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| A View Of Bajo Boquete |
there are for each of our likes, dislikes, budgets, etc., etc. That being said, please use my experience as a sample for your own formula.
The Chiriqui province in northern Panama, or should I say western, has really attracted many expats mostly due to the scenery, climate and quaint atmosphere it projects. Boquete, is on the radar of most "bests places to retire" lists, normally number 2 or 3. Shopping is done in David, the third largest city of Panama. In David you will find PriceSmart, a surprising replica of Sam's Club or Costco in the USA. There is also some nice dining, the theater is very comfortable, and all the usual attractions of being in a City, David (pronounced Da-veed) has it. I was fairly surprised how common English is spoken in David among waiters, hotel staff, car rental staff and others, if you only have a very basic knowledge of Spanish you should still be able to communicate fairly well in David. David is also known as the hottest place in Panama, or so I have been told. Being from Arizona I am fairly familiar with extreme heat, and the temperature I felt in David on several visits, didn't qualify as 'extreme heat' in my book. However, it is humid, as all of Panama is and if are your in David long enough without A/C relief you will feel it. Someone from a position closer to one of Earth's poles might suggest I wasn't there during the warmest season, however, Panama being so near the equator doesn't change in temperature highs more than say ten degrees all year. Some expats I have met will claim it gets above one hundred degrees Fahrenheit during the "summer" in Panama which is December to April. The summer in Panama is a tad bit warmer and a tad less humid. I am only relating what I have experienced myself each one will have their own thoughts on what is extreme. One thing that is universal is David and all the lower locations in Panama are definitely less comfortable than the higher communities of Volcan and Boquete. Arguably the only seasons Panama has is rain or no rain, sunny or cloudy. Even the sun sets at 6:30 p.m., give or take 5 minutes, all year. This can be attractive to personalities like myself who enjoy consistency in daily life.
Boquete and Volcan have a climate attractive to most North Americans and Europeans. Neither heating nor cooling are used in either place. Mornings usually have a little chill to the air and afternoons, when it is not raining it can be warm. Overnight lows are pretty close to 60 degrees fahrenheit and daytime highs in the mid 80's. It's easy to see why the region has earned the distinction of the 'eternal spring'. The mountain views of Boquete, which means bucket, are outstanding. Boquete sits in a hole of sorts with mountains surrounding the downtown. It has all the ingredients to make it a perfect tourist town, which is what you have here in Boquete. A consistent flow of North Americans/Europeans mix with the local Panamanian population. There are several tourist adventure offices in the town where one can pursue excursions like zip lining or river rafting to bird watching or touring coffee farms to name a few. One online statistic says there are some 7,000 Americans living in the Boquete area as of 2010. That may sound high, until you consider how many places to live in or around Boquete there actually are. Retirees and expats can live in downtown, Bajo Boquete, or in the suburbs known as Alto Boquete. Mountain communities of Jaramillo, or Volcancito. Down the hill towards David about 20 minutes on the way to Caldera mountains area there are more communities catering to North American housing. With all this attention of course housing costs are higher around Boquete than much less discovered areas of Panama.
Before discussing prices we need to mention there are basically two different types of housing in Panama. Panamanian housing and American style houses. Usually both are made from concrete and pretty much all flooring in Panama is tile, for good reasons. The biggest difference is in the plumbing. American houses will have hot and cold water throughout the house, with a hot water tank or tankless water heater, whereas Panamanian style housing will have only cold water and a device in the shower for heating water, sometimes called a suicide shower. I've included a picture and you don't have to be an electrical engineer to understand the nickname.
