Retirement: Why Panama Is the New Florida

Business Week ^ | 7/8/3009 | Michelle Conlin

[Zhang Fei]

Malaysia and Thailand are way cheaper. The infrastructure (highways, internet, etc) is better and the crime rate is lower. The big negative is these countries are 12 time zones away - i.e. midnight in New York is noon in Bangkok.

[Travis McGee]

I’ve been through the canal on a sailboat several times, a process that takes about ten days more or less, and requires the skipper to travel around quite a bit of the country by boat and taxi. I love the place. Except for Colon, the place is great. Inexpensive, any climate you desire (dialed in by altitude and coast etc), friendly people who mostly speak Ingles....

Thumbs up for a 2nd home or condo, or expat relocation potential.

[Travis McGee]

Roger Boca del Toro, awesome area, barely developed. If I was single, I’d be there. The country is crawling with pretty girls who are well-educated and speak English.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[Redbob]

Panama is a beautiful country, wonderful beaches, great food, and beautiful women.
Concerning snakes: stay out of the jungles!

[ArmyTeach]

Hijo, I want to practice my Spanish!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Even better — The Philippines: http://www.LivingInThePhilippines.com

You don’t have to learn Spanish and the cost of living is even lower than Central America.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Neighbor who pilots for American to a lot of Caribbean destinations recommends Costa Rica as the place to get away to - says many US expats have made it home already....

[Ciexyz]

What about Yucatan peninsula in Mexico? A friend of mine has been investigating opportunities for living there.

[GILTN1stborn]

And raging lunatic squirrel monkeys

[mtntop3]

The greatest danger in Panama is—vehicular homicide to yourself from the murderous/suicidal drivers there.

Ask anyone who has resided there, especially in the Panama City area. Figure in the retirement costs those of shipping the pulverized remains back to the states.

[Theodore R.]

Is this “Jebbie’s” legacy?

[varina davis]

Recently visited Lake Chapala, in Jalisco, Mexico (far from the border towns. Lots of American retired expats, perfect weather and the dollar is worth about twice what it is here. Highways are very good and housing is soo inexpensive.

[cherry]

I guess my idea of a great retirement home would be among my people...my culture...my values....

I'm not so fond of the heat anyway.....

there are no great alternatives, except finding a left behind area in fly over country....

[onedoug]

...go here instead....

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I got out of there by the skin of my teeth back in the late eighties.No chance in hell of ever stepping foot back in that country.Costa Rica was very nice and the people were as well.

[Lexinom]

And venomous spiders. And shiny scorpions. And splendid centipedes. All sorts of wonderful things to share your bed! :-)

Still, if faced with the choice...

[wastoute]

had my guns when I lived there. I even got a concealed carry permit from the gummint. Unless things have changed you can have guns. Right now Panama is trying to recover from the negative impact of decades of saying "Yanqui go home" and encouraging US retirees is part of that. I read years ago that they had changed their laws and the bit about no taxes is not humbug. They really did pass laws saying that gringos coming down would pay no tax on a home for ten years and such. Living at several thousand feet above sea level in Chriqui would be wonderful. 70 degress day and night year round is pretty sweet. Corruption is rampant in Latin culture and one would have to be ready for that side of it.

Μολὼν λάβε

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

2b doen’t know what he/she is talking about.

I know. I live in Panama.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Thank you for the ping.

I hope to see a lot of you folks here in the near future.