What is it like to live in Panama? Or Costa Rica?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I know our resident Panamanian Colibri passed away recently, but I’d be surprised if there weren’t other knowledgeable dopers around who could chip in a thought.

Coincidentally, I’ve read about Panama several times in different contexts over the last few months. This made me wonder what kind of country it is in terms of society. I’ve travelled around Latin America a bit, and I got the impression that large parts of it have something of a third-world feel to it with a lot of poverty and large wealth gaps. Is it the same there? Pictures of Panama City look very glitzy, and I suppose the canal brings in a lot of well-paid jobs in the logistics industry and service sectors that grow around it. But I suppose that doesn’t guarantee the society broadly gets a share of that wealth?

And what about neighbouring Costa Rica? It has a reputation for being peaceful and politically stable. Is it, in socioeconomic terms, better of than other countries in the region?

2

I know someone who worked in Costa Rica for years, for an American company. His wife worked as a guide. They loved it, and might go back. (They live in Minnesota which might have something to do with it.) I did an excursion there for a cruise and I was impressed. And there was an article in the New Yorker about their medical system which was also impressive.

3

This is second hand, but I’ve heard the same thing from different co-workers/friends who knew people who retired in Costa Rica. Their biggest complaint: the other ex-pats. It sounded like the ex-pats tend to land in similar areas (smaller coastal villages, not San Jose). And they tend to spend their time complaining about what they don’t like there, and what they miss about America.

4

An Anthro prof of mine lived in Costa Rica for a while. Moved his whole family including 80-something-year-old mother down there. Seems to be a large expat community.