Living abroad with kids is a whole different ballgame.
I should know. I’ve been doing it for the majority of my time in Panama.
I moved here in the early 2000’s, enamored with Panama and all it had to offer. As a real estate investor and consultant, I knew that Panama real estate was on the verge of blossoming. But as a mother-to-be, I had to make sure Panama was right for my family, too.
Today, I can’t imagine raising my children anywhere else.
As you can imagine, I get quite a few questions from clients who want to move to Panama with kids. Here’s what they want to know most.
Is Panama Safe for Children?
As far as Latin American countries go, Panama is about as safe as you’re going to get. It has one of the lowest crime ratings in Latin America, and Panama City is even considered to be safer than many major U.S cities.
Still, it depends on where you live. There are bad areas and “no-go zones,” just like in any other country, and these are areas neither I or my children go. Personally, we live in Coronado, which is Panama’s most established beach community and considered the safest place to live in Panama. We travel around the country quite frequently, and there are only a few places that we wouldn’t venture (and, quite frankly, there’s nothing to see there anyway.)
Where’s the Best Place to Raise Kids?
For most parents, the top priorities in raising a child are the child’s safety and quality of education. Assuming these are your priorities, I recommend Coronado, Gorgona, Panama City, and Boquete.
These places all lay claim to some of the best private schools in the country. Furthermore, they are outstandingly safe communities.
As noted above, Coronado is considered the safest place to live in Panama, on account of its residential security gate and local police presence. Playa Gorgona comes up close behind, with a police station located right at the entrance and a slow-paced family atmosphere. Certain parts of Panama City are also quite safe, with patrolling policemen and security stations at most new buildings. Boquete is not quite as safeguarded as the others, but it is by far the safest of the mountain towns.
What Are the Schools Like?
You can’t ask for a better education than that which is given by Panama’s private institutions. My children attend the Coronado International School of Panama, and I am pleased with their schooling. The curriculum is challenging yet suitable, the teachers are hands-on, and their classmates are friendly and diverse. There’s also another great school in Gorgona.
Sadly, most public schools in Panama aren’t quite up to snuff with North American standards. The government of Panama is working to improve upon this, with funding in place to increase the kids’ access to technology, afterschool programs, and other resources. I have high hopes for the public school system in the future, but for now- the private institutions serve my family best.
Do They Need to Know Spanish?
Not immediately, but one of the best parts about moving your family here is giving them the chance to learn! Most private institutions teach their core classes in English, but regard Spanish classes as highly as math or science.
Even if you’re child is starting from scratch, after a few months in school they’ll be speaking at least basic Spanish. With time, they’ll be totally fluent, the benefits of which are immeasurable. Countless studies have shown that being bilingual actually improves cognitive function, allowing the brain to make connections easier and think more abstractly.
Will They Have Any Friends?
What a silly question! Not only do kids in Panama maintain healthy friendships, their peers are incredibly diverse.
Growing up surrounded by other cultures is invaluable. Though my kids are young, I already see them gaining a deeply embedded respect for other cultures. This is indescribably important, as well all know, to be able to not only coexist with those who are different from ourselves, but to be able to empathize with and appreciate them. Diverse communities create open-minded and caring individuals, timeless qualities that are sure to persist throughout life.
What about Hobbies?
As far as recreation goes, I bet Panama has your hometown beat. Kids in Panama actually play… outside! Can you imagine? Sure, we have video games and TV and computers, just like at home. But with such beautiful surroundings at our fingertips year-round, kids would just rather be outside most of the time.
Kids here enjoy all the hobbies you can imagine: swimming, surfing, boating, horseback riding, hiking, sports, dance, art, the list goes on and on. By the time kids in Panama plop down in front of the TV, you can bet they’ve had an exhilarating and exhausting day outdoors.
Hi Liz
Thanks for your blog. I have been reading everything!!!
I am contemplating a move from London to Panama (we are New Yorkers)with my family. We would be working at The International School of Panama. We have an adopted 5.5 y o African Child. Do you feel Panama City is a racially mixed city?
