1. Your Home Will Look Like it’s Straight Out of a Magazine
Have you ever grown accustomed to waking up amidst the sounds of the ocean? How about jumping out of bed and onto your balcony to watch the tide roll in from your chaise lounge? In Panama, it’s more common than you think.
While real estate in Panama wouldn’t be categorized as “cheap,” you do get more ‘overall’ for your money compared with places like the United States and Canada. You may find that, upon moving to Panama, that luxury beachfront condo is within reach.
2. Your Spending Habits Will Change
Those who boast of Panama’s low cost of living are overlooking a few things. Yes, certain things are cheaper in Panama. But some are more expensive, too. Whether or not you spend more or less than you did back home depends entirely on your desired lifestyle.
The good news is that, in Panama, the less expensive path is also the best for you. Whole foods cost little, while junk food is higher in price. Travel and recreation are also inexpensive in Panama, meaning you’ll have every reason to get out there and explore the endless enjoyment that Panama has to offer.
3. You’ll Bear Witness to Rapid Growth
The air of change in Panama is invigorating. With the fastest growing economy in the Americas, you can feel the inspiring atmosphere just by walking down the street. Being part of such a dynamic community has its advantages; you can’t help but to absorb the excitement of the surrounding environment. Particularly if you’re coming from a place that hasn’t experienced economic growth in awhile, you’ll find yourself rejuvenated by Panama’s prosperous environment.
Of course, living in an area of rapid growth means on-going construction, especially in the city. That’s why I recommend living by the beach, or in one of the areas just outside the city.
4. Your Retirement Will Be Rich With Benefits and Discounts
If you’re coming to Panama with a pension plan of at least $1,000 a month, you qualify for Panama’s Pensionado Program and its many benefits. Amongst them, you’ll find yourself receiving discounts on everything from travel and hotel costs to restaurants and entertainment. Even doctor’s bills, prescriptions, and hospital visits are covered. The result is a well-rounded lifestyle, wherein you don’t feel the pressures of penny-pinching as much.
5. You’ll be Part of a Vibrant and Lively Community
Panama is home to a flourishing expat community. Particularly if you live within one of Panama’s expat pockets, such as the Gold Coast or certain parts of the Panama City area, you’ll be immersed in a thicket of worldly English-speaking expats. Expats are a different breed- anyone who has been one or been around one can attest to that. By nature, they tend to be more adventurous, open-minded, and hospitable than the person who’s never left their own backyard. There’s nothing quite as energizing as being a part of sub-culture like this.
6. Your Days Will be Less Stressful
A “tranquilo” lifestyle is one of the most timeless characteristics of the tropics- and Panama is no exception. Living in Panama, you’ll learn to recognize and embrace the simpler things in life.
Imagine if each day started upon your ocean-view balcony. You take a sip of locally grown coffee, and appreciate the quiet activity of the landscape. By mid-morning, you’re combing the beach for nautical treasures, and next, you’re sharing tapas with a friend on a rooftop terrace. You play a round of golf, or read a few pages in a poolside hammock. By sunset you’re clinking glasses with your spouse, reminiscing on a day well-spent.
Then, tell me how stressed you’ll be.
7. You’ll Be Healthier, Without Really Trying to Be
The most inexpensive and widely available foods in Panama also tend to be the healthiest for you. You’ll find yourself eating healthier, not begrudgingly but happily, as you’ll find yourself surrounded by foods that are good for you and good by you.
You’ll also find yourself spending more time outdoors and participating in fun and rejuvenating pastimes. Whether you’re sailing through the ocean, practicing your golf swing, or reading a book by the pool – the Panama landscape feels like it is handcrafted for your enjoyment and pleasure.
8. You’ll Never Run Out of Fun Things to Do
Panama offers a diverse landscape, and recreational activities that compliment each. In Panama City, you have a skyline of attractions from fine dining and shopping to theater and art galleries. The beach offers all the favorite coastal pastimes such as sailing, fishing, surfing, while places like Playa Coronado have an 18-hole golf course and an equestrian center. Between exploring new places and reliving your favorites, you won’t catch yourself complacent in Panama.
9. You Learn to Love the Challenge
Moving to a foreign country introduces new challenges into your life, no matter where you go. There’s the language, the cultural differences, and simply knowing where to go, and how to get there. In Panama, those challenges will be present- but you’ll learn to love them. Rather than running every day on autopilot, you keep your brain sharp and alive through various mind-expanding experiences.
10. Your Friends Will Think You’ve Won the Lottery
Whether it’s due to your luxurious beachfront condo or all those pictures of you sailing on a catamaran, expect to receive some inquiries about your new, attractive lifestyle. Judging by the photos and stories, friends and family may well assume that you’ve won the lottery.
And you have, just not in the way that they’re thinking. The lottery that you won was discovering Panama, and allowing it to become your reality.
Copyright 2018 Liz Larroquette