San JuanvsPanama City
💰
Panama City saves you $900/month
31% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
San Juan has 2x faster internet
150 Mbps avg download speed
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San Juan
Panama City
Total Budget
$2,900/mo
$2,000/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,500/mo
$1,000/mo ✓
Coworking
$400/mo
$180/mo ✓
Meal Out
$10
$6 ✓
Coffee
$4.5
$3.5 ✓
Panama City is $900/mo cheaper (45% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 San Juan
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-4
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West7h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London7h
🇩🇪 Berlin6h
🇵🇦 Panama City
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San Juan
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days207/year
Best months: January, March, June
Panama City
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days272/year
Best months: February, January, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
25°27°
Apr
25°28°
Jul
28°27°
Oct
28°26°
San JuanPanama City
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍San Juan
🇵🇦Panama City
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,900
$2,000
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
Winner100 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.5/5
3.6/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
3.9/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
8/10
🚶
Walkability
7/10
6/10
👥
Community
medium
medium
1
San Juan wins
vs
1
Panama City wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Panama City
$900/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
San Juan
150 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🌍San Juan
Pros
- +No visa required for US citizens
- +Act 60 tax incentives (4% corporate tax)
- +Same timezone as US East Coast
- +Excellent fiber internet coverage
Cons
- −Higher cost of living than mainland US cities
- −Hurricane season June-November
- −Some areas have safety concerns
- −Car often needed outside tourist areas
🇵🇦Panama City
Pros
- +Uses US Dollar - no currency exchange needed
- +Best internet infrastructure in Central America
- +Official Digital Nomad Visa up to 18 months
- +Modern skyline with excellent amenities
Cons
- −More expensive than other Latin American cities
- −Intense humidity and afternoon rain showers
- −Heavy traffic congestion outside metro areas
- −Limited activities beyond dining and nightlife
