City Comforts Close to Beaches and Mountains

Price for paradise: The beach shack where three of us had lunch, soft drinks, and adult beverages…and stocked up on bottled water for the road. Total cost: $26.

August 7, 2008
Panama City, Panama

Dear Panama Enthusiast,

I'm chatting over coffee with a couple in their mid-50s. "We're going tomorrow," they say, excitement showing in their faces. It’s the last day of the Live & Invest in Panama seminar, and, though it's rainy season, the sun is shining unabashedly over the bright backdrop that is the Playa Bonita Intercontinental Hotel & Resort. The conversation is about a place a six-hour drive from here. In fact, several attendees have come to me today, maps in hand, to discuss the finer points of driving or flying to the little city.

There's something about actually being here, in Panama, that makes the prospect of Panama that much more exciting. Some of the conference attendees have read about this particular city, but when they see photos of it flash across the large screen as Real Estate Guru Ronan McMahon talks about his recent trip, it hits home…they're in Panama, and they can go see any of these $75,000-and-under homes for themselves.

I traveled with Ronan and have decided to return to the city for a longer stint…there's just so much to see I have to go back. In particular, there are pueblos or towns right outside it that seem to be growing. The new houses look modern, more like U.S. housing than Panamanian. The prices, however, are much lower. Who would want to live here? What's it like and how much does it cost? We'll report on what we find in an upcoming issue of Panama Insider…watch this space.

In the meantime, in this month's issue, we take you to the Azuero peninsula. Here we found a growing town that offers many city-like comforts. Expats who don't like the hustle and bustle of Panama City have found the perfect city-versus-country compromise. The people are more like country folk—less harried and less stressed. Property prices are well below city prices, with most homes selling for well under $100,000. And yet there are several hospitals and surgical clinics and large grocery stores…the city comforts many expats crave.

There are pros and cons to living in this particular area, and we tell all in the August issue of Panama Insider .

Thanks for reading,

Jessica Ramesch
Editor, Panama Insider