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If you are interested in visiting Mono Feliz, visit their facebook page for more information. I have also written about Mono Feliz on my site.
You can visit Mono Feliz via a road (which is soon to be paved most of the way) or, my favorite way, by driving on the beach. You must time your journey with the tides.
We have visited Mono Feliz from Puerto Armuelles both as a day trip and for multiple nights.
You can learn more about Puerto Armuelles starting here.
Betsy: Hi, it was a lot of fun stumbling across this video is of us back in 2007.
It gives you a relaxing glimpse of life in Panama
It's a little baby monkey, she's 4 months old,called Niña, a howler monkey.
We're at Mono Feliz in Panama, Punta Burica.
Reyn: We're relaxing and the stresses of daily life.
Our house is actually being sprayed for termites,as we speak, so we had to vacate it for the weekend.
They sprayed it with a mix of diesel and ariva, which is a commercial crop dusting chemical, so that's all going in our house so it'd be nice to let it air out for the entire weekend before we go home and sleep there.
We're here at Mono Feliz,there are small waves at the surf camp down the way
and Steve and another tourist and I were gonna try those out, so that will be fun.
Skylar: Look, look dad.
Reyn: I'm very happy and relaxed here.
It's cool.
(child laughs)
I think the monkey can actually hang by his tail.
Betsy: He's too young.
Reyn: This one is a huérfano.
Betsy: Let's say goodbye to Niña.
Bye, bye Niña, little scratcher.
Reyn: Want to compare size of hand?
music ♫ Can you hear it calling, Come on down to Panama
Given that, I was surprised that one of my favorite things to do as we traveled around Panama was to stop by construction sites and talk with other builders. I had fled the hustle and bustle of the building trade in Seattle only to discover, once again, how much I enjoy the fundamental beauty of human “dwellings” and how they are built. Apparently I made a good choice when I chose to become a designer/builder.
It doesn’t take long for one builder, chatting with another builder, in a new area, before the conversation winds its way around to the cost of materials, the cost of labor, the cost of land, to arrive at the potential profitability of being a builder in this new location.
Although I always prided myself on being more of an artisan design/builder than just a financially-motivated contractor, the profit potential in Panama is very seductive.
Early in our Panama travels we met a young builder and his girlfriend at Playa Cambutal. Playa Cambutal is out on the Azuero Peninsula, past Pedasi and Tonosi. They were both surfers and they loved this beautiful surf spot. The young man had borrowed $30,000 (as I recall) from his father who was a realtor somewhere in California. With this money, he and his girlfriend were able to buy a number of oceanfront farms, totaling over 2 miles of beachfront. Amazing!
We all know stories like this, and at first glance, one might say, “Wow! You guys are lucky. I guess we got here too late.” I remember my Dad telling stories about the farm he could have bought in Northern Virginia, a farm that later became Tyson’s Corner Mall.
There have always been great deals. And there will always be great deals. And we are all going to die some day. We still see amazing land deals in Panama.
About 10 years ago we spent some time investigating Pedasi and Tonosi, and other nearby locations. Yes, we discovered some amazing land deals. However, we decided that we were not interested in living so remotely, so far from services. And we had no interest in traveling to check in on any land we would buy in such a remote location.
This young couple (above) explained to us that they had to spend several hours, twice a week, driving to a small town, about 40 miles away, to do their basic shopping. For our own family, spending so many hours on the road, just sitting in the car, and burning gasoline, would not have fit our desired lifestyle. This was the in-the-car lifestyle we were trying to avoid by moving from Seattle. So we left the Azuero Peninsula and chose to live and invest in Puerto Armuelles. If you have read our site much, you will know we are very happy with our decision.
When I am asked if there are any “deals” left in Puerto Armuelles, I have to chuckle.
In truth, the big speculator class of investors arrived in Puerto 12 or 13 years ago. We got here 3 years after the miles of beachfront were sold to speculators from out of town. These same early investors continue to sit on some of the largest tracts of beachfront property in our area. I have no idea how they spend their days. But I am sure that they hardly ever think about our little beach town, unless they are looking at their investment portfolios.
A couple of these “big fish” are now offering schematic drawings of their future plans for these properties, but they haven't started to build yet. Or seemingly will in the near future. Meanwhile, a smaller class of builders, folks like us, is beginning to develop and build.
Yes, there are deals still to be had here. But you will not find the best deals advertised on the internet. You will find them by being here in Puerto.
