Why did you decide to move to Costa Rica or Panama? We'd love to hear your story in the comments!

You forgot to mention the highlands of Panama. Chiriquí province. Medical in Panama is very good. We Panamanian are very friendly, we are very welcoming of expats.

I was about to move to Costa Rica. Was building a condo in Jaco. Lots of construction delays. Went to check out Panamá. For me Panamá City was safe super, amazing food and bar scene. I live 56th floor with amazing views of Pacific and city. Roads better. A city life far superior. Canal super cool. Close to beaches on both coasts.

Very Bias...My neighbor moved to Costa Rica and it's way more expansive and less safe. Yes it's humid in some areas, but Boquetti is perfect. and far more developed than Costa Rica. Plus Costa Rica allows anyone a visa, but Panama doesn't allow anyone with a felony in..period. much safer...

I live in Volcan in Panama at 1400 meters in elevation so we have a cool climate. Costa Rica is very nice but is too expensive.

Can't you escape the heat by leaving in the mountainous regions of Panama?

Regarding nature: Costa Rica has awesome national parks. However, what I love about Panama is that you can have real adventures. For example, you can hike 21km on the colonial path Camino de Cruces just outside of the city and it is partially overgrown, etc. It's a real adventure. In CR this would be a major tourist attraction where they charge entry, etc. There are so many cool things to discover in Panama that nobody cares about. The rest is similar. CR has more mountains. Panama has more islands and indigenous.

Intersting but how can you call Panama City a draw with San Jose…after stating a load of advantages of Panama City…climate aside. Also for your knowledge on Panama & Suriname have the best carbon footprints in the world. No experience of healthcare in Panama but Costa Rica wins hands down - but you have no idea about Panama period.

As someone who's lived in Costa Rica all my life, this comparison between Costa Rica and Panama is super interesting! Both countries have their unique charms and advantages for expats. I appreciate how you broke down the pros and cons of each, from cost of living to lifestyle and culture. It's so helpful for anyone trying to decide between these two beautiful destinations. Thanks for providing such an in-depth analysis and shedding light on what makes each place special!

Thanks for sharing! People often ask why I chose Costa and not Panama and I give a number of reasons why I love and prefer Costa Rica. But now i can share this video as a reference for them.

Great video. Thanks.

Panama City will be the best place for most looking to have a similar lifestyle to a modern city. Also, a strong economy.

Thanks for the video. Great personal opinions. I’m looking forward to visiting Panama after I move to CR.

Pretty fine presentation, thank you

Great video think8mg of retiring to Costa Rica this is giving me a lot to think about

I really enjoyed the video. I agree with most of what you have mentioned, but there seems to be a pretty hard slant. For example, you are comparing Panama City to San Jose. The reason for the heat in PTY is the elevation, when compared to San Jose (PTY is 0 elevation and SJO is almost 4,000 elevation). I have spent a lot of time in Volcan, Boquete and David in Panama. The elevation is the key to the temperature and weather. Most places, once you get above 4,000 elevation, the heat becomes much more bearable. In Phoenix, AZ, it's 100 degrees in June at 1,100 elevation. In Flagstaff, AZ (at 5,000 elevation), it's 20-25 degrees cooler. I would imagine you guys are pretty familiar with that type of thing. Would have been nice to fill in some of these types of details, so it wasn't so slanted. Nature. Again, I think there is a pretty hard slant there. The beauty in nature in both places are amazing. There is only a few hundred miles difference between the two. I would agree that Panama doesn't preserve nature nearly as well as Costa Rica, but my travel in Costa Rica is more limited than Panama. I agree totally on the quality of life. Finding that special place is the key. If you travel a bit, especially internationally, you learn what you like and what you don't like. I agree on the ratings as well.

Thank you for informative videos! Have you purchased a car there? Would love to hear about this experience

Infrastructure? Electricity, plumbing, roads, sidewalks, walkability, sanitation, sewage system?

Hi! I just wanted to say how much you’ve done the countries featured in your videos justice! The in detail elaboration towards important topics rather than superficial ones such as healthcare, infrastructure etc… It’s really helpful for any ex…(let’s be for real here -3-) immigrants moving to the region! I’ve wanted to ask though, in reference to owning, anything frankly, but specifically land or property, should there be any concerns for the natural environment taking a toll on such? I’d hate to put a down payment on a new house then have it destroyed by an earthquake, or tsunami, or volcano, or, flooding, or torrential rainforest weather, or a hurricane or any of the thousands of crazy animals or bugs this country has!? 😭

Statistically, where are there more North American retired expats, Panama or Costa Rica?? I think it's important to be able to hear as many different anecdotal opinions as possible in this subject.... just my 2 cents waiting to visit both countries....

