Thread: Living in Boquete

I am new to the forum and have some questions about Boquete. My wife and I are considering retiring in Panama and like Boquete. We will have to live on $1700-$1800 a month for two years, $1,000 a month more after that. We would want to rent something furnished for at least 6 months. Does this seem realistic? If not are there some other areas we should consider?
Looking forward to your answers.

Hope this isn't off topic as I'm sure someone will comment on the living expenses.

But in relation to 'Living in Boquete' could anyone with experience comment on mudslide risks and the increase in violent home invasions? Sorry if I'm commenting on the negatives.

Go to panama apts/housing for rent classifieds "boquete" - craigslist=

You can find a wide range of rents. The key is when to rent. High season from Jan thru Apr will be high and the rest more reasonable. Most people feel Boquete is overbuilt on new homes and apts.

Would $500-$600 a month for a 6 month furnished rental be realistic?

I have seen places advertised at $350 so you might?

Barry , have you been to panama ? if not you should try renting in a bunch of different places , each one has it goods and bads ,lots of rain in Boquete . hotter on the coast but near the ocean is nice ,lots of gringos or live with the locals, in a house in a small town . many things to consider .

Barry, I have been here for less than a year but I will answer your questions honestly. No, I am not a real estate person, just retired. When I moved here I had no help and I made a couple of mistakes. I will be happy to help prevent you from making the same. I live in Boquete and have a retirement visa. If you own your house and car you can live on 600-800 a month or 1500 per month depending on what you desire from Panama. a 350 per month rental home will surely not please you. write to me at always39inpanama@aol.com and I will tell you about minimum social security amounts and what you can do if they are not high enough, attorneys, visas, and a lot more.

Originally Posted by nakedguydb

Barry , have you been to panama ? if not you should try renting in a bunch of different places , each one has it goods and bads ,lots of rain in Boquete . hotter on the coast but near the ocean is nice ,lots of gringos or live with the locals, in a house in a small town . many things to consider .

When you say "lots of rain in Boquete", does that mean its usually overcast and gray most of the time with steady mist or drizzle? Or does it just rain daily for a couple hours then the sun comes back out?

I will be retiring in Panama and the weather is a major factor for me. I do not mind daily rain as long as there are sun breaks and clearing, but I do not want constant gray skies.

Would the weather be sunnier in David, or Las Tablas?

during the rainy season it will rain almost every day. sometimes a shower then sun then later another shower and more sun. the weather here is nice but there is definite rainy season and then a dry season. when I drive from boquete to david I leave at 70 degrees and arrive in David at 90 degrees. David is always much warmer. Run your errands in the mornings before the afternoon showers. see the actual weather at accuweather.com
AccuWeather.com - Panama | David Weather

Originally Posted by Viviana

When you say "lots of rain in Boquete", does that mean its usually overcast and gray most of the time with steady mist or drizzle? Or does it just rain daily for a couple hours then the sun comes back out?

I will be retiring in Panama and the weather is a major factor for me. I do not mind daily rain as long as there are sun breaks and clearing, but I do not want constant gray skies.

Would the weather be sunnier in David, or Las Tablas?

I don't think you will like the weather in David. I'm the kind of person who loves hot weather but David is just horribly hot.
On the other hand Las Tablas is hot but I could live there.

Originally Posted by Viviana

Would the weather be sunnier in David, or Las Tablas?

During the rainy season, the Las Santos (including Las Tablas) province probably gets more sunshine than anywhere else in Panama. Do keep in mind it gets pretty darn warm during the dry season.

one bad thing i found about David is that it gets no wind , too far from the ocean to get that breeze , just hot, still air , and yes living in the low lands , los santos etc, it is hot but most towns get the ocean breeze then , does not seem as hot , i have only visited boquete a few times and it was sunny in the morning and cloudy from then on , some people love the cooler areas and some love it hot ,if you give yourself a month in the hot areas, you do really get used to it , i dont even us the AC in my car that much

Pedasi is even cooler in temp than Las Tablas. I think almost everybody that lives in the province of Los Santos enjoys the rainy season.

