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    Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Panama
    • Belize
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    • Cyprus
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    • Browse All Countries

    Best For:

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    • Health Care Abroad
    • Cost Of Living
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    • English-Speaking Countries
    • Safest Places For Retirement
    • Best Places In Latin America
  • Budgets

    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
  • Resources

    Global Living

    • Living & Retiring Overseas
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  • Home
  • Countries

    Top Destinations:

    Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Panama
    • Belize
    • Colombia
    • Cyprus
    • Mexico
    • France
    • Montenegro
    • Browse All Countries

    Best For:

    • The Best Places To Retire
    • Health Care Abroad
    • Cost Of Living
    • Investing in Real Estate
    • Establishing Residency
    • Gun Laws In The World
    • English-Speaking Countries
    • Safest Places For Retirement
    • Best Places In Latin America
  • Budgets

    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
  • Resources

    Global Living

    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore & Diversification

    Making Money

    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing

    Follow Us:

    • Meet Our Experts
  • Real Estate

    Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

    • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

    Explore Our Latest Posts

    • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

    Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

    • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
  • Conferences

    Upcoming Events

    • Explore Our Events Site

    Live and Invest In Spain Conference

    Offshore Wealth Summit

    Greece Workshop

    VALENCIA, SPAIN

    Sep. 17-19, 2025

    PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

    Oct. 15-17, 2025

    VIRTUAL

    Nov. 13, 2025

    LEARN MORE
    DISCOUNT
    LEARN MORE
    PRE-REGISTER
    LEARN MORE
    PRE-REGISTER
    • MORE EVENTS

    Contact Our Events Team

    Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
    1 (888) 627 8834
    From Outside North America:
    1 (443) 599 1221
    Working Hours
    Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

    Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

  • Store

    Unlock The World

    • Access Your Library

    Overseas Havens Reports

    • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

    Conference Kits

    • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

    Lahardan Books

    • Titles on living and investing around the world
    • Explore Our Store
    Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

    Services

    overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
    The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
    Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

    Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

  • My Library
Live and Invest Overseas
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THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

the 10 best places to retire in 2025

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Home Health Care

A Quick Guide To Health Care In Panama

by Sophia Titley
Jan 24, 2025
in Health Care
0 0
Medical stethoscope twisted in heart shape. guide to health care

AdobeStock/Fabio Balbi

Health care is a primary concern for anyone moving overseas.

When it comes to Central America, there’s an outdated notion of healthcare being primitive. Fortunately, bloodletting and leeches are as foreign to Panamanians as customer service and using car indicators.

In Panama, while the state-run hospitals can be basic, the standard of health care provided by private hospitals is some of the best in the world. Plus, many doctors went to school and trained in Canada or the United States and, as a result, speak English.

Whatever your medical needs, you can find the health care treatment you require here. The prices are hugely competitive and the time and attention spent on you by doctors is a world away from the frantic feel of the U.S.

The one drawback to health care in Panama is the lack of options in rural areas, so if you need to be close to top-tier medical facilities, here are your best options in-country…

Chitré, Herrera Province

Chitré is the rapidly developing capital of Herrera Province. Here you’ll find various private and public clinics, and excellent public hospitals all within a few minutes’ drive from downtown.

The two best private clinics are Clínica San Juan Bautista and Clínica Dr. Venancio Villareal.

Two public hospitals offer exceptional care for free (or at a very minimal cost).

Hospital General Cecilio A. Castillero is a general hospital providing cost-free care for all patients. Hospital Gustavo Nelson Collado provides free care to residents and citizens with Panamanian Social Security. Without Social Security, the cost is US$15 per day and US$1 for a consult. It also has an ICU.

Hospital Regional de Azuero, in La Villa de Los Santos, is a public hospital and has an agreement with Johns Hopkins. It specializes in heart attacks and heart disease, and all treatment is 100% free, with or without insurance. The doctors are excellent, and some speak English.

You have several options for dentistry and orthodontics, including Clínica DentiAzuero, Clínica de Odontologia José Villalaz, and Clínica Dental Cambara Calderon.

Optometrists, physical therapists, and massage therapists are also available.

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San Francisco, Panama City

San Francisco is Panama’s best option for living a quiet, residential, urban lifestyle. This is a rapidly growing middle-, upper-middle, and upper-class neighborhood with a mix of homes and high-rise apartments.

Panama’s two finest private hospitals are in the corregimiento of San Francisco.

Hospital Punta Pacífica is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital in the States and offers outstanding care in the areas of urology, cardiology, orthopedics, physical therapy, gynecology and obstetrics, nephrology, endocrinology, and more.

