Free Guide: 10 Things We Wish We'd Known Before Moving to Panama
What we did, and Why
The honest, practical guide that the expat forums never give you — written from 12 months of lived experience on the ground.
After dropping $100k in income to live on NZ Super and watching our savings shrink, we made the call. Here's the full story of how we sold up, packed five suitcases, and flew to Panama.
After 12 months on the ground, we break down every major expense — and show how a Kiwi couple lives comfortably on around $600 USD per month, a fraction of what the same life costs in the Manawatu.
If you receive a pension of at least $1,000 USD per month, you qualify for Panama's legendary Pensionado visa — and the benefits are remarkable.
After a career in NZ property investment, we thought we knew what to expect. Panama surprised us in ways both good and unexpected.
Panama City's UNESCO World Heritage district is full of colonial buildings ripe for renovation. Here is what the numbers actually look like.
Panama has world-class private hospitals. Here is what we have experienced first-hand — costs, quality, and the insurance question.
Panama's two most popular expat retirement destinations couldn't be more different — yet both win converts for compelling reasons. We've spent time in both.
Ninety minutes from Panama City, Coronado offers Pacific beaches, a strong expat community, and a relaxed retirement lifestyle at a fraction of the cost.
Not all Panama City neighbourhoods suit retirees equally. We break down Marbella, El Cangrejo, San Francisco, and Punta Pacífica.
Moving overseas is the easy part. Building genuine friendships and a real community takes more intention than most people expect.
Finding reliable tradespeople in Panama is easier than most expats expect — and at $50–70 USD per day, far cheaper than back home. Here's our vetted contact list for the Coronado area.
Panama Oeste has become one of the country's most dynamic real estate corridors, offering both fixer-upper homes and move-in-ready mid-market properties.
Panama's tropical roads, reactive maintenance culture, and coastal salt air create unique hazards in the used car market. Here's how to avoid buying someone else's expensive problem.
We built a weighted index across eleven categories to answer one question properly: which country actually gives a Kiwi retiree the best combination of affordability, healthcare, safety, tax treatment and residency over the next twenty years?
