How's the standard of living in Boquete, Panama?
Linda Jensen
The beautiful mountains around the village of Boquete are part of the ambience as well as the perpetual spring-like climate that attacks people here form all over the world!
We see lifestyles to compliment almost anyone who can afford to come here. From the million dollar villas to small casitas there is a comfortable place for everyone. Here in the picturesque hillsides you will find beautiful American style homes with American amenities.
The beautiful mountains around the village of Boquete are part of the ambience as well as the perpetual spring-like climate that attacks people here form all over the world!
We see lifestyles to compliment almost anyone who can afford to come here. From the million dollar villas to small casitas there is a comfortable place for everyone. Here in the picturesque hillsides you will find beautiful American style homes with American amenities.
Rental rates in Boquete reflect the large influx of expats with money to afford a higher rental rate. In the Valley Escondido community you can find a rental unit from $2,000 up. nearby it is possible to find a one bedroom for $800 a month. Just outside of Boquete is Las Molinas, a very nice community of high-end homes and condos. Rents are of a similar price range.
My husband and I have recently received our temporary Panama ID cards. We came to Boquete in December 2012. Our first place to rent was too small, no hot water, except in the shower. We did some research and found Boquete Valley of Flowers Condos. We like the comfortable size rooms, the two bathrooms, and having a guest room. The floor plan is a nice layout. We are especially pleased with the large covered patio. The screened windows and sliding doors add to our comfort. 
We enjoy the privacy too.
Our rental rates are reasonable at $750 a month. We do not need heat or air conditioning so that is a huge savings.
The owner has a new building with two second floor, vaulted ceiling with a beautiful view of the eastern sunrise from the living room and master bedroom. The units sell from $125,000 to $140,000.
We pay about $75 for cable Onda and high speed internet. So our monthly outlay is much less than when we owned our home in small town USA. It is almost half as much. We get our social security and it goes farther here than it could in the USA.
The fun is we are no longer chained to worry about making the bills each month, or the high cost of insurance. We pay $147 a month for MS Chiriqui Hospital Insurance for the two of us.
We have taken hundreds of pictures, traveled to the beach, shopping in David, tried new foods, enjoyed beers with friends. Walked miles and miles and loved it. Our health has improved, we are so much more relaxed than we were in the states.
You have plenty of opportunities to volunteer or get involved in worthwhile organizations. The people here, both expats and locals, are helpful and welcome you with open arms. It is a lifestyle not an existence in Boquete!
This is Arne on a Sunday afternoon hike!
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A word to the wise, we are guests in Panama and we should always respect the laws and customs of this nation and its people.
Posted May 28, 2013
Penny Barrett - Fundacion Bid 4 Bouquete
The standard of living in Boquete is pretty easy. Many people are on fixed budgets just as people are in the US but a lot of people here feel that they live a lot better for the same amount of money that they would spend in the US. They eat out more and go out more often to socialize. You will not spend much on your wardrobe here in Boquete because the weather is the same all the time.
Most of our entertainment in Boquete is cheap. As an example, I...
The standard of living in Boquete is pretty easy. Many people are on fixed budgets just as people are in the US but a lot of people here feel that they live a lot better for the same amount of money that they would spend in the US. They eat out more and go out more often to socialize. You will not spend much on your wardrobe here in Boquete because the weather is the same all the time.
Most of our entertainment in Boquete is cheap. As an example, I had guests last week and it was National Tourists Day. There was a troop of dancers and musicians who did some twenty-minute shows in one of local hotels. They wore polleras, which is the traditional dress of Panamanian women. They performed traditional dances and it was great. I bought a beer for US $1.50 and french fries for $1. I paid for the whole table and the bill came out to be around $10.
People here in Boquete tend to live a lot better because the weather is nice, there are many social opportunities, things are relatively inexpensive, and you save a lot of money because you do not need heating and cooling.
Posted October 14, 2014
Philip McGuigan - Chiriqui United, an Association of the leading humanitarian organizations in the Chiriqui Province of Panama
Things are generally cheaper here in Boquete than in the US so an expat can have a higher standard of living for the same amount of money that he spends in the US.
We have a very powerful expat community here in Boquete in terms of cohesiveness. There is no end of opportunities to meet and get to know other people or to volunteer for various humanitarian organizations that operate here in Boquete. We have photography clubs, painting clubs, and...
Things are generally cheaper here in Boquete than in the US so an expat can have a higher standard of living for the same amount of money that he spends in the US.
We have a very powerful expat community here in Boquete in terms of cohesiveness. There is no end of opportunities to meet and get to know other people or to volunteer for various humanitarian organizations that operate here in Boquete. We have photography clubs, painting clubs, and in many ways it mirrors what it was like in the Panama Canal Zone where there were a lot of clubs, so if, for example, if you were a stamp collector, you would have a a bunch of buddies with similar interests. It is the same thing here in Boquete. If you have a particular interest, you will find other people who share your interest and you will tend to get together with them. That’s part of the standard of living is the community feel, and there is such a wonderful community here in Boquete.
