Why Panama?
This is a question we get asked a lot so I’ll start with…
Why not just stay in the U.S?
- The cost of living (anywhere where the weather is balmy and there’s a nice beach nearby) is way, way too high.
- Healthcare in the U.S. is hopelessly broken. (And we’re getting older and have health issues.)
- Climate change – ever-worsening hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, droughts, floods, heat domes, and polar vortex events are wreaking havoc everywhere.
- Out of control gun violence and hate crimes
- Rapidly eroding environmental and public safety programs/regulations. (Such programs are bad for the profit margins of American oligarchs.)
- A political climate that’s divisive, hate-filled, and heading rapidly toward a fascist, Christian Nationalist state.
By contrast, Panama…
- Has a lower cost of living, in general.
- Very high quality healthcare is affordable and accessible to all.
- The weather is very pleasant. Yes, it can get a little hot – but coming from the desert in Nevada by way of the desert in Arizona, it feels pretty good to us. And yes, it’s humid – but again, we prefer that to the scorching dryness that we’re coming from.
- No hurricanes, wildfires, or significant natural disasters of any kind here puts property insurance at a mere 1/10 of 1%… That’s $200/year for a $200K house!
- U.S. citizens are welcome here (for now, anyway) – all you need is your passport and you can stay for 180 days. (Plenty of time to complete the process for getting legal residency.)
- Legal residency is very easy. Passive income requirement for Panama’s Pensionado Visa is a mere $1000. ($1250 for a couple.)
- Our dogs are welcome here, too. Panama offers a “home quarantine” program where your dogs get to stay with you. (You just have to keep them isolated from other dogs/pets for 40 days.) This was a big deal for us – especially in contrast with places like Bali or Lombok where you’re not allowed to bring your dog into the country at all and, while it’s purportedly easy to smuggle them in, they’ll shoot your dogs right in front of you if they catch you doing so!
- Low taxes (no taxes on our Social Security/retirement income from the US)
- A plethora of discounts on goods and services, nationwide – including airfare, movie tickets, medical services, prescriptions, and much more – for men over 60/women over 55.
- (U.S.) Dollar-based economy means we don’t have to worry about currency conversion
- Same electrical standard (120V/60 Hz) and sockets as in the U.S. – every kitchen appliance, electronic device, fan, lamp, power tool, etc. that we have packed and ready to ship here – they’re all going to work just fine. (If we moved to Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and many parts of South America, none of our stuff would have worked!)
- If we need to come back to the States for any reason, we’re a mere 2.5 – 3 hour flight from Panama City to Miami.
- We can actually afford beachfront housing here!!!
