The country of Panama is a great place to live.  In addition to a year-round tropical climate, two oceans, picturesque mountain villages, a world-famous Canal, jungles, islands, beaches and rivers, Panama has one of the lowest crime rates in this hemisphere.  Panamanians are generally friendly, and many speak some English.  Most of the country has excellent drinking water, reliable electricity and state of the art telecommunications.

     Panama City has excellent dining, culture, nightlife and shopping.  The city has very good housing, and good private schools.  There are direct, daily flights to many major cities in the U.S. and Latin America.  Panama City has several first-rate medical facilities, along with well-trained medical personnel.

     The cost of living in Panama is generally lower than in other Latin American capitals, and is considerably lower than in major cities in the U.S. and Europe. 

     Panama has a strong, stable democracy and a tradition of democratic electoral process.  Most, if not all, of the vestiges of military dictatorship have been eliminated and forgotten.  Presidential and legislative elections held in May of this year were clean and transparent.  There is hope that the incoming Torrijos administration will eliminate much of the perceived corruption in the outgoing Moscoso administration.

     Panamanians genuinely like foreigners, especially Americans.  There are no terrorist groups in Panama.

                Cost of Living

     A growing number of foreigners are choosing to retire in Panama.  Compared to the U.S., Canada or Europe, Panama has a substantially lower cost of living, the cost of housing is dramatically lower, and personal services (such as a maid or gardener) are affordable. 

Medical - Hospital

     Panama City also has several good hospitals and medical facilities, and a wide variety of well-trained doctors and nurses.  Most of the doctors speak serviceable English, and a sizable minority have studied in the U.S. or Europe.

     Potential retirees should note that U.S. Medicare / Medicaid does not cover countries outside the U.S.

Food - Dining

     Panama has excellent fruits, vegetables and produce; good beef, poultry and pork; excellent water; and a very good (albeit more expensive) selection of imported food products from the U.S. and Europe.  Panama has several local chains of well-stocked grocery stores, as well as the U.S. Costco chain with locations in Panama City and David.

     Panama City has a wide variety of excellent restaurants, as well as almost every fast food chain found in the U.S.  Panama City also has theme restaurants such as TGI Friday's and Bennigans.

Utilities

     Utilities services in Panama are very good: excellent telephone service; excellent internet access; excellent water; reliable electricity (albeit expensive); widely available natural gas; reliable garbage pick up; cable TV in the major cities; and Direct TV throughout the country.

     Panama's state-owned mail system has no home delivery - you must get a P.O. box.  The state-owned mail system is perceived as unreliable and inconsistent.  There are several private mail services in Panama, including Mail Boxes, Etc., that provide both a U.S. and Panamanian mailing address for incoming correspondence and packages.  Outgoing correspondence and packages must be sent via Panamanian mail or courier such as Federal Express or DHL.

     Panama City has several state-of-the-art movie theater complexes which feature first run Hollywood movies in English (with Spanish subtitles).  Popular European and other foreign films are shown as well.  The video rental chains Blockbuster and Video Ave. have locations throughout the country.

     There are a number of theaters in Panama City that produce stage plays (normally in Spanish), musicals, ballets, and modern dance.  Panama has a national symphony orchestra, and Panama's National Theatre is currently undergoing a major renovation.

     Each major town in Panama has a baseball and a soccer stadium.  During their respective seasons, regional teams compete on a rotating basis.

     Panama City has a wide variety of bars, lounges, discotheques, and night clubs, featuring blues, jazz, rock and roll, disco, hip hop, trance, salsa and reggae. Many clubs offer live music, and most are open until 4:00 AM.

Sports and Exercise

     Panama's tropical climate, two oceans, and over 1,300 miles of coastline offer excellent water sports, including swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, boating, surfing, kite boarding, windsurfing and sailing. Panama's mountain rivers offer excellent white water rafting; while Lake Gatun, part of the Panama Canal, boasts excellent fresh water fishing.

     Panama City has several very good golf courses, as well as tennis facilities and a racquetball center.  Many people run, jog or walk at the Parque Omar, located in the City's center, or ride bikes on the Amador causeway. 

     The major hotels in the City (such as the Marriott, Inter-Continental, Radisson and Hotel Panama) have extensive gym and spa facilities available to non-guests.  There are also several modern gyms available on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.