Panama

Investments Under the Sun PanaVera

Q: Can a foreigner buy property in Panama in their own name?

Yes — in your own name or through a company, with the same basic ownership rights as citizens: hold title, rent out, sell, pass on to heirs. Restrictions apply only to certain zones, including the 10 km strip along the border.

Q: How much money do you need to start?

There is no single threshold — it depends on the property. At the start you typically pay a reservation deposit and 10–20% on signing; with a mortgage, foreign buyers usually put down 30–40%. On top come the lawyer, the notary and the registry.

Q: Do you have to travel to Panama to buy?

No. The purchase can be handled under a power of attorney granted to a Panamanian lawyer — notarised, and apostilled if signed abroad. But visiting is still the best way to read a neighbourhood: distances, traffic and atmosphere do not come through a screen.

Q: How long does a purchase take, from choosing to keys?

There is no single timeline: each stage lasts as long as the signed documents say. A completed unit moves through a short sequence — reservation, due diligence, closing, registration; a project under construction runs until handover. The developer's instalment plan stretches over 18–36 months or more, and that is a payment schedule, not the length of the purchase.

Q: What taxes does an owner pay?

Foreign income is not taxed in Panama. The annual property tax depends on how the property is classified — for a primary home under $120,000 it is 0% — plus monthly condominium fees. Exact rates and exemptions are checked unit by unit.

Ocean-view real estate in Panama: a growing market, USD returns and a climate people come back for.

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USD — no FX riskPremium locationsLicensed local agency · since 20060% tax on foreign income

$300kQualified Investor residency — all nationalities
0%tax on foreign income (territorial)
43.8%of sales to foreign buyers — 2023 record
6–9%gross rental yield in key areas

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We help you read Panama as a foreign buyer: neighbourhoods, projects, timelines, priorities.

Panama vs the world

Indicator

Panama

Gross rental yield

~6.9%

Price per m² (city centre)

~$2,950

Tax on foreign income

Currency

USD (since 1904)

Annual property tax (primary)

0% (<$120k)

Investor residency

$300k

Foreign-buyer rights

= citizens (except the 10 km border zone)

Spain

~5.5%

~$4,300

19–54%

EUR

0.4–1.1%

programme closed (2025)

= citizens (EU)

Portugal

~4.3%

~$4,100

12.5–53%

EUR

0.3–0.45%

funds, not property

= citizens (EU)

Dubai

~6.3%

~$7,000

AED

AED 2M

freehold zones

Germany

~3.4%

~$6,250

14–47.5%

EUR

~0.1–0.3%

no programme

= citizens

Indicator	Panama	Spain	Portugal	Dubai	Germany
Gross rental yield	~6.9%	~5.5%	~4.3%	~6.3%	~3.4%
Price per m² (city centre)	~$2,950	~$4,300	~$4,100	~$7,000	~$6,250
Tax on foreign income	0%	19–54%	12.5–53%	0%	14–47.5%
Currency	USD (since 1904)	EUR	EUR	AED	EUR
Annual property tax (primary)	0% (<$120k)	0.4–1.1%	0.3–0.45%	0%	~0.1–0.3%
Investor residency	$300k	programme closed (2025)	funds, not property	AED 2M	no programme
Foreign-buyer rights	= citizens (except the 10 km border zone)	= citizens (EU)	= citizens (EU)	freehold zones	= citizens

Market figures — yields, price per m² and tax rates — are estimates as of August 2026 and move over time. Immigration and tax rules are legal facts: they change by legislation, so confirm them with a licensed lawyer. Property tax in Spain, Portugal and Germany is charged on cadastral value, not market value.

Featured properties

See all properties

Explore on the map

Every property, mapped across Panama

Paths to residency

Qualified Investor

$300,000 · 2–4 mo

real-estate investment, all nationalities

Friendly Nations

Job offer / business · 3–6 mo

job offer or business ties

Pensionado

$1,000/mo · 4–8 mo

lifetime pension income

Self-Solvency

$2,000/mo · 4–6 mo

passive income

Please verify that the information is current at the time of your enquiry.

Official legal support included in our premium consultation packages.

Good to know

Healthcare
Panama City has a Johns Hopkins-affiliated hospital (Punta Pacífica). Private care is generally well below North-American and European rates; expat areas have English- and Spanish-speaking clinics. International private insurance is typical for retirees (≈$200–$450/mo per couple — a reference). Verify current options.
Legal safety
Purchases register in Panama's Public Registry (government-backed title, escritura). Foreigners hold the same property rights as citizens. Attorney-led due diligence (ownership, permits, zone) before anything is recommended. Confirm specifics with a licensed Panamanian lawyer.
USD & taxes
A US-dollar economy since 1904 — no FX risk. Territorial system: 0% on foreign income. Property taxes are low (again, verify per property). Route specifics to a tax professional.

How we work

Understand the goal
Residency, investment, second home or relocation — we start here.
Select the areas
We propose locations that fit your profile.
Build the short-list
We compare homes and areas with clear criteria.
Visit & decide
We arrange visits and calls for a confident choice.

Frequently asked

Can a foreigner buy property in Panama in their own name?

How much money do you need to start?

Do you have to travel to Panama to buy?

How long does a purchase take, from choosing to keys?

What taxes does an owner pay?

Panama begins with your goal

Relocation, rental income, preserving capital: every goal has its own map of neighborhoods, its own risks and its own returns. We start from yours, and show only the properties in Panama that stand up to it.

Why work with us

Guided search

Support in your language

Local insight

Panama vs the world

Featured properties

Apartment in the residential complex 5cero4 — 5cero4 Residences

Apartment in the residential complex 5cero4 — 5cero4 Residences

Apartment in the residential complex 5cero4 — 5cero4 Residences

Apartment in the residential complex 5cero4 — 5cero4 Residences

Apartments in the modern residential complex "Nayamara" — Nayamara

Apartments in the modern residential complex "Nayamara" — Nayamara

Apartments in the modern residential complex Nayamara — Nayamara

Apartment in the modern complex Cavarosa Amador — Cavarosa

Apartment in the modern complex Cavarosa Amador — Cavarosa

Explore on the map

Paths to residency

Qualified Investor

Friendly Nations

Pensionado

Self-Solvency

Good to know

Healthcare

Legal safety

USD & taxes

How we work

Understand the goal

Select the areas

Build the short-list

Visit & decide

Frequently asked

Panama begins with your goal

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