Panama Named the World's No. 1 Country for Expats in 2026

Panama has once again earned the top spot in the annual Expat Insider 2026 survey, published by InterNations, a global community for people living and working abroad. Ranking first among 31 destinations assessed, Panama has maintained its position as the world's leading country for expats for the third consecutive year.

The results are based on the experiences of thousands of international residents and highlight Panama's performance across financial satisfaction, working life, social integration, and the practical aspects of living abroad.

Panama at a Glance

The 2026 survey included 7,786 respondents representing 162 nationalities. Panama ranked first overall and performed strongly across all five indices.

• 1st overall, marking its third consecutive year at the top.
• 1st in Working Abroad, including the highest rating for work-life balance.
• 1st in Personal Finance, reflecting strong satisfaction with disposable household income and the cost of living.
• 2nd in Ease of Settling In, with high ratings for local friendliness and social integration.
• 2nd in Expat Essentials, with particularly strong results for housing and visa procedures.
• 6th in Quality of Life, with positive ratings for the natural environment, safety, and leisure opportunities, alongside weaker results for transportation infrastructure.

Other headline findings include:

• 90% said their disposable household income was sufficient for a comfortable life.
• 87% reported being happy with life abroad in Panama.
• 90% said local residents were friendly.
• 90% said finding housing was easy for expats.
• 82% found obtaining a visa easy.

Retirees accounted for a substantial share of Panama's respondents. Some 37% were retired, compared with 14% across all destinations. Additionally, 18% said retirement was their primary reason for moving to Panama, compared with 4% globally.

Working Abroad: First Worldwide

Panama continued its strong performance in the Working Abroad Index, retaining first place for the second consecutive year. The index evaluates aspects of professional life, including job satisfaction, career opportunities, compensation, and work-life balance.

The country achieved the highest ranking for work-life balance, with 90% of working expats expressing satisfaction, compared with 62% globally. It also ranked third for working hours, with 73% satisfied, against a global average of 63%.

Panama placed third for both the local job market and personal career opportunities, and fourth for overall job satisfaction. Notably, 74% of respondents viewed the state of the economy favorably, compared with 59% globally.

Working arrangements also differ from the global average. Among employed expats in Panama, 41% worked part-time, compared with 21% worldwide.

Despite the strong professional ratings, employment was not the primary motivation for most respondents' relocation. Only 16% cited a job-related reason for moving to Panama, compared with 33% globally.

Personal Finance: Strong Satisfaction

One of Panama's most notable improvements came in Personal Finance, where it climbed from third place in 2025 to first in 2026. It also took the top spot for both financial satisfaction and the adequacy of disposable household income.

According to the survey, 90% of expats in Panama said their disposable household income was sufficient to support a comfortable life, compared with 71% globally. Meanwhile, 76% expressed satisfaction with their financial situation, against a global average of 55%.

The country also ranked second worldwide for cost of living. Some 69% of respondents rated living costs positively, compared with 39% globally. Nearly a quarter (23%) gave the cost of living the highest possible rating, more than twice the global average of 10%.

Financial considerations also influenced relocation decisions. Some 10% of respondents said they had moved to Panama for financial reasons, compared with 3% globally.

Ease of Settling In: A Welcoming Environment

Panama maintained its second-place position in the Ease of Settling In Index, matching its 2025 result. It also placed among the top three destinations in all three subcategories: Local Friendliness, Finding Friends, and Culture & Welcome.

Panama's welcoming reputation is reflected in the survey results: approximately 90% of respondents said local residents were friendly, compared with 63% globally. Friendliness toward foreign residents also received positive ratings from 85%, against a global average of 61%.

The positive results extended to expats' social lives. Some 73% reported being satisfied with their social life, compared with 54% globally, while 72% said they had a personal support network in Panama, against 58% worldwide.

Adapting to the local culture was considered easy by 77% of respondents, compared with 60% globally. Additionally, 84% said they felt welcome in Panama, and 81% felt at home, both above the respective global averages of 64% and 61%.

However, expat social circles are not necessarily predominantly local: 40% of respondents said most of their friends were other expats.

Expat Essentials: Housing, Visas, and Digital Life

Panama held on to second place in the Expat Essentials Index for another year. The index covers practical aspects of living abroad, including housing, administrative requirements, digital services, and language.

Housing was a particular strength, with Panama ranking first worldwide in the Housing subcategory. Approximately 90% of respondents said finding housing was easy for expats, compared with 44% globally. Meanwhile, 73% considered housing affordable, against a global average of 32%.

Visa procedures also received favorable ratings. Some 82% found obtaining a visa easy, compared with 55% globally, placing Panama second for this factor.

Panama performed well in Digital Life, ranking ninth overall in that subcategory. High-speed internet availability received positive ratings from 94% of respondents, compared with 81% globally, while 93% reported unrestricted access to online services, against 83% worldwide.

Language presented relatively few obstacles. Some 51% considered Spanish easy to learn, compared with 39% globally, and 62% said it was possible to get by without speaking Spanish, against 48% worldwide.

Administrative services received more mixed assessments. Panama ranked 22nd for the online availability of government and administrative services, although 62% rated this factor positively, close to the global average of 61%. The country also ranked 22nd for the ease of opening a local bank account.

Quality of Life: Strong Natural Environment, Infrastructure Challenges

Panama slipped from third to sixth place in the Quality of Life Index, its only decline in ranking among the five indices. Despite the drop, it remained among the top 10 destinations for quality of life, with particularly strong ratings for its natural environment.

The natural environment received positive ratings from 100% of respondents, compared with 84% globally.

Other aspects of daily life also received favorable ratings. Panama ranked sixth in both Leisure Options and Safety & Security, and ninth in Healthcare. More than nine in ten respondents (92%) said they felt personally safe, compared with 81% globally.

Despite these positive results, transportation infrastructure remained an area where Panama performed less well. The country ranked last for infrastructure for cars, with only 58% of respondents rating it positively, compared with 73% globally. Panama placed 17th in the broader Travel & Transit subcategory.

Environmental concerns also appeared in the results. Panama ranked 28th for the availability of environmentally friendly goods and services and 26th for the urban environment.

Panama vs. the World

The 2026 survey's top 10 destinations each performed well in different areas. The following comparisons highlight where other countries surpassed Panama in specific categories and where Panama ranked higher.

Panama's first-place overall result reflects its performance across several aspects of expat life. Other destinations outperform it in particular areas, such as Mexico in settling in, Spain in quality of life, and the UAE in career prospects. However, Panama combines strong professional and financial ratings with favorable results for social integration and practical relocation matters.

Continued Appeal

Panama's appeal to expats lies in the combination of opportunities and everyday advantages it offers. From financial comfort and career prospects to social connections and the practicalities of settling into a new country, the survey highlights strengths across many aspects of expat life.

For those considering a move abroad, the country's attractions extend beyond any single advantage. Its combination of financial comfort, professional opportunities, and a welcoming social environment makes it easy to understand why so many expats are happy to call the country home.

Sources

The rankings, percentages, and findings in this article come from InterNations' Expat Insider reporting. They reflect the experiences and opinions of survey participants rather than an objective assessment of living conditions for all residents.

• Panama: The Best Country for Expats in 2024
• The Best & Worst Countries for Expats in 2025
• The Best & Worst Countries for Expats in 2026
• Panama: No. 1 for Expats in 2026
• Working Abroad Index 2026
• Personal Finance Index 2026
• Ease of Settling In Index 2026
• Expat Essentials Index 2026
• Quality of Life Index 2026
• Survey Demographics 2026
• Survey Methodology 2026