There is a large number of expats that relocate to Panama because 0f cheaper cost of living, however, looking at the recent situation in the country and price increases in almost every sector of the economy, I notice that even though Chiriquí is the largest producer of vegetables, legumes, fruits, the prices are really not much cheaper than in Panama, same goes with other basic items such as eggs, milk, butter.
Please give me your input and let's debate on the comparison. Here are the average prices of some essentials in Florida, which as you can see are at times lower than Romero, Rey or Super99 prices. I did not include Riba Smith not only because they tend to be a bit higher than the regular supermarkets, but because they are not yet open in Chiriquí.
So here we go, give your input in pricing and your opinion as to why they are more expensive in Boquete/Panama than in the US, even though most of these items are locally grown or produced.
Russet baking potatoes 5 lb bag $3.49
Yellow onions 2 lb bag $1.19
PIneapples each $1.99
Cucumbers each $0.25
Plum Tomatoes pound $1.49
Roma Tomatoes pound $0.49
Tomato sauce 8 oz can $0.49
Cooking Vegetable Oil 48 oz $2.99
Strawberries pound $2.50
Green Beans pound $0.99
Mangos each $1.00
Yuca pound $0.69
Green Peppers pound $0.69
Long grain white rice 20 lb bag $5.99
Pork loin chops pound $1.79
Whole Chicken pound $0.59
T-Bone Steak pound $7.99
Snapper Fillet pound $7.99
Serrano Ham pound $3.99
Yellow American Cheese pound $4.29
Dozen Large Eggs carton $0.99
I do know however that the cost of essentials such as healthcare, housing and transportation is cheaper, so based only on the rising costs of foods in Panama, what is your opinion?
Replies
You make some good points Ross, but let me counter a few. USA is not quickly becoming a third world country. It just isn't. You are entitled to an opinion, but show me anything that supports your claim. Just visit any decent area in the States and it is much nicer, cleaner and more proper and well kept than anywhere in Panama, which most areas are to put it bluntly dumps. Regarding what will happen in the future that is speculation. None of us know how things will pan out so it's a judgment call. Glad you are in a place you love. That is most important.
Gross domestic product per capita:
1960:
Panama $400
U.S.A: $3K
2015:
Panama: $13K
U.S.A.: $56K
Panama still has ways to go to catch up.
What makes USA a rich country are the work ethic and will of the people. Many catastrophes have struck the USA including natural disasters and the people always rebuild better than before. Like kicking an anthill down, it will come back and thrive. There is massive wealth in the USA so it is harder for it to grow whereas Panama was once a poor country that is seeing fast economic growth. It had no where to go but up. However the bottleneck will be when the dirty money dries up that is fueling uncontrolled construction growth and also the will of the people to educate themselves and produce at full output, which due to labor laws that favor the worker, the incentive is not there. When will Panama ever have a good quality public school? Full employment means employers can't find enough qualified workers to do the job which is not necessarily a good thing. It's so nice to be around people who strive to be the best they can be. That's one area lacking in this part of the world and one reason for my return north.
And let's not forget: Panama's economy got a very good kick start via the "gift" of the Canal by the U.S.A.!
Many of us are beyond our child rearing days and therefore all of the above is of no concern to us. In Panama the children are safer but the adults are more at risk. Take your pick. You can cherry pick bad areas in the States as examples but look at the nicer areas and they are safe and fine. Are there any good public schools in Panama? There are many great public schools in the States. That's the difference. Choice and options.
No question about it if you want to eat packaged imported American foods, you will be paying substantially more.....Certain things are luxuries here, which we all take for granted in the U.S. Cant deny it..........But Im from Maui, Hawaii, and its unot unusual to see beefstake tomatoes or hydroponic ones at $4 a lb........the tomatoes here usually are beautiful, tasty and somewhere between .50 and a $1.........In Hawaii, fresh tuna is somewhere between $14-$25 a lb last time I looked.......I live on fresh fish here for between $2-$3 lb.......and its really fresh yellow fin tuna, or fresh dorado, etc..........brown rice is not as good as the States, but not bad and about the same or a little more.....How cheap does rice have to be.? I live on a Kula, Maui style spread of about 8 acres with ocean and river views, and my mortgage, (govt subsidized) is $137 a month.....I built the house myself..........my elect bill is about $15 a month cuz I dont need heating or cooling cuz Im upcountry at about 2200 ft elevation........I have gates and fences, and dogs and cameras........and am off the beaten track.....Nobody bothers me......sometimes I wish somebody would bother me, haha..........I have been robbed here and more in Costa Rica, but not for a long time............Ive got an Indian out here chopping away now for $12 a day............try that in Hawaii or even Florida..........fresh smoothies with mostly organically grown fruit in the morning, and fresh fish at night.......and my food bills are reasonably low...........You can still live cheap and good in Panama if you know how to do it..........and buy your rum or favorite liquor at the border.........That border is a disaster zone, but its still very usefull.......What bothers me here most are fat women dressed in pink staring at their cell phones, and the garbage all over the roads............
Gordon,
So you have not successfully extricated yourself from Panama? Who cares about the people who left the room?
I could provide you with a "blood bath" of horror stories from three sates involving government regulators.
Sure the roads in the states are lined with food. Last visit I saw geese pooping everywhere, turkeys crossing the road and deer by the hundreds.
People are starving but dont you kill anything!!!
Gene R has one of the only relevant replies to this discussion.
Here we go again with the right stuff nonsense. It's not about differences. It's about inferiority regarding infrastructure, efficiency, quality, consistency, ethics, etc. They can be measured objectively. If you think getting used to and tolerating inferior this and that is having the right stuff then go right ahead. To me having the right stuff is having the ability to place yourself in the location you want to be wherever it is rather than settling for less. So let's just agree to disagree.
You fail to realize that the majority of expats who left Panama in disgust have left the room long ago. So their thoughts are not being represented here. If they were then you'd have a blood bath of horror stories posted here. Once I return to civilization there will be no need for me to visit this forum so you gringos can continue on with your love fest for Panama.
What is the cost of a pound of onions where you shop? I paid $.75 /lb yesterday.
I guess I have superior internet service since my posts dont appear twice. ;-)
I have a right to respond to comments directed at me.
Double posts are caused by crappy internet service ;)