Panama has placed first in the 2026 InterNations Expat Insider ranking, marking the country's third year ranked as the best country for expats following first-place positions in 2024 and 2025.
In the latest survey, it ranked:
- 1st overall
- 1st for Personal Finance
- 1st for Working Abroad
- 2nd for Ease of Settling In
- 2nd for Expat Essentials
- 6th for Quality of Life
Overall satisfaction was also high. 87% of expats surveyed in Panama said they were happy with their life abroad, compared with 70% of respondents globally.
The results come from the 2026 Expat Insider survey, which questioned 7,786 expats representing 162 nationalities.
Countries required at least 50 respondents to qualify for the overall ranking, leaving 31 destinations in the final comparison.
Importantly, these rankings reflect the experiences and satisfaction of survey respondents.
They are not an objective measure that Panama is necessarily the best country for every prospective resident.
InterNations itself describes the results as a comparison of how expats rate their everyday lives abroad.
Why Do Expats Rate Panama So Highly?
One of Panama's biggest strengths in the 2026 survey was affordability.
Around 90% of respondents said their disposable household income was enough to live comfortably, while 76% were satisfied with their financial situation.
The country's general cost of living was rated positively by 69%, considerably above the 39% global average.
Panama also performed particularly well for the practical experience of moving abroad.
Nine in ten respondents described local people as generally friendly, while another 90% said finding accommodation was easy.
82% also rated obtaining a visa as easy, helping Panama finish second in the wider Ease of Settling In and Expat Essentials indices.
Working expats reported similarly positive experiences. Panama ranked first for work-life balance, while those surveyed also rated its working hours highly.
Then there is the natural environment. Every respondent surveyed in Panama rated it positively, against a global average of 84%.
Panama Remains Particularly Popular With Retirees
The survey also highlights Panama's established appeal as a retirement destination.
37% of respondents living in Panama were retired, compared with 14% across the survey as a whole. A further 18% said retiring abroad had been their main reason for moving to the country.
That does not mean Panama's appeal is limited to retirees. Its strong Working Abroad ranking suggests a broader international community, while Panama City remains an important regional business centre with connections across North, Central and South America.
The combination helps explain why the country can appeal to quite different types of international residents, from retirees looking for a permanent base to professionals and investors wanting to remain connected to markets across the Americas.
Where Does Panama Score Less Well?
The results are not universally positive.
Panama ranked 31st for infrastructure for cars, 28th for the availability of environmentally friendly goods and services, and 26th for its urban environment.
Those weaknesses appear to have had relatively little effect on respondents' longer-term plans. Around 34% said they intended to remain in Panama permanently, compared with 27% of expats globally.
As with any international move, individual priorities matter. Transport, healthcare, taxation, housing and residence requirements should all be assessed separately rather than relying on a general quality-of-life ranking.
Living in Panama Through Investment
For investors considering Panama as somewhere to live rather than simply somewhere to invest, the country also offers a direct permanent-residence route.
The Panama Qualified Investor Visa currently allows qualifying foreign investors to obtain permanent residence through several forms of investment.
The real-estate route currently begins at US$300,000, with qualifying funds generally required to come from abroad and the investment normally maintained for at least five years.
Foreign buyers can generally purchase titled property in Panama without already holding residency, although restrictions and eligibility rules apply. A property purchase also does not automatically qualify an investor for residence.
For prospective residents, the Expat Insider results therefore add another dimension to the decision. Panama is not only offering an investment-based residence route: according to the people already living there, it is also one of the most highly rated places to build a life abroad.
-
Panama Named the Best Country for Expats in 2026
Panama has been named the top country for expats in 2026. Explore the survey results and why international residents rate the...