You need to look around. Decide on your favorite locations and start talking with people. You will start to hear about some stellar deals.
For instance, if you shop, you can still pick up a house, a block from the water, for only $11,000 and a buildable lot for as low as 3 to $5,000.
Puerto Armuelles is a beach town of 25,000 residents, give or take.
It has many good properties and existing buildings, that with a skillful touch can still be resold for a substantial profit.
We want to encourage designers and builders to come check out Puerto Armuelles. To discover if there are any potential projects that suit them in our town. If so, not only will you have a great project, but you can step out of the stressful lifestyle of being a builder, contractor, or designer up north.
If you have experience in alternative energy housing, cooling, and transportation, even better. That is an untapped market here.
There is plenty of room for competitors in our market. Puerto Armuelles does have a few good builders, but we definitely need more motivated and skilled investor builders to provide housing for the growing influx of expat retirees. More good builders will just bring a greater diversity of expats and Panamanians to enjoy the lifestyle that Puerto has to offer.
Small-scale projects are definitely in demand. We recently sold a couple of our own projects. We did not make ten, or even five times our initial investment, but we have done well enough to carry us forward. Plus we have had a good family adventure and enjoyed our time doing it. And we have also slowly evolved our guiding design principles for building in our area. We are eager to continue to buy, to build and to sell.
We are excited by the uptick in the housing sales market. This enables us and others to design and build in a manner that inspires us, and that we think will be useful to new expat residents of Puerto Armuelles.
Our friend Victor describes life in Puerto Armuelles as being similar to that of Hawaii, or Southern California of 50 years ago.
You may find Puerto Armuelles is a more relaxed, and probably a more profitable building environment. And you won't have the stiff competition from other builders.
The broadest market niche by far available to expats in the construction field is that of “investor/builder”. You don't need a work permit to work on your own property, even if your intent is to sell it.
However, for the last few years, Panama has made getting a work permit much easier. This is especially true if you obtain the easy-to-get, Friendly Nations visa. That permanent resident visa was designed as a stepping stone to a work permit.
If you are a builder looking for a change in lifestyle, we invite you to check out our town.
For the builder who loves a beach town lifestyle, I would say that Puerto Armuelles is similar to Puerto Vallarta 50 years ago. It is a relaxed, maritime environment. And it probably won’t be like this forever.
Related Reading
You may be interested in reading my articles about building. I have given my 2 cents on
We have also written about these related items:
1) There is a lot of it. So there are many opportunities of buying the location you want at a price you can afford.
2) Vacant lots cost less. Somewhat surprisingly, even a lot with a structure that looks like it should be torn down, is priced higher than a similar lot with no structure. Check it out for yourself. There must be some psychological reason for this.
3) Investing in a vacant lot carries very low overhead costs---and there is usually very little maintenance required.
4) You get complete freedom to build & landscape the way you want. You decide where on the lot the house will be built, and what it will look like. You decide the look and feel of your property. If you have never gardened before, this is the place to get started. To cultivate many species, you simply get a cutting, stick it in the ground, and water. If you plant in the rainy season, you can skip the watering part. The term tropical paradise fits gardening perfectly here.
In Panama, you can buy a lot in the jungle with no infrastructure around --- not even a road --- or you might choose a lot in a sub-division, a place that has everything you need in place, ready and waiting for you to build your home.
More Remote = More Hidden Costs
Obviously, a lot that has everything ready to build your house will have no additional development costs. While a remote jungle lot could have very high development costs. Development costs are all the expenses necessary to get a site ready to start construction of a home.
Before you jump to the conclusion that an undeveloped lot is a screaming deal, you must factor in all the hidden costs. That is, how much will it really cost to get the property into “ready to build” condition.
The True Cost = Sales Price + 4 Hidden Cost Factors (described below)
You should calculate the true cost of a lot before you decide to buy. This is true even if you only plan to hold the property and sell it when it goes up in value. Most likely the person you eventually sell the property to will want to build on it. You need to make sure you are buying a lot that will be attractive and affordable to your future buyer.
Cost of the road or driveway will depend upon the lot’s
If you fall in love with a lot that is far from an access road, it will obviously cost a lot more to develop than if your lot is near, or on, an already established access road.
If the property is on a steep slope, that will open up whole new realm of hidden costs. Not only will the road cost a lot more and take more time, but you will have to deal with erosion and drainage issues. In a hilly area, you must take care to consider what to do with the water runoff so your new road won't be come a mud disaster. One key to a successful road is to put it in the dry season, not the wet season. After all the work of creating the road, you want it to stay usable for years to come not be washed out in the next big rain.
