Our Move to Panama

@cleoh85 you still have chance to go back in your plans. Panamá is not a safe country, very expensive and authorities are corrupt.. I lived there 3 years, particularly in Boquete and David… the health system is primitive and amazingly expensive…

@manper

Sounds perfect!  : )

cleoh85: lmao... We too are looking to relocate and are interested in Boquete, Volcan or other nearby towns. I think we've all seen that every country has good and bad points and government corruption appears to be universal to some extent. I think the secret is to explore possible landing areas with eyes wide-open and see whether the scale balances in a way that each of us is comfortable with. We too, are looking forward to meeting with people in the Chiriqui area and getting a real taste of what life there has to offer. Good Luck on your journey.

Well said.  I think it's smarter to not have too many preconceived notions nor compare where you've come from with expectations with regards to similarities.  We're looking forward to our new adventure ahead as I'm sure you are as well.  Best wishes!

@gandalfwz

I got a good chuckle out of that one myself.

@manper

It looks as though you have lived in several countries.  Is it possible that you are searching for that perfect country at a very cheap price?  If this is so, you will not find it.  There's corruption everywhere worldwide and on many levels.  I have never heard any complaints of their health system being primitive.  No one is saying that cost of living in Panama is cheap, but in many cases it is far less expensive than in other countries,  and possibly than in most.  In so far safety, I have heard repeatedly just how safe it actually is in comparison to other countries.  Petty theft is common in most countries.  Unless you go to areas that notably pose as risk factors, and there are a few particularly near and around Panama City, the general consensus has shown in general that the country is a fairly safe place to live, more so than America, more so than the UK and more so than Australia to name a few of the Western populated countries.  Expats choose Panama as a place to retire as a way of making most of their social security and living a simpler peaceful life.  It is suggested that one keeps an open mind,  using patience with the understanding of the country's cultural norms and mores, as any given country has their own.  Some people are good with this philosophy while others are not willing to exercise this flexibility.  I would personally advise anyone who chooses to live outside of their own country to leave their expectations at the borders, no matter what country one chooses.  And instead stay open-minded and embrace the differences.

I’m just giving my advise for those that have chance to change their plans, the way you’re defending it seems you already made the mistake, enjoy it!

@cleoh85

I've been on this board, mostly lurking, since early 2025. One thing I've noticed is Manper, seems to hate Panama. You can see his post going back for years and almost always start with "Don't go there" when everyone else that's living there that's posting, seems to be doing just fine. Nobody is expecting a perfect paradise. Granted , I've only visited twice but, we've always rented our own car and have driven to several different areas and stayed in neighborhoods, not hotels or resorts, and never once did we feel unsafe. My suspicion is either he/she truly had some horrific experience or he/she lives there and doesn't want the country to be filled up with expats (which I understand) Just my 2 cents

@cleoh85

I’m just comparing with developed countries at similar or even cheaper cost of living like Spain, but seems you don’t see the point. Many thanks for spending lot of time on me and deep analysis…Once again; enjoy Panama!

@cleoh85

Hello!

My husband and I have been in Alto Boquete since January, after 5.5 years in the Dominican Republic. I'm happy to answer any questions or to meet for a coffee once you get here.