Where I Can Live
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Americas · Spanish · updated 2026-10

Moving to Panama: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,750 a month to live in Panama City, and a family of four about $3,700, including rent. Panama usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 2 yrs, with citizenship after 5 yrs, and dual citizenship is limited. You can move here without a job offer through the Short Stay Visa for Remote Workers and the Pensionado.

Monthly budget
$1,750
Very low cost
Safety
30
Take care
Stability
44
Fragile
Family
37
Fair
Main city
Panama City
Language
Spanish
Permanent residence
2 yrs
Citizenship
5 yrs
Dual citizenship
Limited
Digital nomad visa
Yes
What can your passport do in Panama?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.
Open the interactive index →

Cost of living in Panama, per month in US$

One person
$1,750
Family of four
$3,700
RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther
1-bed flat, Panama City centre
$1,000
Estimate
3-bed family flat
$1,850
Estimate
Price level
50
US = 100
Income per person
$1,595
GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score
30
Take care
Homicides per 100k
11.71
US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability+0.24
Rule of law−0.30
Control of corruption−0.56
Government effectiveness+0.22
−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Fragile overall (44/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score
37
Fair
Child outcomes (HCI)
0.502
Health & schooling, 0–1
Under-5 mortality
15.3
per 1,000 births
Life expectancy
79.8 yrs
at birth
Health spending
$1,558
per person / year
Education spending
2.5%
of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Remote work
Short Stay Visa for Remote Workers$3,000/month foreign income, 9 months, renewable once.
Passive income
PensionadoLifetime pension of $1,000/month; permanent from the start.
Investment
Qualified Investor$300,000 in property for fast-track permanent residence.

Some passports also get: Friendly Nations visa.

Who gets easier access to Panama

Panama is not part of a free-movement area in the index.

Friendly Nations visa (54 nationalities)

Friendly Nations visa: residence through a Panamanian job, or a $200,000 property purchase or bank deposit.

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Visiting: 116 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 82 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs
Permanent residence
2 yrs
Citizenship
5 yrs
Dual citizenship
Limited

Panama uses the US dollar. Naturalisation formally requires renouncing other nationalities, but this is not enforced abroad.

Last checked 2026-10. Official source: www.migracion.gob.pa

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Panama?

About $1,750 a month for one person and $3,700 for a family of four in Panama City, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $1,000 a month and a 3-bedroom around $1,850. Prices are 50% of US levels. Panama is the 43rd cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Panama safe to live in?

Panama scores 30/100 for safety (take care), ranking 70th of 76. The homicide rate is 11.71 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Panama politically stable?

Panama scores 44/100 for stability (fragile), ranking 61st of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Panama good for families?

Panama scores 37/100 for family-friendliness (fair), ranking 63rd of 76. Life expectancy is 79.8 years and under-5 mortality is 15.3 per 1,000 births.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Panama?

Usually 2 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Panama?

Usually 5 yrs of residence. Dual citizenship: limited.

Can I move to Panama without a job offer?

Yes. Short Stay Visa for Remote Workers: $3,000/month foreign income, 9 months, renewable once. Pensionado: Lifetime pension of $1,000/month; permanent from the start.

Does Panama have a digital nomad visa?

Yes: the Short Stay Visa for Remote Workers. $3,000/month foreign income, 9 months, renewable once.

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See also: cheapest countries to live · safest countries · most stable countries · best countries for families · where citizens of Panama can move