Thank you all for your responses about the weather. That seems to be my primary factor in choosing Panama.

Sounds like Pedasi, Las Tablas area is a good choice weather-wise. Can I assume that that area would be within biking distance of the beach? Like 3 miles, or so?

What types of businesses are there? Like grocery store/mercado, hardware store or other home-supply type store. I'm thinking there isn't much in that area, so how far by bus if I need a light bulb, computer paper, wheelbarrow, kitchen towels, etc.?

Both Pedasi and Las Tablas are inland from the beach. Pedasi is closer to the ocean (4-5 miles aprox) so you have the better breeze and temps. There is a new hospital that will be going up in Pedasi soon but it currently lacks good grocery stores and many other items. Las Tablas has many more stores, new hospital, etc, but it is a little warmer. My suggestion as always is to come on down, spend some time in both places, see what you like. They are only 40kms (aprox) apart so distance isn't that big of a deal. There is however a big difference between the feel and look of the towns.

Originally Posted by MRWOOHOO

Both Pedasi and Las Tablas are inland from the beach. Pedasi is closer to the ocean (4-5 miles aprox) so you have the better breeze and temps. There is a new hospital that will be going up in Pedasi soon but it currently lacks good grocery stores and many other items. Las Tablas has many more stores, new hospital, etc, but it is a little warmer. My suggestion as always is to come on down, spend some time in both places, see what you like. They are only 40kms (aprox) apart so distance isn't that big of a deal. There is however a big difference between the feel and look of the towns.

Thanks for the detailed response.

From what you've described Las Tablas looks good to me, but I would like to ask your opinion about weather in Chitre. Also, would cost of housing and basic necessities be cheaper in Las Tablas than Chitre?

I will only have two weeks for my initial trip to Panama, and I want to focus on only one region. I will follow your advise, and also return to rent for several months before deciding where I want to hang my (Panamanian) hat.

Eventhough I've asked you about Chitre, I suspect I would prefer Las Tablas because I imagine it has a less-hectic and more laid-back vibe than Chitre.

Chitre's weather is going to be about the same as Las Tablas. Cost of housing is about the same, no real difference. Now Chitre is a much bigger town and has A LOT of stores, different hospitals (public and private), Miky D's, Dominos Pizza, etc. The vibe is different once again between Chitre, Las Tablas, and Pedasi. Las Tablas is a pretty laid-back place and Pedasi is even more laid back. The further you go down on the Azuero the more laid-back life becomes. Also (in my opinion) the further you head down the Azuero the safer it gets (knock on wood & no guarantees). The locals were a huge deciding factor in where I was going to live.

Originally Posted by MRWOOHOO

Chitre's weather is going to be about the same as Las Tablas. Cost of housing is about the same, no real difference. Now Chitre is a much bigger town and has A LOT of stores, different hospitals (public and private), Miky D's, Dominos Pizza, etc. The vibe is different once again between Chitre, Las Tablas, and Pedasi. Las Tablas is a pretty laid-back place and Pedasi is even more laid back. The further you go down on the Azuero the more laid-back life becomes. Also (in my opinion) the further you head down the Azuero the safer it gets (knock on wood & no guarantees). The locals were a huge deciding factor in where I was going to live.

Looks like the Azuero region will my destination. Seems to have the weather and amenities I'm looking for. Also, I've read about the water sports opportunities in that general area.

Thanks for all the info MRWOOHOO. A lot of info is shared about Boquete, but harder to find specifics on the Azuero area.

Regarding Azuero being safer (in your opinion) the further down you go, yes that mirrors my experience in Guatemala. Once you get away from the cities life is very tranquil in the smaller rural towns.

Happy to help.

Just got back from Boquete, kinda wet, but it looks like the river flowing through it is holding together after the major repairs in the spring.