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I have lived in five different countries on three different
continents, and I will say as a fact that Panama
has been the cheapest of them all – between Spain,
Chile, the United States and Costa Rica. Homes for sale in Panama are relatively inexpensive as well.
I came here as an intern, and am not making much to say the
least. But my housing, a spacious fourth story apartment in the middle-upper class
neighborhood of El Cangrejo has been paid for ($250 per month), which does make
me feel a little better that I’m not throwing my money away on rent with all
the amazing homes for sale in Panama. My added $5 a day obviously doesn’t cover
it all, but let me attempt to explain how this situation hasn’t lead to me
burning away all of my savings, just yet.
The daily amenities that I have lucked out on cost about the
following per month: electricity: $45; water: $20; phone $50; cell phone $20;
internet $35; cable $50; gas $20; and a live-in maid $150.
As I mentioned, rent can start somewhere around $250 for a
small apartment, or go up to about $2,000+ per month for a large condo in a
good neighborhood. With all the homes for sale in Panama, if you have the money to
start out with, it would definitely be a long-term money saver to purchase. The
homes for sale in Panama
range from villas at the beach to mountain communities to high rise condos in
the heart of Panama City
and everything in between. The current real estate boom is a near promise that
a real estate investment in the country will leave you with some kind of a
profit should you choose to sell.
Regarding food, you can get a decent lunch or dinner for
only $3 plus beverages. A very nice dinner for two might run you $60, which is
hardly steep in comparison with prices in other countries. The cheapest beers
get in the city are 75 cents at some local bars, and $1 or more anywhere that
considers itself to be at least a little gringo-friendly.
Most clubs offer a promotion where you buy a decent bottle
of liquor (say Smirnoff or Bacardi) for $25 or $30, and it comes with free
mixers. That can easily hold off a group of five for a couple hours, and breaks
up to a very affordable Saturday night bar tab!
Movies here are no more than $3, and there are some amazing
shopping areas such as Albrook mall where you can get a nice woman’s dress
shirt or men’s khaki cargo shorts for $10 each. Even cheaper prices are abound
if you are willing to spend a little more time looking.
Taxis anywhere in the city are rarely more than $1.50, and
if you should need a regular checkup or consultation with a doctor, that usually
runs an average of $25 (if no tests are needed). Decent hotels in nice
neighborhoods can be found for $35 or more, but prices in the tourism sector
seem to be rising daily. While the prices can add up when you aren’t careful,
all in all, it is a very affordable cosmopolitan city to live in.
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