Americans Living in Panama · Trusted Guides

Your New Life
in Panama
Starts Here

We've done it. Let us show you how.

We're Americans who relocated to Panama. We know the attorneys, the builders, the neighborhoods, and the visa process — firsthand. We're not selling you Panama. We're showing you what we found.

$1,800
Avg monthly cost in Panama
35K+
American expats in Panama
5.6%
GDP growth rate
2.5hr
Flight from Miami
✓
US Dollar — no exchange rate risk
✓
No foreign income tax
✓
Americans can own property freely
✓
World-class healthcare at 60% less
Discover Panama
One country.
Endless possibilities.
The Opportunity

Why thousands of Americans
are choosing Panama

Panama isn't a compromise. It's an upgrade — if you know where to look and who to trust.

01

Your Dollar Goes Further

A comfortable life in Panama costs $1,500–$2,500/month. Healthcare, fresh food, household help — at prices that feel impossible back home.

02

The Pensionado Visa

If you receive $1,000/month from a pension or Social Security, you qualify. Discounts on healthcare, transportation, entertainment — and a legal path to residency.

03

Panama City — World Class Base

Panama City is a genuine financial hub with modern infrastructure, international hospitals, top restaurants, and direct flights to the US. Live urban or escape to the highlands on weekends — both are yours.

04

Self-Sufficient Living

Rainwater collection, solar power, food gardens that produce year-round. Panama is one of the best countries in the world for off-grid and semi-off-grid living.

05

Strong Expat Community

35,000+ Americans call Panama home. Boquete alone has thousands of English-speaking expats, social clubs, churches, and businesses built for people like you.

06

Safe, Stable & Growing

Panama is one of Central America's most stable democracies. GDP growing at 5%+. The Canal drives a world-class economy that insulates Panama from regional instability.

Who We Serve

Which one are you?

We work with three types of Americans. All of them found something different in Panama — and all of them are glad they came.

For Retirees & Pre-Retirees

You want retirement to feel like freedom, not survival

Your pension or Social Security qualifies you for the Pensionado visa. Your savings go 3× further. And the life you actually wanted? It exists here.

→
For Gen X & Millennials

You want land, independence, and a life you designed

Rainforest, mountains, or coast. Build your own home. Grow your own food. Work remotely. Panama is where the off-grid dream is actually affordable.

→
For Investors

You want emerging market returns in a stable economy

Panama's real estate market is early. GDP growing. Tourism expanding. The window to buy at the right price is open — but it's closing.

→
Ready to Explore?

No pitch. No pressure. No obligation.
Just honest answers from people who live here.

Just an honest conversation with people who've lived it — and want to help you figure out if it's right for you.

The Case for Panama

Why Panama?
Let us count the ways.

Most Americans have no idea what Panama actually offers. Here's everything we wish we'd known before we moved.

01
FINANCIAL

The US Dollar is Panama's official currency

No exchange rate. No conversion fees. No currency risk. Your savings, pension, and Social Security land in your account in the same currency you earned them in. This alone eliminates one of the biggest fears about moving abroad.

Panama landscape
02
LEGAL

The Pensionado Visa — one of the world's best retirement programs

Qualify with just $1,000/month in pension income. Benefits include: 50% off hotel stays, 30% off bus, boat, and train fares, 25% off airline tickets, 20% off medical consultations, 15% off hospital care, and 10% off prescriptions. You also get exemption from import taxes on household goods and one vehicle — once in a lifetime.

If you receive Social Security plus a pension, you almost certainly qualify.

03
FINANCIAL

No tax on foreign income — at all

Panama operates on a territorial tax system. Income earned outside Panama — including US Social Security, pensions, investment income, and remote work income — is not taxed in Panama. You still file US taxes as an American, but Panama doesn't touch it. This is one of the most favorable tax situations for Americans living abroad.

04
PROPERTY

Americans can own property with the same rights as Panamanians

Unlike many countries, Panama grants foreign nationals the same property rights as citizens. Titled land (Registro Publico) gives you full, clear legal ownership — bankable, inheritable, and resellable. No restrictions on ownership percentage, no required local partner.