Even if you have a limited income, if you live in Boquete, you would still go out on a regular basis. I just had lunch with three of my friends at one of our favorite restaurants. I probably knew two-thirds of the people there in the restaurant filled with both Panamanians and Gringos. Including a good tip, my lunch cost only US $6.50.
Posted December 18, 2014
Mike Vuytowecz - Inside Panama Real Estate
Fresh food, clean air, temperate weather all year long, lots of outdoor activities, vibrant markets, annual fairs, quick access to health care, beach access in a little over an hour…I could go on and on. The standard of living in Boquete is excellent. Fresh food, clean air, temperate weather all year long, lots of outdoor activities, vibrant markets, annual fairs, quick access to health care, beach access in a little over an hour…I could go on and on. The standard of living in Boquete is excellent. Posted December 27, 2014
Lissy Lezcano - Lissy Lezcano Attorney & Mediator
Sometimes the standard of living depends on your level of education because you cannot compare a lawyer with a worker, since they have different mindsets. The same is true in Boquete. We have a minimum salary here in Panama, which is regulated by the law. Generally, you will live fairly well in Panama. The rentals in Boquete are higher compared to other places. Food is a little expensive in Boquete, too,...
Sometimes the standard of living depends on your level of education because you cannot compare a lawyer with a worker, since they have different mindsets. The same is true in Boquete. We have a minimum salary here in Panama, which is regulated by the law. Generally, you will live fairly well in Panama. The rentals in Boquete are higher compared to other places. Food is a little expensive in Boquete, too, compared with the rest of Panama. Most of the people in Boquete are locals. They own their own homes because these properties have been in their family for generations. As a result, they don’t worry about the rent and other things like that. They only have to worry about the cost of food, their electric bill and other regular bills that everyone else gets.
The standard of living for an attorney, for example, is different because we have to work hard in order to be able to afford nice things. I am single and I do not have kids, which means I have less to worry about, so it’s easier for me.
The expats who live in Boquete have different standards of living as well. Some of them have a very good standard of living while others do not. Some expats who live here moved here in Panama because, as far as I understand, they are retired and their retiree income is not enough for them to live a nice life in the States. They moved to Panama because it is cheaper here for them. They can live very fairly well here in Boquete with a $1,000 monthly pension. In David or in Boquete, you could find a rental for $300 or $400 a month. The rest of the money would go to food and bills. So with $1,000, they could live okay. If you have $2,000, you would live a better life. It would not be a very great standard of living, but if you don’t have any medical issues, you would live comfortably in Panama on $2,000 per month. Anything more than $2,000 per month would enable you to live a very good life in Boquete.
(Pictured: Rio Caldera, in Boquete.)
Posted June 20, 2015
Wee-Yiong Fung - Prestige Panama Realty
Boquete has a nice vibe and the people who live there enjoy it. Most of the time, the people in Boquete are very happy, whether you are rich or poor, because of the clean air, the pleasant weather, or just by being in contact with Mother Nature. So Boquete has a great vibe. The cost of living in Boquete is fairly decent. For an average Panamanian who earns US $500 a month, you can have a modest home, but you would have to be ready to do what you have to do...
Boquete has a nice vibe and the people who live there enjoy it. Most of the time, the people in Boquete are very happy, whether you are rich or poor, because of the clean air, the pleasant weather, or just by being in contact with Mother Nature. So Boquete has a great vibe. The cost of living in Boquete is fairly decent. For an average Panamanian who earns US $500 a month, you can have a modest home, but you would have to be ready to do what you have to do to survive with $500. But if you're married and your partner is also working at a minimum wage of $500 a month, you can have a nice home for a Panamanian standard and live happily.
For expats, it depends entirely on the standard of living they're used to in the US. Most of the expats who come to Panama and are on a budget because their money is not enough to retire in the US can, basically, fulfill their needs. For example, if they are getting US $1,500 a month, which is not enough to retire in the US, they can live the same lifestyle of the manager of a bank in Boquete. They can apply for a house loan on which they can pay $500 a month and they'll still have $1,000 to do whatever they want. $1,000 is more than enough to retire in Boquete because you don't have to pay for air conditioning, water, and the basic necessities are cheap.
(Home in Hacienda Los Molinos, ten minutes from Boquete, pictured.)
Posted June 30, 2015
Ricord (Ric) Winstead, MD - Retirement Services International
The standard of living in Boquete is really high. Depending on the season, there is a fair number of places that are available to rent at reasonable rates so your money goes a lot farther than in the States, unless you live in a gated community and in a five-bedroom home. The climate in Boquete is a huge part of the standard of living. It is just absolutely magical. For living in a tropical country, the mean temperature in Boquete is around 70 degrees...
The standard of living in Boquete is really high. Depending on the season, there is a fair number of places that are available to rent at reasonable rates so your money goes a lot farther than in the States, unless you live in a gated community and in a five-bedroom home. The climate in Boquete is a huge part of the standard of living. It is just absolutely magical. For living in a tropical country, the mean temperature in Boquete is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It has beautiful rainbows. It has mist blowing off from the mountains called Bajareque, which cools things off in the daytime. A lot of the time, during the rainy season, it rains at night but it doesn’t start raining until the afternoon so you have the whole day to take care of things and then you go inside in the afternoon. The climate is really a wonderful part of the standard of living in Boquete.