If you want to keep your road development costs down, or at zero, you should pick a lot that is
Google Earth - A Real Estate Tool
With Google Earth you can discover topographically challenging lots from the comfort of your computer. And you can use it to get a feel for the property before you visit it. Google Earth is free and can be used with both Apple and PC computers. To use it, you need to download the software and then search for your property by using its address or coordinates.
Now comes the fun part. You can zoom in using your mouse/curser and the command (control for PCs) and shift keys on your keyboard. Using the same controls, you can tilt the earth so you can see precisely where all the hills and valleys are on the lot and in the surrounding area. If you don’t know the lot's coordinates or address, you can usually find them using Google Maps (if you can locate the lot by sight), or by asking the seller for them.
Now that you can access the lot, you need to get it ready for constructing a house.
Ideally, your site is already level. Or it could simply mean removing some trees (just make sure to get a permit to do that) or adding a moderate amount of fill to level out the site.
If you are building on a slope, it will be more complicated. You may need a major earth building project including retaining walls and or drainage system.
Make sure you get a good ideas of the cost of these steps or it may come as an unwelcome surprise.
If you want to keep your site development costs down, or at zero, you should pick a lot that is
We have many affordable and beautiful lots. Almost all of our lots are ready to be built upon. No site or road development is needed. Many already have full utilities, or we offer to do that work at no extra charge. All are in the Puerto Armuelles area.
You can explore our properties by clicking here or using the property search tool at the top of the page.
Now on to getting utilities to your building site.
Generally, there is electricity available along all of the main roadways and neighborhood streets in Panama.
In Remote Areas
If you are buying a farm, or other remote property, you will be responsible for bringing in electrical power from the nearest road, where you will access it via overhead power lines. You will need to install your own power poles, or underground conduit, to access this power. And of course, you will need a licensed electrician to obtain an electrical permit, even if you are going to do your own electrical installation.
Alternatively, you can always decide to be completely off-grid. Just be sure to factor in the full cost of setting up and maintaining your own electrical system. Of course, if your lot is extremely remote you will have to go off-grid.
In Developed Areas (e.g., Puerto Armuelles)
In Puerto Armuelles, we generally have good access to power lines by our electrical utility provider (Union Fenosa). This makes electrical installation simple.
Once you start to build your house, you can connect the meter to the house in 2 ways. You can either hang an overhead line, which enters through the roof of your home, or you can install underground conduit, with the supply wires running inside. These wires connect the breaker panel to the electrical meter at the property line. From the breaker panel, you can do your own rough in wiring, or hire an electrician.
You can live without electricity, but not water. How will you get water to your lot and future house.
In Remote Areas
Before you buy a property in a remote area, make sure you know how you will get water to the site. It is likely that you are going to have to dig a well. If it is a well, check with an engineer to verify that you can actually build a well. Find out how deep a well you will need to dig. Then calculate the cost. If you are told there is a well there already, I suggest you check this out and test the water.
About Digging Wells
The good news about well digging in the rural areas around and as well as in Puerto Armuelles, is that it is very cheap. In most cases, wells are dug by hand, using a shovel. Our soil is silty/sandy, and it has no aggregates. (This is why it is not the most stable building substrate, and building footings should be deep and use plenty of steel reinforcement).
In short, a laborer digs your well, and then you line it with concrete pipe sections which are available in 4 foot lengths, and in many diameters from 10" to 2 or 3 meters.
Please be aware, hand digging is dangerous for the laborer. You should check with the municipal engineer to find out the details for doing this safely and if the person doing the work is covered by insurance. You can make it safer by having the hole supported, or "cribbed" during the excavation.
The pipe sections used to line the well are very heavy. You will need to schedule a back hoe to have them installed. You might just opt to use a back hoe for the entire well digging process, however the result will be quite sloppy. Back hoes cut a very wide hole. All that dirt will need to be stored on site until it is back filled. The dirt excavated for the actual well hole will need to be stored or used permanently either on site, or off site.
And, of course, you can also employ a well drilling company. There are some located in David. Just look them up on the Internet. I have not used a well drilling company yet. Obviously, this is the most expensive well digging option.
In Developed Areas (e.g., Puerto Armuelles)
In Puerto Armuelles (and other developed areas), most locations have access to the municipal water supply.