Another difference being space. Panamanian life is much simpler than what many of us are used to, hence one of the attractions to Panama. That being said, a by product of this lifestyle is smaller living areas. I've lived in RV's that have had bigger kitchens than many Panamanian houses. If a bedroom has a closet it will be about the size of an RV closet as well and the bedroom will be proportionate. As a matter of fact you can say the same for the whole house. The roof will be corrugated metal and may even have a space between the walls and the roof, allowing insects and bugs easy access, although not true with all Panamanian houses. Yards are normally well kept and the Panamanian locals appreciate the beauty of their country and know how to take advantage of it with great little porches, balconies and attractive yards. A house of this style, basic Panamanian can cost as little to rent as $200 a month for a 2 bedroom 1 bath but it does require searching and asking to find that.
American style houses will be pricier. They do come with hot water throughout the house, larger rooms, kitchens, closets and a higher price. Where many Panamanian houses may have 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, American houses will nearly always have 2 bathrooms and at least 2 bedrooms. Expect to pay $700 to $900 in the Boquete area for an affordable American built house. If you are interested in luxury living, that is completely possible in Boquete and prices will reflect that also. The Boquete Country Club and Villa Escondido developments have housing to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes starting at about $1,300.00 per month for 2 bedroom 2 bath condos and from there the sky is the limit. Keep in mind however, a golf course the envy of any in the world, indoor swimming pools, Jacuzzi, restaurants, and other amenities. Boquete can and does meet any and all budgets.
It is almost always better to rent first in Boquete, there are several reasons for this. This will be the subject of my next post.
Sincerely, Mark
Boquete and Volcan have a climate attractive to most North Americans and Europeans. Neither heating nor cooling are used in either place. Mornings usually have a little chill to the air and afternoons, when it is not raining it can be warm. Overnight lows are pretty close to 60 degrees fahrenheit and daytime highs in the mid 80's. It's easy to see why the region has earned the distinction of the 'eternal spring'. The mountain views of Boquete, which means bucket, are outstanding. Boquete sits in a hole of sorts with mountains surrounding the downtown. It has all the ingredients to make it a perfect tourist town, which is what you have here in Boquete. A consistent flow of North Americans/Europeans mix with the local Panamanian population. There are several tourist adventure offices in the town where one can pursue excursions like zip lining or river rafting to bird watching or touring coffee farms to name a few. One online statistic says there are some 7,000 Americans living in the Boquete area as of 2010. That may sound high, until you consider how many places to live in or around Boquete there actually are. Retirees and expats can live in downtown, Bajo Boquete, or in the suburbs known as Alto Boquete. Mountain communities of Jaramillo, or Volcancito. Down the hill towards David about 20 minutes on the way to Caldera mountains area there are more communities catering to North American housing. With all this attention of course housing costs are higher around Boquete than much less discovered areas of Panama.
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| Panamanian House In Volcon |
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| American House In Boquete |
Before discussing prices we need to mention there are basically two different types of housing in Panama. Panamanian housing and American style houses. Usually both are made from concrete and pretty much all flooring in Panama is tile, for good reasons. The biggest difference is in the plumbing. American houses will have hot and cold water throughout the house, with a hot water tank or tankless water heater, whereas Panamanian style housing will have only cold water and a device in the shower for heating water, sometimes called a suicide shower. I've included a picture and you don't have to be an electrical engineer to understand the nickname.
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| Suicide Shower head |
American style houses will be pricier. They do come with hot water throughout the house, larger rooms, kitchens, closets and a higher price. Where many Panamanian houses may have 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, American houses will nearly always have 2 bathrooms and at least 2 bedrooms. Expect to pay $700 to $900 in the Boquete area for an affordable American built house. If you are interested in luxury living, that is completely possible in Boquete and prices will reflect that also. The Boquete Country Club and Villa Escondido developments have housing to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes starting at about $1,300.00 per month for 2 bedroom 2 bath condos and from there the sky is the limit. Keep in mind however, a golf course the envy of any in the world, indoor swimming pools, Jacuzzi, restaurants, and other amenities. Boquete can and does meet any and all budgets.
It is almost always better to rent first in Boquete, there are several reasons for this. This will be the subject of my next post.
Sincerely, Mark
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