Panama highlands
05
LIFESTYLE

The climate — spring forever in the highlands

The Chiriqui Highlands around Boquete sit at 3,500–4,500 feet elevation. The result: temperatures of 60–75°F year-round. No air conditioning needed. No heating needed. The "city of eternal spring" is not marketing — it's meteorology.

Boquete Highlands

Elevation 3,500ft. Temperatures 60–75°F year-round. Annual rainfall 120+ inches.

  • No AC needed
  • Lush gardens grow year-round
  • Cloud forest, waterfalls, hiking
  • Large English-speaking expat community

Pacific Coast

Coronado, Pedasi. Warm tropical climate. Dry season Nov–April. Surf, beaches, sport fishing.

  • Beach lifestyle
  • Lower land prices than highlands
  • Growing expat community
  • 2 hours from Panama City
06
SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Build a self-sufficient life — Panama makes it easy

The highlands receive 120+ inches of rain per year. Rainwater collection systems are simple and cheap. Solar installations are effective. The growing season runs 12 months. Tropical fruits, vegetables, and herbs grow abundantly and with minimal effort.

For Gen X and Millennials chasing food independence and off-grid living — Panama may be the most accessible place in the world to do it at a price that doesn't require selling everything you own.

07
ECONOMY

Panama is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world

GDP growth consistently 5–7% pre-pandemic, recovering strongly. The Panama Canal drives a $4B+ annual revenue engine. Panama City is a genuine financial hub — over 100 multinational companies use it as their Latin American headquarters. The economy is diversified, dollarized, and stable in a way most of the region is not.

For investors, this means real estate appreciation in an early market, improving infrastructure, and growing tourism — before the crowd arrives.

Still have questions?
That's what we're here for.

Book a free consultation. No pitch. Just honest answers from people who live here.

What We Do

Concierge relocation
done right.

We handle every part of your move — from the first question to keys in hand. You focus on the excitement. We handle the complexity.

🗺️

Relocation Consulting

A full-service advisory partnership from your first question to your first year settled. We know every region, every pitfall, and every shortcut.

  • Personalized region matching based on your lifestyle
  • Budget planning and cost of living breakdown
  • Reconnaissance trip planning and accompaniment
  • Expat community introductions
  • First year check-in support
📋

Visa & Residency Guidance

Panama has some of the most foreigner-friendly visa programs in the world. We connect you with the right attorney and guide you through every step.

  • Pensionado visa qualification assessment
  • Friendly Nations visa guidance
  • Attorney referral — vetted, English-speaking
  • Document checklist and preparation
  • Timeline management — no surprises
🏡

Land & Property Acquisition

Find, vet, and purchase the right property — with a team that knows the market, the title process, and which deals to walk away from.

  • Titled vs ROP land guidance
  • Region-specific property search
  • Vetted local real estate agent introductions
  • Attorney title search coordination
  • Price negotiation support
🏗️

Custom Home Construction

Build the home you actually want — at a cost that makes it possible. We connect you with vetted builders in Boquete and the Chiriqui Highlands.

  • Vetted architect and contractor introductions
  • Construction cost benchmarking
  • Build timeline planning
  • Permit and municipal process guidance
  • Project oversight check-ins
💰

Financial Planning Support

Understand what your money actually buys in Panama — and how to move and manage it without losing it to fees, bad rates, or poor planning.

  • Cost of living planning by lifestyle and region
  • Banking setup guidance — local and international
  • Expat CPA referral for US tax compliance
  • Currency transfer best practices
  • Budget modeling for first 12 months
🌱

Lifestyle & Community Onboarding

The practical stuff nobody tells you — until you meet us. How to actually live well in Panama from day one.

  • Expat community introductions
  • Local service provider recommendations
  • Healthcare provider setup
  • School and education guidance for families
  • Cultural orientation and Spanish basics
"We handle the complexity.
You focus on the excitement."
Panama Explore
How It Works

From curious to settled
in four steps

01

Free Consultation

We talk. You ask everything. We tell you the truth — including if Panama isn't right for you. No pitch.

02

Custom Roadmap

We build your personalized Panama plan — visa path, region match, budget, timeline, and priorities.

03

Reconnaissance Trip

We plan your discovery trip. You see the regions, meet the expat community, and feel it out firsthand.

04

Make the Move

Visa processing, property search, construction, community setup — we're with you through all of it.