Best,
Gary
Hi Liz,
I’m separating from my husband and I’m looking to start over as a single mom with 2 teens and a dog (living in Florida right now) having teens my thoughts are Panama City and Coronado, my priority is education so a good international school ( middle and High)
and also a good environment for my kids where make friends isn’t a challenge.
What I’m looking for me is…. I would love to live near water or with water views, even just a pool, green space for my dog, a dog park?, a good gym , I like to do pottery and would like to paint, love to go to restaurants and coffee places.. , at some point would like to have an activity and earn $$… , first language is Spanish so no problem, my kids are not fluent though.
Hi Liz –
Good articles, thank you! I have a few questions that I ma hoping you can help with. I am a mom of 3, 5/6/10. I am moving now to Panama, with little to no knowledge of neighborhoods – schools …etc. I will be working at Ave. Aquilino De La Guardia y Calle 47 in Panama City.
I am looking for a mid range private American or British School close to the office and I would imagine based on traffic I should live near there as well. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much in advance
Hi Cinthya,
Thanks for your message! You must be doing a lot of research for the move!
I recently found this article online which has a bit of information about some of the international schools and their fee/entry ranges, as well as their location. http://indapaper.com/top-10-expensive-schools-in-panama-in-2018/10/. This might give you a starting point of schools to reach out to. Most schools will ask for a ‘registration fee’ to enrol your kids, in addition to the annual fees, as an FYI.
Most of the international schools send a school bus to collect children from their building, so you won’t necessarily need to do the school drop off yourself every day before work, or live close to the school! That makes life a little easier. The closest schools to where you will be working are the Oxford International School in the part of town called El Cangrejo, and the Boston Academy, near the Balboa Port and Canal.
Best of luck on your relocation to Panama 🙂
Liz
Hi! I have a couple of questions. If my budget is $2000.00/MTB, would I be able to live comfortably, say in, Coronado or Boquete? This is for a family of 4.
Hi Celestine, I’m assuming that $2000 MTB is in USD? It’s hard to answer without knowing your version of ‘comfortably’. Particularly if your kids are going to be enrolled in an international school. On $2000 per month in Coronado you would need to budget for around half of that to be spent in rent. Boquete I believe the rents are a little lower and so would give you a little more room in the budget. If you have the opportunity to come visit and get a real feel for costs here, that would be a great idea – and a fun vacation for the family!
Hi dear my husband and I are planning to move to Panama from Denmark with a 2 year old and a 6 month old baby, is it possible, do you think it’s getting to hard? We want to buy a 3 bedroom in the city, where is the cheapest apartments in the city with pool.? Thank you so much.
Hi Afsaneh! I just replied to a message from you on Facebook! Developers like Empresas Bern do offer financing with a 20 to 30% deposit on the salesprice, which can make buying a property more accessible if you don’t have the full purchase price available. It is hard to answer your question without understanding your budget, and other lifestyle requirements you might have.
I am looking at coming to Panama with my family . 2 kids and husband. My kids are 2 and 4. We are looking for a two bedroom apartment for Dec2016 and Jan 2017. Wondering if you know any apartments in a community suited for kids. Our budget is around 700 to 900 per month. Canadian.
Thanks so much for your help
Hi Christina, if you would like to shoot me an email with what area of Panama you are looking at renting in, ie the beaches or closer to the city, I can refer you on to a property manager. The months of December and January are in high season, with lots of demand for short term rentals, particularly out at the beach, just as an FYI.
Hello Liz,
My husband and I are from Canada and are visiting Panama early July to explore the possibility of moving there with our family. We would love to have a chance to meet with expats who have made this move with their family to learn more about the journey. Thanks for letting us know if you’d be willing to share your experiences over coffee.
My best,
Marie-Claude
Hi Marie-Claude, Great idea to come for a test visit first – I’m not sure which part of Panama you are planning to visit but you will find plenty of families to mix with here to get a take on their experiences, and how they have found making the move to Panama. Drop me an email at lizl@empresasbern.com, I would be happy to show you around or shoot you in the right direction if I can!