Hooking Up Water
To gain access to the municipal water supply, you simply cut in a connecting hub, or collar, into the ABS water line that runs alongside the street nearest your lot. In Puerto Armuelles, this ABS pipe is likely to be 3" in diameter.
You can buy a connection collar at most of the local building supply stores in Puerto Armuelles. You will need a permit both for the water supply line hook up and for any necessary street cut for the new pipe. You will only need a street cut permit if the city water line happens to be located on the opposite side of the street from your property. This street cut is performed by MOP (Ministry of Public Works).
I am fairly certain that you can apply for your own permit. However, for the $20 that my plumber charges to do all the legwork of obtaining permits, I never get my own permits. At all costs, I try to avoid waiting in lines at all of the various municipal offices. I don't have the patience.
Service & Expense
Generally our water service is good. The water is abundant and cheap. Our bill is under $5.00/month for unlimited use.
Interruptions in Supply
Many locations in Panama, including Puerto Armuelles, still experience occasional water shortages. In our area, these are not actual shortages, but rather interruptions to service. Water service is temporally shutoff due to a highway building project, or occasionally, storm related damage to a water supply pipe during heavy rains. Such interruptions are becoming less and less frequent. This is certainly not a chronic problem anymore, not the way it was 10 years ago. In addition, the water to our neighborhood is shut off in the afternoon everyday. I have never been clear about exactly why this is done. But it is the reason almost every house in our neighborhood has its own water tank.
Install A Water Tank
It is never convenient to be without fresh water, even for a few hours. The easiest way to overcome this is to have your own water storage tank located on your property. That way, you won't even notice when the municipal water supply is shut down for an hour, or even an entire day. You will have your own backup supply on your property.
At our house in the Las Palmas neighborhood we have a 140 gallon emergency tank. It is raised up on a platform about 12 feet above ground. It fills whenever there is city water pressure. When the municipal water fails due to road work, which has been pretty common with the new highway construction, or due to the new water and sewer system being installed in Puerto, we are covered. We also use it everyday as the source of our water after the city water is mysteriously turned off for the day. We have a gravity feed from this elevated tank directly to the house---we don’t use a pump. It has been years, since we were absolutely “out of water”.
Water Drinkability
Generally, water is drinkable in Panama. Bocas del Toro is the only blanket exception to this rule. In addition, at times, Panama City has issues with its water quality.
But again, overall, Panama's water is perfectly drinkable. Much more so than some areas of the US (not even including Flint, Michigan). My daughter still reminds me of how truly horrible the water is in the elegant neighborhood of Washington D.C. where her grandparents live. My parents happily drink that water. They are used to it. My children considered it to be unfit for human consumption.
Although the water in our town is drinkable, most expats and many Panamanians filter or buy bottled water. Many people (like us) get bottled water delivered to their home. Some people are concerned about water quality, but many people do it for aesthetic reasons. In the rainiest times of the rainy season, the water from the tap can look cloudy. That is what prompted us to start drinking bottled water. We always use tap water for cooking, but for drinking we use bottled water. At least we do at home, when we go out we happily drink the tap water.
You must include the cost of taking care of all the outflow from your home as well. How you take care of this depends upon where your lot is located.
Out of Town & Remote Areas
Sewer service is only available right in town, or along the main roads. If you are not in town, or on a main road, you will need to invest in a septic tank.
You are supposed to get a permit for most plumbing projects, including a septic tank. This application must be submitted by a licensed plumber, even if this plumber is not going to do the work. Talk to your neighbors to learn more about how this septic tank permit & installation process is usually done in your area.
Installation of Septic Tanks
There are a variety of methods for installing a septic system. The very poorest people in Puerto Armuelles simply dig a deep well, line it with old car tires, and run their pvc waste line into it (or put an outhouse on top).
Most locals who can afford it, build 2 separate septic tanks out of concrete block.
The 1st one, in line from the house, captures the solids and lets the liquid flow off the top toward a secondary tank. This 2nd tank is filled with large round drainage rock. (This rock is available from local rivers. It can be delivered to your building site by local truck operators.)
This 2nd tank provides a drainage “field” which leaches out into the surrounding soil, and hopefully, filters out all dangerous bacteria, before flowing to a nearby stream, or the ocean.
You can also purchase black plastic (ABS) molded tanks from local building materials suppliers, or from suppliers in David. Most suppliers in David offer delivery services to Puerto.