The expat community in Boquete has many activities, so there is a lot of stuff that you can choose to do or not; everything from volunteer groups to the Boquete Market on Tuesdays, where all the expats come and sell honey, jam, estate coffees, and lots of other things. It’s a nice thing. For expats living in a foreign country, there are a lot of ways to connect very quickly with a supportive community in Boquete, which is one of the other pieces that for me shows a high quality of life.
In general the cost of living well in Boquete is less than in the US, so your money goes further. There are very few things that take away from the quality of life in Boquete.
(Mist- covered Volcan Baru volcano seen from Lower Boquete, Panama, pictured.)
Posted July 22, 2015
GISELLE SOCARRAZ - Real Estate Chiriqui
I can compare the standard of living in Boquete with the standard of living in Miami, where I used to live. In doing so, however, it depends on what part of Miami one is used to. If we are talking about Coral Gables, Florida then you could live like a veritable golden queen on platinum stilts on the same budget in Boquete. If we are talking more in the neighborhood of a Hialeah, Florida budget... you may want to stick to David. :) (David is the closest larger city to...I can compare the standard of living in Boquete with the standard of living in Miami, where I used to live. In doing so, however, it depends on what part of Miami one is used to. If we are talking about Coral Gables, Florida then you could live like a veritable golden queen on platinum stilts on the same budget in Boquete. If we are talking more in the neighborhood of a Hialeah, Florida budget... you may want to stick to David. :) (David is the closest larger city to Boquete, about 20 minutes away by car.) Boquete can be quite pricey, especially if you plan to stay very close to town for all your purchases. This is why so many people in Boquete travel down to Costco or Pricemart in David to buy in bulk once every few months. When I say "bulk" purchases, I mean "bulk" in the "these people are buying enough food and caramel pretzels to wait out a nuclear apocalypse" sense of the word.
However (and this should be stressed), Boquete is much safer than Miami, which is hands down one of the most violent and crime ridden cities in the US. That and Boquete is VASTLY calmer and more relaxed than even Miami's quietest neighborhoods.
Overall, the standard of living in Boquete is very high. Houses are priced at $250,000 and up. All that clean mountain air comes at a premium, you know. :)
(Hacienda-style home in Boquete, Panama, pictured.)
Posted January 15, 2016
John Gilbert - PanamaKeys
When people ask me about the standard of living in Boquete as opposed to Central Kentucky, where I’m from, it always starts with, “What are your expectations for Boquete and for living outside of the United States?” Does Boquete have a cinema where you can watch all the live releases within five minutes where you live? No, it doesn’t. Is there a Burger King and a Wendy’s on every corner of Boquete? No, there isn’t. Is there...
When people ask me about the standard of living in Boquete as opposed to Central Kentucky, where I’m from, it always starts with, “What are your expectations for Boquete and for living outside of the United States?” Does Boquete have a cinema where you can watch all the live releases within five minutes where you live? No, it doesn’t. Is there a Burger King and a Wendy’s on every corner of Boquete? No, there isn’t. Is there a furniture factory outlet, a Home Depot or a Lowe’s? No, there isn’t. Is there a Wal-Mart? No, there isn’t.
Can you find anything that you want within a 30-minute drive of Boquete? You absolutely can. Within 30 minutes of Boquete, you’ll find a Friday’s, a McDonald’s, a Subway, a Dairy Queen, and two different movie theaters where you can see first runs of films that are released in Panama before they are in the United States. What you can find within five minutes of your house in Central Kentucky, you can find within 30 minutes of your house in Boquete.
Do I feel like I have a community here in Boquete? I absolutely do. For instance, I attend church and help to lead worship at Boquete Bible Fellowship, an expat church that is full of Americans who also serve our community.
In addition, there are a multitude of dealerships in Boquete- all the name brands that you’re familiar with in the United States, and a bunch of name brands that you’re not familiar with. There are also all kinds of new car dealerships and places to stay where you can go and play golf. There are so many things to do outside.
The best thing about Boquete in comparison to what I’d experienced in Central Kentucky is that it is beautiful every single day of the year at 77 Fahrenheit. The highest Boquete ever gets is 81-82 Fahrenheit, and the lowest is 60 Fahrenheit.
Boquete has a rainy season and a dry season, but even through the rainy season, which I thought I’d hate but I’ve come to appreciate, things are greener and bluer. There would be rain every day, yes, but it doesn’t rain all day every day, so all the mornings are beautiful. During the rainy season, it rains for 2-3 hours in the afternoon, and then it blows off, like in South Florida. In the dry season, the rain and the clouds just disappear for 5 months. That’s when Boquete becomes almost like a paradise. Boquete is really wonderful weather-wise.
(John Gilbert singing hymns with Megan Webster Gilbert at Boquete Bible Fellowship Church, Boquete, Panama Panama, pictured.)
Posted February 7, 2017