Panama is currently considered by international organizations such as International Living one of the best countries in the world to live abroad(1). Because of its low cost of living, foreigner friendly, excellent health care, numerous financial incentives for retirees, modern infrastructures, affordable Panama real estate and housing, rich culture and recreation, Panama is a paradise for investors and nature lovers such as gardeners, bird watchers and animal lovers alike.



According to an ABC report(2), people who retire in the United States have a hard time surviving on their pensions because of high costs of medical care and living. In the report, a few people were interviewed and asked the question, “why Panama?" The majority said that medical attention and medication costs have been cut by half or less. For example, one night in a hospital room in Orlando, Florida costs about $900.00 USD, while in Panama the cost is only around $150.00 USD. One of the speakers said that he simply could not afford to live in the United States; his money would go faster than he could expect. The same speaker is now living in Panama for only a few dollars a day.

Panama’s dollarized economy makes it easy to move from the U.S. without worrying about constantly changing currency values or inflation. Its world class banking system has helped establish Panama as one of the most important financial centers in the region.

The geographical location also brings many benefits:

-Short flight times from major U.S. hubs like Miami (2.5 hours), Houston (3.5 hours), Atlanta (3.5 hours) and New York (5 hours). Direct flights from Los Angeles are also available.

-Never worry about hurricanes, tornados, major earthquakes, not even tropical storms.

-Sunny weather all year round, even in the rainy season.

Panama’s diverse climates include mountainous or template regions, tropical forests, deserts and beaches on the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, which are a 45 minute drive apart.

Even though Panama has modernized its infrastructure in the last 3 to 4 years, one can still find rustic gateways in San Blas(3), where the Kunas (native Panamanians) have kept their centuries old traditions unchanged and preserved.

If you are looking to enjoy your retirement years as fully as possible in a brand new welcoming country full of new adventures with all of the benefits you deserve, Panama is the right choice. Come and see for yourself… it’s not that far after all, right?

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(1) http://www.internationalliving.com/retire/paid/09-01-06-global-retirement.html

(2) http://www.youtube.com/watch'v=xgl9M8O_PEQ ,

(3) http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Panama/San%20blas/tpod.html