In Town - Sewer Connection
If your lot is in town, or off a major road, you can hook up to the municipal sewer system. To connect to the municipal sewer pipe on your street, again, you must apply for a permit. Again, this application must be filed for by a licensed plumber, even if this plumber is not going to do the work.
The connection is a simple matter of cutting in a connecting hub to the municipal sewer line, usually 6” pvc pipe. Generally, homeowners connect their own 4” pvc pipe to this 6” pvc pipe. It is a simple procedure. Pipes are not buried very deeply. Generally not over 3 or 4 feet. Given that our soil is silty/sandy, this kind of work can usually done with a couple of laborers with hand shovels in half a day.
The entire connection process, including plumbing and backfill, shouldn’t take more than a day. That is, after you have the permit in hand.
Before you buy a lot, you should estimate the cost of permits, materials, and labor to get utilities to your building site.
Obviously, if all your utilities are already delivered to your lot, you will be saving both money and headaches. If your lot is in a remote area, your "get your site ready" development costs will be a significant part of the true cost of your lot. Also, don't forget to factor in the amount of time it will take to get all that infrastructure into place.
The bottom line: Is the lot worth the price?
To know that, you first need to know the true cost of the lot. True price = Sales Price + 4 Hidden Cost Factors
Which Is The Better Buy?
Calculating the true price eliminates many unexpected expenses. It also allows you to knowledgeably compare seemingly diverse properties. For example, knowing the true cost of properties allows you to know which of these similarly sized and located lots is a better buy:
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what it means to buy an empty lot. As we explained, depending upon the lots location, getting an empty lot ready to build upon can be very easy or very challenging process.
Loren rented a house in the Corazon de Jesus neighborhood of Puerto Armuelles for a few months.
She visited Puerto after spending over a year in Quito, Ecuador.
On her way out of town, Loren kindly wrote me about her experience and thoughts on living in Puerto Armuelles, Panama.
Since I am not within walking distance of downtown Puerto Armuelles, I take a taxi to and from the local market.
Shared Taxi Experience
Quite often when the driver stops for me, there are other passengers in the vehicle. The driver could just as easily pass me by, since he already has a fare. I especially appreciate his courtesy which gives me a chance to get out of the hot sun. This is quite a change from other places I have lived, where taxis pick up and deliver one fare at a time.
The interesting part of taking a shared taxi comes from discovering all the new places I get to see while we travel from Point A to Point B, which is often in the opposite direction from where I want to go. Along the way, we drop off the original passenger(s), perhaps pick up another passenger(s), then we might make an unscheduled stop for the driver.
Recently, I had one driver stop by his house to get more bottled water and on another occasion we first stopped by the driver's house so he could add water to his tank and fill the water dish for his chickens, lol!
This took about 5 minutes while I and another passenger waited in the car. Once that was done, we all headed to her destination and then back across town to my destination. So, for the same price, I get the Scenic Tour!
Everyone's Needs Are Equal & Respected
What this tells me is that this country respects the needs of all individuals. My need to get to the market is of no greater importance than the other passenger's need to meet her husband for lunch, nor greater in importance than the driver's need to take care of business at his home.
I like that about Puerto Armuelles ... there is the understanding that there is enough time for all things to get done and there is respect for all persons' needs.
Loren, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on living in Puerto Armuelles.
If you want to share your experiences and views of Puerto Armuelles or Panama in general, please email them to me or use our contact form. We'd love to share your thoughts and experiences with others.
Or you can simply comment below.
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Betsy: Hey, Milton.
Milton: Good morning.
Betsy: I was wondering if you could tell me why you decided to move and live in Puerto Armuelles?
Milton: It's such a beautiful place. It's very friendly. The people here are very friendly. It's just a warm environment.
The climate's great. Of course, the ocean is beautiful.
It's just a nice place to live, and it's an easy place to live.
Betsy: Do you have any advice to give people who are thinking about moving to Panama or to Puerto Armuelles?
Milton: Yeah, I would say come down and visit, rent a house, stay for six, seven months, a year.
If you really like it, then buy something. But you really wanna get in touch with your environment and what's going on in your community. Just to double check and make sure that this is gonna fit your lifestyle.
And when you come down, make sure you stay at Heavenly's Hotel. We'll treat you right.
Betsy: Anything else you wanna say to people who are thinking of moving to Puerto Armuelles or Panama?
Milton: Again, Panama has so many things to offer.
It's a very easy place to do the transfer. They use American dollars, which is very easy for expats.
Also, there's many Visa programs for you to become a Jubilado or you can become a friendly nation Visa. They'll pretty much welcome you in, which has a lot of benefits as well.
