picture. If you have a North American mentality then you may like it but if you are from a more sophisticated background and enjoy the subtleties of life I think you should look elsewhere.

And two years later you're still so steamed about it that you come back to unload this jeremiad? Sounds like leaving was the right decision for you, and maybe it's time to move on.

It's definitely a good idea to check a place out as well as you can before making a major commitment. Everybody has different priorities. Vacation is different from everyday life. There's gonna be a paradise tax, count on it; but what you can't know in advance is which things will make you run screaming for the hills vs which will just make you laugh and say "bring it on".

I'm too new to have meaningful advice about the pros and cons of Panama, but I will say participants in any such discussion will gain the most from specific questions and concrete answers, rather than flinging a lot of adjectives around, positive or negative.

@wondering9

Good morning wondering9!

Not steamed, just being honest about admitting our mistake and presenting FACTS not opinions nor adjectives about life in Panama so that others don't do the same. Rather than 'Grinning and bearing it' as some of our neighbours did, we decided that it was not acceptable and, reluctantly at our time of life, we went through the trauma of another move to find a better life, which we have (in France by the way).

Oh, one thing I forgot, we were there during Covid and the Panamanian authorities handled the massive vaccination process brilliantly - I don't think anywhere else could have done better - so hats off to them there.

@Robert Hopkin I'm not sure how you're defining "fact" but a lot of those look like opinions to me. Just because this was a mistake for you doesn't mean it will be for other people. There's no need to insult people who make different choices, and there's certainly no need to insult our local hosts.

Everybody has different priorities and everybody needs to check things out for themselves. Paying a relo company won't take *that* job off your hands. I'd encourage anybody contemplating this move to make a list of your highest priorities and walk them through in person while you're visiting; assume nothing. Anything you can't walk through, find reliable people to ask concrete specific questions and think carefully about the answers you get. You'd do the same (I hope!) if you were buying a car or choosing a college.

I could tell any prospective immigrant that the grocery stores are great, the bus system is extensive and comfortable, the workarounds for the postal system are easy-peasy once you get the hang of them, the people are gracious, the road map and the weather are obvious, half the charm of Boquete and Bocas is that they're NOT in the middle of a major road network, every place is vulnerable to disruption one way or another, and there's no law that you have to hang out with expats all the time -- but those are just opinions too and people really need to check things out for themselves.

This experience was never meant to be without friction or risk. May everyone find their right spot! And may we all be more of a blessing than a curse for the locals who share their space with us.

Everything you posted here is true and more. I could go on for hours myself but the real question is; what is important to each individual. What are the values that each person holds dear in their life. For me, it is Christianity. I also believe that the Panamanian people as a whole have more love and respect for God than most Americans or Europeans; and that one thing is what fuels my love for Panama. Granted, this respect for God is dwindling worldwide including Latin America, I still feel it more there than anywhere else. We have a small house in the mountains far away from any expats and we like it there. Our neighbors are native Indians so my profession as an electrician isn’t very useful to me there although I did rewire the local Church for them. We don’t have many modern amenities but the people are real, and that makes my wife and I happy. Good luck with your new living arrangements and God bless you.

@Julien

Glad to be part of the conversation

Hello gatorleach,

Welcome to Expat.com 😀

Since you are new to the forum too, we would love to hear a little more about you and what brings you to Panama.

Have you already made the move, or are you still in the planning stages?

Cheers,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

@Cheryl

Thanks. We are in the beginning phase of a possible move. Taking a Relocation tour in April and in betweenq, reading a lot and watching a lot of Youtube videos. Do you have any suggestions regarding english written Newspapers in Panama ?

@gatorleach

Welcome to the forum! Originally from the U.S., we’ve been in Alto Boquete since January, after 5.5 years in the Dominican Republic.

Here are a couple of options for news in English:

https://newsroompanama.com

https://www.thevisitorpanama.info/eng/

@ddmcghee

Wife and I are looking at the possibility of moving to Boquete and may visit soon to look at houses. I saw a nice two bedroom / two bath model home in Alto Boquete that looked perfect but got no response from the Realtor when I sent them a message. Are there new moderate priced housing neighborhoods being built there or was the listing on the web just a hook?

Thanks: Al

Hello Al,

We lived in a gated community on the Caldera Road in Alto Boquete for four years and left about 3 years ago. Please take my comments as suggestions, not facts, as things may have changed (perhaps a lot) since we left, but we learned quite a lot while we were there that may still be relevant today:-

1. Alto Boquete is quite a lot hotter than the housing developments closer to town as the temperature is very altitude- dependent. If you don't mind the heat that's fine but in Alto Boquete you should make sure you have either aircon or budget for an installation for all rooms. Other housing developments closer to Boquete town are quite a bit cooler (for instance Boquete Country Club) but they don't usually have the lovely mountain/canyon views you get from Alto Boquete.
2. In the two years before we left we saw a lot of new 'Low cost' -high density housing going up in the Alto Boquete area. Although we didn't have any security issues while we were there, one has to be aware of the possiblity that the presence of lower income families closeby may prompt concerns about home security.
3. Much of the Alto Boquete area relies, directly or indirectly, on water supply from the Caldera River. With the recent drought I believe that the river level is lower and may cause water supply concerns for the future. It might be worthwhile checking if there is a backup water supply solution like a borehole before committing to a house purchase.
4. Just for reference, while we were there the main Caldera Road was always in shocking condition with numerous potholes that could and have caused damage to motor vehicles. I am told that the Caldera Road has recently been re-surfaced. However, be aware that it is a 'weak point' of the access to the area if the municipality doesn't maintain it.
5. The Caldera Road contains the municipal waste landfill about 2/3rds of the way between the junction from the main Boquete/David  highway and Caldera village. This has been a 'Bone of Contention' for many years between the AB residents and the municipality because, sometimes, the landfill workers set fire to the waste to reduce the quantities. This smoke blows around the area, can be irritating to Alto Boquete residents and, due to the reputation, caused some potential buyers for our house to walk away.
6. Depending on where you are looking to buy, there can be a big difference between the construction quality of the houses built some years ago and those more recent. In our development the older houses were built to a good standard, but we saw some 'horror stories' of construction methods for some of the newer properties. Just be aware and maybe get an independent building inspector to check the standard af any house you might be interested in.
7. I'm trying to be diplomatic, but for any house that may interest you, make a few visits to see what the neighbours are like in terms of 'Tidyness'! In Panama there are different standards of cleanliness and tidyness between Ex Pats and locals. In our street there was one house (very nice and even a better standard than ours!)  that was on the market for ages before we found a buyer and still not sold when we left that had a local as neighbour. The condition of the garden and surroundings of the neighbour was a major 'Turn off' for many buyers we discovered.

In any case good luck and all the best.

@ddmcghee

Thank you very much for this information.

@ddmcghee

Thanks. I just checked out NewsroomPanama.com

i like it. Thanks

@gandalfwz

Sorry for the delay - I haven't logged on in a few weeks.

There are many neighborhoods being built that are very affordable. While there are some expats moving to these neighborhoods, I think they are primarily targeted toward middle-class Panamanian families. Many have playgrounds and sports courts built into the plans.

We rented an AirBnB in Chelsea Gardens, one of the SPG developments just north of the checkpoint in Alto Boquete. While the kitchen was too small for us to consider buying, we made it work short-term (two separate week+ stays). The occupied homes there were all very well maintained. It was still new, but the owners were adding landscaping and taking care of their yards.

I'd try another realtor if you aren't getting a response.