Panama, A Top Spot For Retirees
Panama Ranks Third As An International Retirement Destination
A popular international relocation services has ranked Panama as the third best country to retire in. International Living has been ranking destination for years and assisting people with real estate purchases and other services.
Though I cannot speak for the services provided by International Living, they are touted as the “go-to” source for relocation information for various destinations around the world. Their annual retirement index takes in to account cost of living, culture, real estate, safety, health care, climate, infrastructure and special benefits.
In their 2008 index, the company gives Panama a score of 75 out of 100. Panama came in third in their list, with Mexico taking the first spot and Ecuador was second. This is the second year in a row that Mexico took first place in the retirement index. Before that, Panama took first place for six years in a row. When Panama’s rank fell in 2007, International Living cited the exponential rise in real estate costs as the reason.
What is interesting about the score given to Panama this year is that fact that the country received a perfect score for safety and stability. By no means would I call Panama unsafe, but the violent crime rates are increasing rapidly in this country. Safety and security are key platforms of a number of candidates in the upcoming federal election.
For those of you currently living in Panama, do you think International Living got it right? For those of you considering a move to Panama, do reports such as these impact your decision in any way?
| Written by Rebecca Tyre |  |
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Filed under: Living & Retirement, News on September 5th, 2008
The IL people have the perfect business model! They sell something that was never theirs! Sort of like selling the Brooklyn Bridge over and over again!
As far as I’m concerned, they are primarily responsible for all the snooty, spoiled and ever so rude extranjeros who have invaded my paradise! Oh, let’s not forget about the “developers” and “flippers” who are now jacking real estate prices way above the heads of the work-a-day Panamanian!
I am not a Panamanian! I too am an extranjero, but I adapted to Panama, instead of trying to make Panama adapt to me! I was here long before Panama was “discovered” by the likes of the IL crowd and I miss the way things were when no body could even find Panama on a map!
International Living NEVER gets it really right. IL is notorious for pushing their own personal agenda.
Bueno por dos colones.
jp
J.P. is absolutely right. I.L. is a marketing machine tied in with various condo developers.
Panama may have been cheap five years ago but not anymore. And, Panama condo prices have not corrected yet as in the U.S., Baja California, etc.
I wonder how many foreign condo buyers in Bella Vista, Mar Bella, Betania, Punta Paitilla, Punta Pacifica, and San Francisco know that the government intends to pass the $190,000,000 cost of the Cinta Costera on to them in the form of a special assessment.
your link to il is a link to join the site and not a link to their annual index fyi.
it would be nice to see their index but again this is panama and they may sue you and shut you down in a week…isn’t this fun…
Thanks for letting me know about the link issue Bob. When I posted the story, the link went directly to the index. Interesting…
The correct link to our 2008 Annual Retirement Index is http://www.internationalliving.com/Internal-Components/Further-Resources/il-s-2008-retirement-index
Cheers.