Betsy: Thank you very much, Milton.
Milton: You're welcome. Thank you.
He left Puerto Armuelles to spend what he thinks are his final years living with a close friend in Costa Rica. This woman is half his age, very kind, and she has the resources to provide for all of his needs.
This situation, and the fact that Betsy and I have 2 elderly parents currently in assisted living in the U.S., has prompted me to do a bit of thinking and researching on the subject of aging.
This article is aimed at readers who are thinking about retiring in Panama.
I hope you find it useful. Please send in comments, since we hope to continue writing about this very important topic.
On those very rare times when Betsy and I actually talk about "when we get truly old" or aging (other than to complain about aching shoulders, hips, fingers, you name it), it seems that Betsy is inclined to want to be in Seattle, or living with or near one of our daughters, wherever that may be, when she gets to be truly old.
I, on the other hand, though I will miss my friends and family from the north, imagine that a life in a warmer climate, would be optimal, at least most of the year. Fortunately, in our case, I am probably willing to acquiesce to Betsy’s preferences. Her wisdom in such matters is generally correct. Our family always benefits when we follow Betsy’s intuitions. (Of course, she could also change her mind.)
Having admitted all this, I still think that there is a good place in our retirement plans for Panama, particularly in our early retirement.
But why would a person choose to arrive at his/her final years, and final days in a foreign country, far from family? What are the potential advantages/disadvantages? Is this a valid option for retirees to consider?
There is lots of hype on the internet about the advantages of retiring overseas, in the tropics, even in Panama itself. But what would it be like for you? (What would it be like for me? I’m 56. Betsy is 54.)
Warmer
First of all, we both agree that we feel younger in the warmth of Panama than we do in the cold and damp of Seattle (That is, except during the peak of the dry season in Panama, which is too hot for us. And during summer in Seattle, which is the most ideal weather on Earth, we think.)
Affordable Home Health Aides
If it were merely about the money, then yes, Panama is much cheaper than the U.S. (I do not know enough to make a verdict about Canada).
I just wrote another article about healthcare in Panama. In it, I mentioned that one of the biggest differences in the cost for healthcare in the U.S. vs. Panama is the vast difference in labor costs for basic, unskilled, or semi-skilled nursing care.
A large factor in health care costs for the elderly is the need for more and more hours of home health care and nursing care. The elderly expat living in Panama will have huge saving potential on such aid,
In Puerto Armuelles, it is possible to find a live-in domestic helper for as little as $400/month. In David, this cost would be somewhat higher. In Panama City, you might pay as much as $2000/month for a fully licensed professional nurse through an agency.
With careful research, checking references, you can find an excellent helper. Some expats have reported that their own domestic aid has become more like a part of their family than a hired helper. Some expats even include this person in their will as a beneficiary.
Conversely, with poor planning, or just bad luck, you might end up hiring someone who is a terrible worker, or even steals from you. (Unfortunately, this last detail can occur anywhere. I remember my well-to-do grandmother, who was blind and lived to be 97, was routinely robbed at her expensive retirement home in Washington D.C. So, you can have a bad experience of this sort anywhere).
Betsy’s mom is in a great retirement home in Seattle, about 2 miles from our Seattle home. My father is in a retirement home in Washington D.C., close to my sister’s home. Both of our parents rely upon and cherish visits from their adult children and their grandchildren.
Panama not good choice for Betsy's Mom
In the case of Betsy’s mom, she would not fare well in Panama. She has a lot of trouble “focusing” and, though she is a wonderful woman, she has trouble making real friends, because she has trouble following conversations with other adults. It is only with loving one-on-one chats with her children (including me) that she feels that emotional bond that she so craves.
Panama would have been a good choice for My Dad
In the case of my father, he has spent much of his adult life living abroad. And much of that time in the tropics (my sisters were born in Cuba). He would be very comfortable with the idea of retirement in Panama. He even speaks pretty good Spanish.
Other than my older sister, he does not see many family members on a regular basis. However, he is quite content to go to the dining hall or social hall, and strike up a conversation with just about anyone.
In truth, he says that he would have loved to retire in the tropics. In his wistful moments, he sometimes asks himself why he didn’t stay in the tropics to retire. However, at 90 years of age, it seems too late for him to make the move down to Panama. He is in a safe, happy environment and most days he seems to do pretty well. It is only on his bad days that he wishes he were somewhere else --- A lot like everyone.