It's silly to compare weather in SJ (1km elevation) vs Panama city (on the coast)!🤦‍♂️.. should you compare Panama City's weather to something - compare it to Tamarindo - which is very similar.

How easy is it to regularly travel from San José to Panama City for the option of shopping?

Currency is better in Panama (US dollars)

I wasn`t in both countries, I`m equal on both, Panama has less debts, allows owning weapons, is less populated, doesn`t force you to the caja like Costa Rica, Costa Rica on the other side has less requirements to get a residency, even buying a car counts for the 150k and it seems easier to live there on a tourist visa, and the state is not as harsh as in Panama, which was quite obvious during the plndemic. Seems I need to visit both and decide then where it is personally better.

Hi, i m from india, currently i lives in mexico from 3 yrs, from my expect in latin america Mexico, Costa rica and Panama is real good for business and living, in carribean islands i used to lives trinidad and tobago for 8 yrs, its good for business for sure... But dominican republic is also good for living and doing business 🙏🏻

Best choice is Colombia 🇨🇴 everything's cheaper, a lot of Americans are leaving Costa Rica and Me'xico for Medellin, Colombia, once you explore Colombia you will forget about moving to any of this two countries, Colombia is a big country and it is very diverse, good luck, greetings from USA 🇺🇸 🙏🇨🇴✌️

You guys should add something more about cost of living: not only CR, on average, is lot more expensive than Panama; but also, some areas of CR (Guanacaste) are up to 3 times more expensive than the rest of CR - we are talking California and NY level of prices. 90% of potential expats flat out will not be able to afford it.

Lived in Quepos for year and a half from Philly best time in my life. Moving to bocas del toro in August, because the price, beauty, people, also health care is up there in rankings.Will comment later when i get there, p. s food was not great in Costa Rica., just okay.

7:05 "In Panama you can't escape it". (the heat). This is so false and misleading. Panama mountain areas (Volcan, Boquette, ...) have cool mountain climates just like the cool mountain areas of CR.

What was this amazing 11 course meal? Numerous courses for a cheap price isn't necessarily a good meal. I wish you had researched the question of health care before commenting. This might actually be important to some expats. I would like to hear other specific examples (or interviews?) of why someone might choose CR over Panama or vice versa. I'm beginning my search for a retirement destination starting early next year.

Well, you've validated, reinforced your decision to live in CR instead of PA. You've judged PA and CR even though you've lived in CR yet not in PA. The information unrevealed is voluminous, noteworthy, but those omissions are ok with me. As for oppressive heat, the coast of CR (Tamarindo, Jaco) is just as oppressively hot as the coast of PA.

Unfortunately, the cost to be a resident in Costa Rica is too high (because of paying huge $$ for the cedula and then probably having to have private insurance as well).

Where was the best food of your life?. Name of the place.

I commonly hear: 3rd 🌎 living for 1st 🌎 prices in regards to Costa Rica.

Panama City is definitely much denser than San Jose, and the number of apartments in high-rise buildings is many times over that of San Jose; but San Jose is actually larger in area and more spread out… small homes outnumber apartments by far… In general, Panama’s urban areas tend to be more concentrated than those in Costa Rica, which tend to spread out and become more like towns than cities… Now, the actual number of international visitors to Costa Rica is larger than those arriving in Panama, despite Panama indeed being an international flight hub, which Costa Rica really isn’t, it’s more just a destination…. But on a yearly basis there are actually more international tourists visiting in Costa Rica than in Panama, only possibly in less concentrated areas than in Panama…

Please advise on where you had your $100 11course meal in Panama City...

well i've been going to c.r. for 13 yrs, my wife is from sarchi c.r... and i am moving to c.r. shortly..have researched both panama and although panama might be easier to immigrate to a lot of areas don't seem easily accessible..and i have never known anyone that lived south of the canal.also the darien gap the most notorious region for criminals and such

A lot of the your comparisons are Costa Rica v. Panama City, which would not be in the hottest area if it weren't for the canal. Same goes for health care - try living in NYC unless you're rich you have to join the lines etc. even in great hospitals.