Hi Liz, we’ve been looking at the possibility of taking a year out with our 2 x girls who’ll be 11 and 9. We’re were drawn by the high quality international school education yourself and other sites indicate. Similalry Coranado does seem to offer not only the security andfacilities but also the beach for me and the kids and also the close proximity to Panama City for my wife We would however only be living from rental income here in the UK so funds would be tight. It does seem as if costs in Coranado seems to be rapidly growing as our research deepens …is this still do’able for us do you think, or have we just been looking at out of date websites ? I know its a difficult one to respond to, but are you able to enlighten us on the current cost of living situation for a family of 4 at all? Many thanks, and thoroughly enjoyed your site with much excitement here in the UK. D
Hi Dean,
Thanks for your message, and I’m glad to hear you are enjoying my articles! It’s true that the cost of living has risen a little over the last few years, but Coronado would be more affordable than the City, particularly when it comes to schools and rent. If you would like to send me an email at lizl@empresasbern.com with your estimate of budget, I’d be happy to give you some ideas of what would be possible. Cheers,Liz!
Hi Liz
We are considering a move to Panama from Canada. However, our 13 year old daughter is a high level volleyball player, participating in Nationals this spring. Is there a volleyball club and training facility that you are aware of, or any suggestions you have for me to find one? Sadly, we do not yet speak Spanish, so I’m having difficulty finding a facility. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, besides the odd social game of beach volleyball, I don’t have a lot of first hand knowledge about volleyball, or ‘voleibol’ as they spell it here in Panama. So I did a bit of research, and located the Facebook page of the Panamanian Federation of Volleyball, and the contact details for their president. They are in Spanish, but if you email them directly you may be in luck if they speak English, or you can try Google translator in a pinch! The websites are http://www.fivb.org/EN/FIVB/Federation.asp?NF=PAN and https://www.facebook.com/federacionpanamena.devoleibol. Good luck to your daughter at the Nationals!
Thanks so much for your reply 🙂
Not a problem!
Sorry, forgot to ask as well: are there second hand book stores? I have been trying to find info online, but with no luck. Thank you 🙂 As you can tell, books are very important for our family!
Hi!
Are there public libraries in Panama City, and if so, can books be checked out, or do they have to be read onsite? Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Ana Lucia, yes there is a public library in Panama City, I’ve attached a link for you to their website, which is all in Spanish. They will loan books out with a library card for 8 days. I’m not sure how large their range of English speaking literature is, but they do have an online catalogue. For novels in English and other languages, I’ve found a few places which have created their own private ‘book swap’ or second hand books, like Picasso Pizza here in Coronado!
Hi Liz,
Thanks so much. I would like to spend the entire summer in Panama with my two boys learning Spanish and absorbing the culture. None of us speak Spanish but that is my objective! Any suggestions for places to live and “integrate” us into a community and neighbourhood where the boys could have friends and take Spanish classes each day for half the day and camp or other fun activities too.
Thank you in advance if you have any ideas!
Hi Sonja, Coronado is the place to be for community. It’s where I live. And they’re are some economical options for Spanish lessons too. Feel free to shot me an email and we can chat more. My email is listed on the contact page.
Hi Liz,
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you.
Hello!
In helping with finding activities for the kids in Panama, readers might like to know that there is this website: http://www.panamaparaninos.com
Its a directory with broad listings of educational centers (preschools, schools, tutors) courses and sports training, specialists, party organizers, etc. It also has an updated calendar with events for children or family oriented.
Regards,
Nivia
Thanks so much for sharing Nivia.
Hi Liz,
can I have your email address so I can ask you a few other questions? I am considering a move to Panama with my husband and 3 kids. It’s a big decision, so just want to really understand from an insider if it’s the right place for us.
Thanks, Tracy
Sure Tracy. Click on Contact in the top right of the site. Looking forward to getting your email.
Hello Liz,
We currently live in Austin but came from Honolulu. We have lots of kids from7-19. We were looking into Cuenca,Ecaudor but it seems like that isn’t the best place for so many children.
Anyway, I was curious about Panama, the flights there are much easier to get to then Cuenca.
Maybe you could send me some more info.? Thank you,
Renee
For some reasoning can’t put the at sign in on the email section.
Reneemola@icloud.com
Austin. What a great tech hub that place is. I’ve added you to my VIP list, so you’ll be kept in the loop.