Ready to start?

Your first consultation is completely free. Let's figure out if Panama is right for you.

The People Behind Panama Explore

We're not a company
that discovered Panama.
We are Panama.

One American who found his way here. One Panamanian who never left her roots. Together, the only team that can give you both worlds.

Alexander and Marlin Gordy
Alexander & Marlin Gordy
Founders · Panama Explore
Dallas, Texas → Panama City, Panama
Moving July 2026
Why We Built This

Gringos pay gringo prices.
Not with us.

Every foreigner who moves to Panama eventually learns the same lesson — locals have a price, and foreigners have a different one. Most relocation companies accept this and simply charge American prices on top.

We built Panama Explore to be something different. Marlin's deep roots in Panama mean we work with local attorneys, local builders, and local service providers who normally never see foreign clients. Their prices are built for local wages. We add our fee on top — and it still comes out cheaper than what foreign-facing businesses charge.

That's the Panama Explore advantage. It can't be replicated by an outsider. It comes from 18 years of roots, family connections, and a network that took a lifetime to build.

Co-Founder

Alexander Gordy

New Orleans, Louisiana

8 years Active Duty Air Force. Contractor in Afghanistan. 14 years as an FAA Air Traffic Controller — a career he loved until a medical retirement forced his hand.

After the FAA, Alexander became a Keller Williams real estate agent, multifamily investor, and built a content creation and videography business. He knows property, he knows business, and he knows how to build things from scratch.

What he wanted most was land, a garden, self-sufficiency, and escape from the suburbs. Panama gave him everything the US couldn't — at a fraction of the cost.

Background
US Air Force Veteran FAA Air Traffic Control Real Estate Investor Videographer
Co-Founder

Marlin Gordy

Panama City, Panama

Born and raised in Panama until 18. She carries the connections, the family network, and the cultural fluency that no outsider can replicate. When you work with Panama Explore, you work with someone who has been part of Panama her entire life.

Marlin learned English through ESL and built her career from the ground up — cashier, babysitter, duty free, and eventually American Airlines, where she spent 14 years as a flight attendant. She knows service, she knows people, and she knows Panama.

Her network spans politicians, business owners, attorneys, builders, and communities across the country. That network is your network when you work with us.

Background
Panama Native American Airlines — 14 years Local Network Builder Bilingual
Beyond Panama

Panama is the
gateway to all of
Latin America

Panama City is one of the best-connected hubs in the Western Hemisphere. Once you're here, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru — all of South and Central America — are a short, cheap flight away.

🇨🇷 San José, Costa Rica 1 hr
🇨🇴 Bogotá, Colombia 1.5 hr
🇪🇨 Quito, Ecuador 2.5 hr
🇵🇪 Lima, Peru 4 hr
What You Get Access To

Our network is
your network

Vetted Attorneys

English-speaking Panama attorneys specializing in immigration, real estate, and business formation. Pre-vetted, with real client experience behind them.

Trusted Builders

Contractors and architects in Boquete and the Chiriqui Highlands with documented track records, cost benchmarks, and past client references.

Community Connections

Introductions to the expat community, local Panamanian business owners, healthcare providers, and the people who make everyday life work.

Let's talk.

The first conversation is free, with no obligation and no pitch. Just honest answers.

Free Consultation

Let's figure out if
Panama is right for you.

No pitch. No pressure. Just an honest conversation with people who've lived it.

What to expect on your call

We'll talk about where you are now, what you're looking for, and whether Panama — and specifically which part of Panama — makes sense for your situation. If it doesn't, we'll tell you that too.

Most first calls run 30–45 minutes. Come with your questions. We'll come with honest answers.

📍
Panama City, Panama — serving all regions
🌐
panamaexplore.com
🕐
Within 24 hours · Often same day
💬
English (primary) · Spanish available
What our clients say

"They saved us from two bad decisions in the first month alone. The attorney referral alone was worth everything."

— American couple, relocated to Boquete 2025

Book your free consultation

Fill this out and we'll reach out within 24 hours to schedule your call.

🌿

You're on your way to Panama.

We'll reach out within 24 hours to schedule your consultation. Check your inbox — and your spam folder just in case.

In the meantime, explore the Why Panama page — it answers most of the questions we hear most often.