Since I am now “pushing” 60 myself, I think I can relate with many of the expats who are considering a move down to Panama for their retirement.
Retirement Business
A lot of the folks who are closer to my age, on the younger side of retirement, would like to semi-retire early, and continue to do some sort of work in Panama.
That is what we have done, by investing and land developing in Puerto Armuelles. We effectively bought a small retirement business. This works well for both of us, since we have never viewed retirement as those years after 65 when one has earned the right to do absolutely nothing. We plan to stay active always, or at least as long as we possibly can.
Is Your Plan To "Go Back Home"?
Some retirees who choose to move to Panama at 55, 60, 65, or 70 may have in mind to return "back home" to be close to family and loved ones, when they finally arrive at their advanced old age. This desire is quite common. There seems to be something in each one of us that longs for the familiar, as our world grows smaller and smaller, and we prepare for our own death.
Plan Ahead to Age in Panama
There is a growing number of single retirees in the U.S., who either never married, or are divorced, or whose spouse has died. Some of these retirees may not have anyone in the U.S. to return to in their last years.
For such folks, it is probably advisable to come to Panama early enough in their retirement, so that they can become familiar with their new home, make friends, and prepare a late retirement environment that suits them. They will probably want to have a close friend or family member, at the very least, to supervise their caregivers and pay their bills, when they are no longer able to so. Even in the States, an elderly person needs someone to be their advocate, to make sure that they are well cared for, and listened to (this is a big one).
Letting Go
No matter what form your late old age takes, or where that event takes place, there is a tremendous amount of “letting go” that one must do in order to make the transition from healthy retirement, to a state of being very old, chronically weak, or sick, and eventually dying.
I know that my own father is still resentful that the keys to his car were finally taken away a couple of years ago. Betsy’s mom has had similar problems letting go of her independence, especially letting go of her car.
There are those who think that having the North American elderly loose on the roadways of Panama would not hurt the general quality of driving here in Panama…that is a subjective opinion.
I am not trying to come to any conclusions here. The idea is to inspire thinking and a dialogue about what each of us envisions as our own best scenario for our final years.
Clearly, one can live more comfortably in Panama, on less money. This, in itself, might be the answer, if you are not able to afford to retire, or be old or sick, in the U.S. (or wherever your "home" is.) However, for those who have options, the conclusion might be different.
Maybe Panama is the right choice for one’s early retirement years, as a new adventure, or chapter of your life. Maybe Panama allows you to enjoy your retirement, as well as allow you to bank all the saving that Panama offers. Because when, and if, you move back to the U.S. (or other place) to be closer to family, your living and health costs will be much high.
[leadplayer_vid id="5748DEB117A7C"]
Betsy of Living In Panama (off camera) asked:
Veronica, why did you decide to move to Panama and why Puerto Armuelles?
Veronica Answers Below
Well, I had a farm in Costa Rica for many, many, many years and I really liked Costa Rica, but
things changed.
And I started looking around.
So for 4 or 5 years I looked.
I came to Panama, in the beginning, to go to Boquete to a school, a language school there, Habla Ya, to make my Spanish much better.
So what we did was: 1st we made a list.
What things are important to us.
So we made our list.
Drew a couple of circles on maps.
I had been to Boquete for a few months. I stayed there while I went to school.
I like Boquete. However, for me it's too cold and I don't like the raininess.
To me that's .. And it wasn't near enough to the ocean.
And we started looking around for another place.
And I happened to see Puerto Armuelles on the map.
People didn't have a lot of things to say about it, buy you never know until you
go look. So we drove down.
One trip we came down here we were going to spend 3 months driving around, getting to
see all the places up close and personal. We liked some other areas as well.
We got as far as Puerto Armuelles and stayed at the Tsunami Inn.
And we stayed and we stayed and we stayed.
We met nice people, looked at land and it fit all the criteria.
So this is home.
Now we have a farm, Finca Bella Vista, in the hills just above Puerto Armuelles.
2 kilometers out, I think, totally.
We just love it.
We are building a house and a barn, a stable. I do dressage, it's dancing with your horse, so to speak. And I also am a wildlife rehaber. I specialize in birds and small mammals.
And Puerto is nice. It really is very peaceful.
We decided to retire here and this is our home now.
I love it.
There's a lot to do. I ride the horses on the beach. There's all kinds of sports. We are heavily involved in calf roping.
It's fun. I love it here.
I absolutely love it.