Hospital Paitilla is another world-class medical institution with cardiology, plastic surgery, dermatology, endocrinology, speech therapy, gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology and obstetrics, and many other departments.

Both facilities also offer internal medicine, general surgery, and specialized surgery, like brain and heart operations. For any health concern you have, you’ll be in good hands at either Hospital Punta Pacífica or Hospital Paitilla. They boast cutting-edge technology and English-speaking doctors.

Hospital Punta Pacífica consistently ranks as one of Latin America’s best health care facilities.

There are many private clinics throughout San Francisco with general and specialty doctors. If you’re looking for a chiropractor, physical therapist, allergist, dentist, orthodontist, fertility specialist, mental health expert, or another practitioner, you won’t need to leave San Francisco to get the care you need.

If you need prescription medication, there are pharmacies throughout the neighborhood.

San Francisco offers health care for all ages and all medical needs.Overall, the cost of medical care in Panama is cheap. Like everything, medical costs are higher in Panama City than elsewhere in the country, but, even in the capital, a doctor’s visit costs US$50 or less.

In Panama City, clinics provide value (US$30 per consultation) and offer excellent, full-service care.

Panama has two health care systems—public and private. Panama guarantees health care facilities for both nationals and foreign visitors who may need them.

The public institutions are run by the Caja de Seguro Social (Social Security System) or the Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health). And, working Panamanians receive free health care and prescription medication from hospitals and clinics within the Social Security System. Unemployed Panamanians receive health care through the Ministry of Health.

Most Panamanians with extra money and foreigners usually prefer the private hospitals.

If you can afford it, the standard of healthcare you will receive going private is excellent. Waiting times are extremely short (in many cases surgery can be scheduled within a day or two) and the facilities are superb. Prices are also far less than in the U.S. with many people reporting their treatment in Panama came in at around 10% of the U.S. cost.

Sincerely,

Sophia Titley

Editor, Overseas Living Letter

Tags: 'best places to retire in the world''Expats In Panama''Where To Retire Overseas'Affordable health carehow to live overseas
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Sophia Titley

Sophia Titley

For Sophia Titley, home is a subjective concept. She was born in Singapore but grew up in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia… and has since lived in Canada, Spain, Colombia, and, most recently, Panama. She studied political science and Spanish at the University of British Columbia, and in her free time enjoys trying new recipes, playing soccer, and salsa dancing.

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HOME

Top Countries

  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Panama
  • Belize
  • Colombia
  • Cyprus
  • Mexico
  • France
  • Montenegro

Best For:

  • Health Care Abroad
  • Retirement Living
  • Cost Of Living
  • Investing in Real Estate
  • Establishing Residency
  • Gun Ownership
  • English Speakers
  • Safety
BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

Budgets

How Much Will It Cost
To Live Overseas?

Super Cheap

  • Chitré, Panama
  • Santa Marta, Colombia
  • Phuket, Thailand
  • Dumaguete, The Philippines

Cheap

  • Medellin, Colombia
  • Boquete, Panama
  • Kyrenia, Cyprus
  • Hua Hin, Thailand
  • The Algarve, Portugal

Affordable

  • Valencia, Spain
  • Cascais, Portugal
  • Las Terrenas, The DR
  • Pisa, Italy
  • La Rochelle, France
  • Mazatlán, Mexico

Luxury

  • Ambergris Caye, Belize
  • Kotor, Montenegro
  • The Panama City Beaches
  • Paris, France

Resources

Global Living

  • Living & Retiring Overseas
  • Raising A Family Abroad
  • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
  • Offshore & Diversification

Making Money

  • International Real Estate
  • Banking
  • Employment
  • Investing
Meet Our Experts

Real Estate

Overseas Property Alert 

 

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VISIT SITE

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Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

READ MORE

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EXPLORE

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VALENCIA, SPAIN Sep. 17-19, 2025
LEARN MORE
DISCOUNT

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PANAMA CITY, PANAMA Oct. 15-17, 2025
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PRE-REGISTER

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VIRTUAL Nov. 13, 2025
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PRE-REGISTER
MORE EVENTS

Contact Our Events Team:

Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
1 (888) 627 8834

From Outside North America:
1 (443) 599 1221

Working Hours
Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

Store

Overseas Havens Reports

  • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

Conference Kits

  • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

Lahardan Books

  • Titles on living and investing around the world

Services

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  • The Simon Letter: Wealth Protection Insights
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THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

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