The Global Expat Hub
PanamaCost breakdown
| Item | Estimate | Assumes |
|---|---|---|
| Scouting trip flights | $400 | one return trip, one to two people |
| Scouting trip stay | $750 | two to four weeks in the neighbourhoods you might live in |
| Visa, permits & translations | $750 | government fees, apostilles, translations; luxury adds an immigration lawyer |
| Relocation flights | $600 | one-way, with extra baggage |
| Moving & shipping | $800 | affordable: suitcases only; luxury: full container and white-glove |
| Housing deposit & first rent | $1,300 | deposit plus first month, scaled to the local rental market |
| Furnishing & setup | $500 | affordable leans on second-hand and furnished lets |
| Health insurance, first year | $1,100 | basic international cover through to premium global plans |
| Language classes | $250 | apps and group classes through to private tutoring |
| Local admin & first-month living | $1,150 | registration, SIM, transport, groceries before income settles |
| Contingency | $750 | 10% of the total above |
| Total setup, one adult | $8,350 | before ongoing rent and living costs |
Scaled to Panama's price level (cost-of-living score 78). Add roughly 60–80% for a couple and 30–40% per child, more if international school fees apply.
Timeline
Decide & research weeks 1–8
Shortlist two cities, read every section here, join local expat groups online, start a language app, open a savings tracker.
Paperwork weeks 9–18
Gather documents, get apostilles and translations, apply for the visa yourself, arrange basic international health insurance.
Scouting trip weeks 19–21
One trip, two to three weeks, in a furnished rental in your first-choice neighbourhood. Visit a supermarket, a clinic, a bus route and a coworking space.
Move weeks 22–25
Sell or store what you can't carry. Two suitcases each. Book a one-month furnished rental to land in, then find a lease locally.
Settle weeks 26–33
Register your address, get a SIM and a bank account, join group language classes, say yes to every meetup for two months.
Checklist
- Two-city shortlist with a written reason for each
- Visa route chosen and requirements printed
- Passport valid 18+ months
- Documents apostilled and translated
- Basic international health insurance quote
- Six months of living costs saved in cash
- Scouting trip booked in a furnished rental
- Furnished landing rental for month one
- Pet paperwork started (if applicable)
- Belongings reduced to two suitcases each
- Bank told you're moving; a no-foreign-fee card in hand
- Language app streak of 60+ days
- Group language class booked for week two
- Expat group memberships joined online
- Contingency fund kept separate and untouched