Region: Central America
Panama offers the famous Pensionado program with extensive discounts for retirees, US dollar currency, and Johns Hopkins-affiliated healthcare at a fraction of US costs.
Climate type: tropical. Average temperature: 81°F (27°C).
Panama records strengths in civil liberties (89), aiding legal protections, while facing challenges from public-sector corruption (33) and moderate rule of law (52). Political stability and government effectiveness stand at 55. For retirees, this implies generally stable daily predictability but potential inconsistencies in property rights and administrative dealings.
The Institutional Reliability Score is a structural governance indicator (Methodology v1.0) based on the World Justice Project, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, Transparency International, and the V-Dem Civil Liberties Index. It is shown alongside — never combined with — the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory. All cities in Panama share this country-level score. How this score is calculated.
Healthcare quality rating: 4/5. Safety rating: 3/5. Overall rating: 4/5.
Primary language: Spanish. English proficiency: moderate. Expat community rating: 4/5.
Pensionado Visa: $1,000/mo pension income minimum. Permanent residency. Famous 50% discounts on healthcare, travel, dining. Path to citizenship in 5 years.
Built around the famous Canal, Panama City is a modern metropolis that serves as the crossroads of the Americas, blending Caribbean and Latin influences with international commerce.
Hearty chicken soup with root vegetables and cilantro - Panama's national dish.
Panama City has nonstop flights from JFK. The airport metro connects to the city center in about 20 minutes.
Total travel time: ~7-9 hours total