Costa Rica and Panama
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2024
- I am often asked which is better, Costa Rica or Panama? The same is true of other Latin American nations. I normally avoid comparisons as they are usually very inadequate, but I make this one exception for the question asked most frequently. [Also see 2021 update note below]
I mention a Bloomberg article. The link is www.bloomberg.... for those interested.
2021 NOTE: There are two new videos here on the situation in Costa Rica - • Changes are coming to ... provides the basic info and • Costa Rica, the IMF ag... discusses the results.
![8 Reasons Why Americans LEAVE Costa Rica [Why I Left]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cbGMngGx2xk/mqdefault.jpg)
![8 Reasons Why Americans LEAVE Costa Rica [Why I Left]](/img/tr.png)
I HAVE LIVED IN CENTRAL AMERICA FOR 30 YEARS. 8 YEARS IN NICARAGUA, IN 1990'S, 4 YEARS PANAMA, 1998 TILL 2003, AND THE LAST 17 YEARS IN COSTA RICA. ALL 3 COUNTRIES HAVE THEIR ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. THEY ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. NICARAGUA IS BY FAR THE CHEAPEST OF THE 3. PANAMA IS THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY AND HAS THE BEST INFRASTRUCTURE BY FAR. COSTA RICA IS ARGUABLY THE PRETTIEST OF THE 3 WITH THE MOST DIVERSITY. MOUNTAINS, BEACHES, JUNGLES, CITIES AND WILDLIFE ALL IN A STONES THROW FROM EACH OTHER. HOWEVER IT IS CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN COSTA RICA AND NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY AS THE OTHER TWO. (NICARAGUA AND PANAMA). IN MY OPINION IT IS ALSO LESS SAFE THAN PANAMA AND NICARAGUA. LOTS OF RED TAPE IN COSTA RICA TO GET A PERMANENT RESIDENCE VISA, BUY PROPERTY AND BUILD A HOUSE. MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO KEEP A VEHICLE. COMPULSORY YEARLY VEHICLE INSURANCE IS BETWEEN 4 TO 10 TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE. YEARLY PROPERTY TAXES AS WELL. COSTA RICA IS NOT A CHEAP THIRD WORLD COUNTRY TO LIVE IN. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO NICARAGUA AND PANAMA. IF YOU PLAN TO EAT OUT A LOT, COSTA RICA IS AGAIN A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. IF YOU PLAN TO LIVE IN A FAMOUS TOURIST DESTINATION IN COSTA RICA THEN THE COST OF LIVING WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE U.S.A, CANADA AND WESTERN EUROPE. ALL THESE THINGS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION. HOWEVER ANYONE OF THESE THREE COUNTRIES ARE BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO LIVE.
very informative comparison. explains a lot and makes my wish to relocate there even stronger.
I hope you have a chance to visit one day, Alice!
Wow, thanks for such a deep and nuanced analysis to so many questions I had, esp. stability issues and history of a large region.
indeed
I liked your comparison between the 2 countries. I came here to Costa Rica in 2016 after living in New Zealand for 18 years. Here is a a much cheaper cost of living. NZL is very expensive being in the South Pacific 1000 miles from Australia. No, it's not perfect here but the lifestyle makes up the difference. Who knows, I may checkout Panama next.
Pura Vida
Rick Golden
Expat from Georgia
Could you address the whole struggle in dealing with heat and humidity in Panama??
Struggle? It's not a struggle. It's the tropics. Anywhere you go will have hot and humid areas. If you can live in Florida, you can handle Panama easily. If you really want fireplaces, heavy jackets, cold winds and so forth, you can find that in the far west of Chiriqui province where the mountains are the highest. The city and most of the Pacific coast will have about the same temp range, in the 70s (around 24C)_ at night and the 80s during the day ( around 30C), for example. In my nearly 20 years here, I have seen 100 degree (around 38C) days maybe three times, probably two, total. Elevated areas like Cerro Azul near the city or the village of El Valle de Anton (my favorite) or developments like Altos del Maria in the central mountain areas are cooler than the coast and city, but not as low as Chiriqui.
Wherever you will have to acclimate yourself to what is "normal" weather and in the tropics that usually means heat and humidity, but this is not the Amazon. So come, visit different areas, and choose the one that fits you best.
@@panamawave In our case we'd never take it in the heat and humidity in Florida. NY humidity is uncomfortable enough! But some people can handle it. Some feel it's like living in a sauna, spending a lot of time indoors with the air conditioners! Boquete must also be a relief!
Boquete is much cooler, but it has humidity and plenty of rain too. Panama may not be the best choice for you. Perhaps a nation with a desert area as in Mexico and Chile. And Chile has a "real" winter as well, or so I'm told.
As usual. Informative and well documented. You are the best source of analytical info on Panama. Thank you!
Thanks Bob. I really enjoyed your appraisal and commentary.
Thank you as well, Alex, for taking a moment to write!
Thank you Bob,..another great unbiased as can be report ....
We do not need a history lesson, which may or may not be true, Give your opinion of the present situation, not of what you read or heard for many many years past.
looking forward to the report Bob! Thanks :->
Keep up the good work. Would like to meet you sometime after we make our final move in December. Hope we get that opportunity sometime in the future. My wife and I have our resident visas and own our place Coronado, now just need to hurry up and get retired. Will stay tuned....
I look forward to that, Scott! Happy to hear you have found your place and are headed our way!
Thank you
Thanks Bob. Really enjoyed you insight and history lesson. I learned a lot. Great video. Coming down soon.
That will be great! Have a safe journey when the time comes!