The 10 Best Places To Live In Panama

Coronado was among Panama’s first resort developments and remains a popular choice for expats, tourism, and vacationers.

Almost everything you need for life by the beach is here. You may on occasion need something that can only be obtained in Panama City, though, which is about 90-minutes by car from Coronado.

In Coronado you can rest assured you’ll find like-minded souls, all living out their dream retirement on the beach, ready to mingle and welcome new neighbors.

This isn’t the cheapest spot in Panama for services and health care, but it is competitive. The areas in and around Coronado provide lots of retail, health clinic, veterinarian, restaurant, pharmacy, and professional service options. Health care facilities are of a high standard and you’ll find English-speaking professionals offering quality care.

Sitting at 1,400 meters above sea level, Volcán has much of the same appeal as nearby Boquete without the tourist or expat numbers.

This is farming country and the lifestyle is low-key. It’s a perfect place for nature lovers. There are two virtually untamed parks: Volcán Barú National Park and La Amistad Park, both with trails through the jungle.

The infrastructure is good: uninterrupted electricity, potable tap water, and internet and cable are all readily available and reasonably priced.

All the necessary suppliers are found in Volcán, like hardware stores, supermarkets, bakeries, banks, boutique hotels, and pharmacies, as well as feed stores, saddleries, and auto- and tire-repair shops. David is just 40 minutes away, so whatever is not available in Volcán can be purchased there.

Boca Chica is a small beach town in Chiriquí Province, just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from the Costa Rican border and home to some of the best Pacific beaches in Panama.

It’s densely populated with about 500 residents, a handful of which are expats who live and own businesses here. They live in brightly painted homes in town, along beaches with picturesque views of the lively Pacific, or perched on hillsides on the nearby islands.

In front of Boca Chica is Isla Boca Brava, a protected area and paradise for paddle-boarding, kayaking, or anchoring your boat while you explore the island. In the distance you’ll see sailboats, yachts, and local fishing boats on the sea as well as private docks servicing homes and hotels, the majority of which are owned by expats.

Two free municipal boat ramps in town are the gateway to the Gulf of Chiriquí National Marine Park… a park that includes 25 islands, 19 coral reefs, and protected terrestrial and marine wildlife. 

You won’t find a more optimal place to snorkel, scuba dive, or observe exotic animals like howler monkeys, green iguanas, hawksbill and leatherback turtles, dolphins, and humpback whales (which calve here from August to November).

The waters are teeming with blue and black marlin, pacific sailfish, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and rooster fish, and Boca Chica is home to world-class inshore and offshore fishing. The Annual Jigging and Popping Tournament is held here each year.

Most expats are of retirement age and come from all over the world. While many live here full-time, others are snow birds whose second homes here allow them to escape the harsh winters of their home countries. Expats favor the islands in the Playa Hermosa area or Istana, a gated community, which is about a 30-minute drive from Boca Chica.

Crime is essentially non-existent in Boca Chica. Residents leave boats unattended in the harbor for months or years… and no one disturbs them. People in Boca Chica keep an eye out for one another, and home robberies, theft, and vandalism simply don’t occur.