Most of this you are just guessing! Boquete is a thriving expat town that is in the Caldera and is labelled as the land of the eternal Spring. Cerra Punta is high in the mountain and it's about 60 degrees there in the daytime. I have been there. Besides Panama city, the country is mostly rural and very inexpensive, but there is an extensive bus system so you can get anywhere by bus. Healthcare is world class and you do not need insurance because it's about 1/10th of what you would pay in the US. You never spoke about the residency process. How do they compare? Panama has one of the easiest Residency visas in the world.

I prefer C.R. for a stress free life, Panama looks to be too much like Miami.

Costa Rica internet was fine, Panama. I heard it is fine depending where you're at.

I hear Boquete climate is NOT like PC.

In and out of Panama for close to 40years, retired here 10yrs ago. Live in low moutains in Cocle Provence, daily avg 85degrees, we use ceiling fans, no a/c. Have a lot of expierience in Costa Rica- you can keep it, I'll stay here. Good Medical, way less expensive as well. These guys are not honest

If the climate is so bad in Panama City, how can so many people live there?! How independent is each country from American power??

Can you take advantage of Healthcare in Costa Rica 🇨🇷 if you live in Panama? 🇵🇦🤔

Panamás infrastructure is better that in Costa Rica in every way love it , but Costa Rica keep on pulling you every time you what to travel !!! .

I know the guys say that they're just talking about their experience, it's their opinion, etc. But the video would have been far more useful if it was one person who moved to Panama over Costa Rica, and one person who moved to Costa Rica over Panama. What we got were totally biased "opinions" from two residents of Costa Rica who are comically uniformed about Panama climate and deliver only anecdotal opinions and hearsay about other key details. They somehow completely omitted details about the Riviera Pacifica, Panama's huge resort playground and community, along with the temperate and cool mountain communities, two of which are teeming with US expats. I urge you to find your info elsewhere.

Panama 🇵🇦

Panama is a great place to put your MONEY NO TAX FOR AMERICA, LITTLE FOR PANAMA. REALLY THE MAINES RESON.COST FOR A VERY SMALL RESIDENT,TO GET VISA &PASSPORT.

I have not been in Panama yet,but sjo is ugly city no walkable ,beside roads in Costa Rica is not accessible to other areas like 200km takes 7hrs to get tomtravel

CR will charge you just for exist...that is crazy

Really? roads are way better in Panama, our main haighway have 4 lanes. Temperature? relocate to Boquete or Volcan. We have the dollar and import almost everything, so briging Amazon stuff gets very cheap and you do NOT pay US or PANAMA taxes, if item is lower than $1000. Supermarkets are full of US items. Panama will offer you senior citizen discounts, at the banks, you get priority service. MOVE TO PANAMA. Panamanian society loves to bark but we dont bite.

These 2 guys remind me of used car salesmen

I came twice to Costa Rica and went once in Panama for one month.... I did not like Panama it's not clean at all, trach everywhere. Costa Rica has beautiful beaches, But in Panama it's hard to get to the beach. I will not go again to Panama. So everything about in Costa Rica is better than Panama.

There are some things that people say are just fantasies. First, San José cannot compete with Panama City, Panama moves a lot of money, it has better infrastructure and development and the people are friendlier in Panama. San José is a town at the foot of Panama City, Costa Rica is like a village. Secondly, health, public health in Costa Rica is a disaster, appointments take more than 1 year to find a public sector specialist. Private healthcare in Costa Rica is expensive and the value for money is not good. Unlike Panama, which has better private hospitals, Costa Ricans travel to Panama for affordable medical care. San José and all of Costa Rica in general is more insecure than Panama, Panama has better security and less crime. In Human Development Panama is far above Costa Rica. Panama has less poverty than Costa Rica. Food prices in Costa Rica are absurdly ridiculous, very high. Many people who live in Costa Rica and visit Panama immediately move to Panama. I know many retirees who, after being in Costa Rica, move to Panama looking for tranquility and comfortable prices. The streets in Costa Rica are a disaster and the customer service is terrible. Costa Ricans do not have the idiosyncrasies to provide service. In Costa Rica, when they see a foreigner they want to scam them with prices that increase up to 4 times, the Panamanian is more honest and has a good culture.

I didn't watch the whole video but did you compare day-to-day living prices? CR is a third world country with first world prices. All the Ricas cross the border to buy stuff in Panama. Enough said really isn't it fellas?

Go to Costa Rica, Panamá is to fill, Costa Rica is the Best.

The happiest country in Latin America is Colombia 🇨🇴

En costa rica hay claces sociales es lo que el gringo no entiende