March 26, 2016
Originally, Victor said all of this in a video. However, Victor does not like the fame the video has given him, especially people recognizing him. He asked me to take the video down. I kept the interview transcription below.
It's peaceful. It is like Hawaii 40 - 50 years ago and I needed that kind of life. I drove down here, me and my dog and a few things and I've been here 2 and a half years now.
It is a great place. Puerto Armuelles is, like I said, like Hawaii 40-50 years ago. And that is what I wanted to find.
Some people like outside of Panama City, which is more like resorts and condos. If I wanted that, I might have well moved to Hawaii or California.
If you want to live with more local Panamanians and the culture and all that, I recommend Puerto Armuelles."
Victor
"I call it, you gotta create your own life. If you want to go to Starbucks or Macys or something- there is none of that here.
Life is simple."
Victor
"I wake up. Walk to the beach with my dog. Check if there are any waves or not.
If there are waves I go surfing.
If not, I come back home and do whatever. Make my hot chocolate, projects"...
Victor
"Learn some Spanish. I'm still really bad.
It's their country so respect their customs. Take it as an adventure."
Betsy - "Thanks Victor."
Victor
"Your welcome. De nada."
To learn more about Puerto Armuelles, start here.
July 2013
Listen in below.
[leadplayer_vid id="522199A9F14AC"]
Us: Hello, this is Betsy and Reyn, with Living in Panama,
and today we are talking with Leif Simon about the cost of living in Panama.
Hi Leif, it's Betsy and my husband Reyn.
Lief: How are you doing?
Hi Reyn.
I'm good, how are you?
Us: Leif is not only an authority on Panama, having lived in Panama City, with his wife Katherine Peddicord,and their two children for the last several years,but he is an international real estate expert.
Welcome Leif, to Living in Panama with Betsy and Reyn!
Lief: Thank you guys, I'm happy to be here.
I think one of the reasons people often think about moving to Panama, is because they hear that it has a really low cost of living.
Some people couldn't afford the lifestyle they'd like to become accustomed to in the United States or Canada,or other places, are starting to think about Panama.
Us: What are your thoughts about the cost of living in Panama?
What generally do you think you could live on, and what kind of lifestyle would that give you?
And is it true that it's more affordable?
Lief: Yeah.The cost of living conversations that we have with people that vary in the gambit.
You can live off of your social security in Panama.
Us: What does that buy you?
Lief: It can buy your a beach lifestyle,like what you guys have in Puerto Armuelles,
where you can live off maybe $1000, $1200 a month.
That's not going to be luxurious,but where in the U. S are you going to live on the beach on $1200 a month?
So, you know, people come from Iowa, say,"Oh Goodness, Panama City is so expensive!"
Well, of course it is, if you're coming from Des Moines,it's going to be more expensive.
If you're coming from the West Coast or the East Coast,or any major city in between,
Panama City is going to be likely less expensive.
And you can live inexpensively in Panama City.
We know a guy, it's been a couple years since I have spoken with him, but he was living
here on his social security, and it was less than $1000 a month.
Us: Wow.
Lief: Biggest portion went to his rent, he was renting a house in a decent neighborhood, not one of the high end neighborhoods, but a decent,local, safe neighborhood for $650 a month,and the rest of it went to food.
He didn't run his air conditioner 24 hours a day, and he didn't have a car, but he was happy.
He walked and it went around by taxi and bus, and he was living on less than $1000 in the city.
On the other hand, you can spend as much as $5000 a month in a high-rise apartment,
overlooking the ocean.
You're budget can go to the extreme the other way in the city as well.
But overall, I think most places, if you're in that $1500 to $2000 a month budget range,
you can have a great lifestyle in lots of areas in the country.
Us: It sounds like if you bought property right, you had your own house, if you had the capital to do that, then you'd have even a lot more money to spend on living expenses.
Lief: Absolutely, and that's when we talk about budgets,we try and separate housing, because housing can be whatever you want it to be.
It can be a one bedroom, small, little apartment, or it can be a five bedroom,
two million dollar house.
Take that part [housing] out of it, and then you're looking at the cost of food for example.
And food costs in Panama are goIng to be less.
Unless you're buying the processed foods that they ship in from the U. S, in which case they are going to be the same or more.
So, you have to make a bit of a shift in your expectations if you want to save a lot of money.
But you can have all the comforts at home in Panama as well.
Us: For more on the cost of living in Panama, please click the link below.
Thanks for watching!
Start here for more information on cost of living in Panama.
