Whether or not Panama is cheap depends on what you are buying. I would say “no” for the most part, but there are some things that are still less expensive here than in other places.
Things that are less expensive would include things like your personal cleaning lady, or similar personal services, which you still can pay them very basic minimum wage. As far as good food and clothes, it’s just the same as he US. If you go to a place with less quality food and clothes, you get it for less expense. If you go to restaurants, it’s right on par. At the mall, you’d find the shops that have the same prices.
Panama is cheap if you are “coming up” to Panama. If you’re “going down” to Panama, it’s not. So for example, if you’re coming from the United States or Canada, you’re going to see very similar prices. But if you’re coming up from Colombia, it’s half price… from Venezuela, it’s a fraction of the price. From Brazil, it’s a third of the price. So it depends on who you are or where you’re coming from and you’ll have an idea how cheap it is.
The reason its cheaper here for people coming up is because the taxes are so high in these other places. People from South America get off the plane with empty suitcases because Panama is cheap. But from North America, though, it’s the same price.
It is very expensive to live, for example, in Panama City. For example, butter is four times the price it is in the United States. If you go out into the interior, however, where there much less goods and services, the prices are very, very cheap. It’s the same dynamic comparing Manhattan to Kansas.
I would say, basically, the cost of living in Panama is a little less just because cost of living includes everything like your cleaning lady and your health care and those type of things, bring the cost of living down just a bit. But otherwise, the cost of living is very, very similar. There’s not as much as a difference as it was five years ago.
(The City of Pesé in Herrera Province in the interior of Panama, pictured.)
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At the edge of the Atlantic, which a persuasive current has aided the migration of Europeans to cleave the Isthmus of Panama for the Canal, and now mid- stream central to the modern jet route along the north/south latitude of the Latin regions, Manual Baruco is in the perfect position to contemplate his country’s position in the world. Jet Metier also discovers that Manuel could be also considered an all- American boy.