Just Landed in Panama? Your First 7 Days

Mobile coverage is strong across Panama City and along the transit corridor, and generally fine on main highways, but it thins in the interior, on islands and in the mountains around Boquete. Prepaid SIMs are cheap and sold against your passport, and eSIMs work on the major networks. Home fibre and cable broadband are widely available in city apartments, though installation appointments can slip.

Typical cost: A prepaid SIM starts around $3-$5, and a monthly plan with generous data and calls runs roughly $15-$30. Home fibre or cable from +Movil or Tigo typically costs $30-$60/month depending on speed, sometimes bundled with TV.

Panama is fully dollarised, so there is no currency to change and every price is quoted in USD. Card acceptance is good in supermarkets, malls, pharmacies and mid-range restaurants, and contactless is increasingly common, but cash still dominates markets, taxis, small eateries, tradespeople and the whole interior. Carry a mix of small notes at all times.

Opening an account: Opening a local account as a foreigner is notoriously slow and document-heavy. Banks such as Banco General, BAC Credomatic and Banistmo typically require a residency card (cedula) or work permit, one or two bank reference letters, a professional reference, and proof of income; a tourist stamp alone is rarely enough. Many newcomers run their finances on foreign cards and Wise for months until residency comes through and unlocks a local account.

Cash: Cash is king outside the big chains. Keep a working float of $1, $5 and $10 notes plus coins for taxis, diablo rojo buses, tips, parking and small shops, most of which genuinely cannot break a $50 or $100. Damaged or heavily worn US notes are sometimes refused, so keep your cash reasonably crisp.

Tipping: Sit-down restaurants usually add a 10% service charge to the bill; check for it and add a little more for genuinely good service if you like. Round up for taxis, tip hotel porters and housekeeping a dollar or two, and it is normal to tip the supermarket packer who bags your groceries a small coin.

Panama has no mandatory address or residence registration for newcomers equivalent to a European padron or German Anmeldung. You are not required to report your address to a local town hall, and there is no residents' register to enrol in on arrival. Your legal standing is governed entirely by your immigration category, and any address on file is captured through the residency application itself at the Servicio Nacional de Migracion, almost always via a Panamanian lawyer. Tourists simply hold their entry stamp; the practical registration steps that matter come only if and when you pursue a residency visa.

Where: Not applicable for arrival registration. Immigration and residency matters are handled at the Servicio Nacional de Migracion in Panama City, in practice through a lawyer who files your category on your behalf.

Panama City has a modern, clean Metro (Lines 1 and 2, with more under construction) and an extensive MetroBus network, both paid with a single rechargeable MetroBus card at around $0.35 per Metro trip. Uber is the safest and most predictable door-to-door option; the colourful 'diablo rojo' buses are cheap and characterful but crowded and chaotic. Driving is aggressive, signage is poor and downtown parking is scarce.

From the airport: From Tocumen International (PTY), an Uber to the city centre is roughly $25-$35 and takes 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Official airport taxis charge fixed zone rates, typically $30-$40 for the city, and are not metered, so confirm the fare in writing before you leave the rank. A cheaper Corredor Sur toll-road route exists but tolls are usually added to your fare.

Furnished apartments in Panama City are plentiful, from high-rise towers in Punta Pacifica, Costa del Este and San Francisco to older walk-ups in El Cangrejo and boutique conversions in Casco Viejo. Most listings appear on Encuentra24 and Compreoalquile or through agents, and many buildings include pool, gym and 24-hour security in the rent. Short-term furnished rentals command a clear premium over annual unfurnished leases.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom in a decent city building runs roughly $900-$1,500/month, with premium waterfront or family-sized units at $1,500-$3,000+. Air-conditioning can add $50-$150 a month to your electricity bill in the tropical heat, so ask about typical utility costs before signing.

Deposit norm: Landlords typically ask for one month's deposit plus the first month's rent up front, and often prefer longer leases. For unfurnished long-term leases the deposit is legally meant to be lodged with the Ministry of Housing (MIVIOT) rather than held by the landlord; furnished and short-term deals are usually handled privately.

Panama City has excellent private hospitals, several affiliated with US institutions, offering English-speaking doctors, short waits and modern facilities that draw medical tourists from across the region. The public CSS and MINSA system serves formal workers and residents but is slower, busier and Spanish-only. Quality drops noticeably outside the capital, so serious cases are often referred to the city.

How to access it: Private care is pay-as-you-go or through insurance, with fast walk-in and appointment access at hospitals like Pacifica Salud (Johns Hopkins affiliate) in Punta Pacifica, Hospital Nacional and Clinica Hospital San Fernando. Pharmacies such as Arrocha and Metro X are everywhere and dispense many medicines, including some antibiotics, without a prescription, though controlled drugs still require one.

Insurance: Private treatment can be expensive without cover, so most expats carry local private or international health insurance; a specialist visit runs roughly $60-$120 out of pocket. Formal employees contribute to the CSS social security system, which grants access to public healthcare, but many still keep private cover for speed and English service.

• Greet with a handshake, or a single cheek kiss between women or between men and women who already know each other; use the formal 'usted' with strangers, officials and elders.
• Panamanians value warmth and small talk, so a friendly 'buenos dias, como esta?' before getting to the point reads far better than launching straight into business.
• Punctuality is relaxed socially ('hora panamena' can mean an hour late), but be strictly on time for banks, government offices and professional appointments.
• Dress smartly in the city despite the heat; scruffy or beachwear attire is looked down on in offices, banks and government buildings, and can even get you turned away.
• Family is central and Sundays are for family time, so do not be surprised if plans, replies and services slow right down at weekends.
• Learn and use a little Spanish; even halting attempts are warmly received and noticeably smooth your dealings with officials and shopkeepers.
• Politeness and indirectness are prized, so a Panamanian may say 'ahorita' or agree to something rather than give a flat no; read the softness rather than the literal word.

• Bureaucracy is slow, paper-based and inconsistent; bring originals plus photocopies, expect multiple trips, and consider a lawyer or gestor for anything official.
• The rainy season (roughly May to November) brings sudden, heavy afternoon downpours and flash flooding, so build slack into your schedule and never park in a dip.
• Some neighbourhoods in and around Panama City, and much of Colon, have real crime; ask locals or your building's security which areas to avoid, especially after dark.
• 'Ahorita' rarely means right now and 'manana' rarely means literally tomorrow; timescales are elastic, so confirm deliveries, tradespeople and appointments more than once.
• Air-conditioning is fierce indoors while the street is sweltering, so carry a light layer to avoid constant temperature whiplash on buses, in malls and at the cinema.