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How Lisa and Her Family Created a Happy, Affordable Life in Panama City Through Communal Living
When Lisa joined a Panama Relocation Tour in 2024 with her sister, she expected to learn about visas, rentals, and neighborhoods. What she didn’t expect was for her entire life to change by Day Two of the tour.
But that’s exactly what happened.
“The Panama Relocation Tour convinced me to move with my family! Now we’re doing communal living in Panama City’s El Cangrejo area, and we LOVE it here!!” — Lisa
Today, Lisa lives in a bright, modern high-rise apartment in one of Panama City’s most walkable and convenient neighborhoods — and she shares the space with her sister, brother-in-law, and Godmother. What started as a scouting trip became a completely new chapter for their family.
Why They Chose Communal Living in Panama City
Back in the U.S., the family lived separately in three different homes. Combined, they were spending thousands each month on rent/mortgages, utilities, household items, transportation, and other living expenses — all while feeling increasingly stretched by the cost of living.
In Panama, they made a different choice:
✔️ Share a home
✔️ Share expenses
✔️ Share a better lifestyle
They found an incredible 4,800 sq. ft. (446 m²) modern apartment on the 20th floor of a building in El Cangrejo, an area known for its cafés, restaurants, parks, and safe walkability.
Despite sharing the home, everyone has ample privacy. With nearly 5,000 square feet, each person has their own space and routines without ever feeling crowded.
Life in El Cangrejo: Convenient, Vibrant, and Walkable
El Cangrejo (in the Bella Vista district) is one of the most desirable areas of Panama City for expats because it offers:
✔️Tree-lined sidewalks
✔️Dozens of restaurants and coffee shops
✔️Easy public transportation (no car needed)
✔️Close access to supermarkets and hospitals
✔️A friendly, international community
For Lisa and her family, the switch to city life without a car has been one of their favorite changes. They especially love that they can walk to so many places or get a fast, inexpensive Uber ride anywhere in the city.
How Much They Spend: Communal Living Expenses Breakdown
Lisa generously shared her exact monthly budget to help others understand what real-life costs in Panama City look like.
COMMUNAL HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES (shared 4 ways)
Total Apartment Size: 4,800 sq ft (446 m²)
Rent: $3,000 → $750 each
Water & Trash: $18 → $4.50 each
Alkaline Water Delivery: $28 → $7 each
Electric (Dry Season): $600 → $150 each
Housekeeper (2x/Wk + Uber home): $400 → $100 each
Total Monthly Shared Cost: 👉 $1,012 per person
🍎 OTHER MONTHLY EXPENSES (per person)
MiniMed Insurance: $20
Panama Phone: $28
USA Phone: $48
Groceries: Shared cost, varies
Restaurants/Food: $150 budgeted
Uber $20 budgeted
Even with living in a luxury apartment in a popular neighborhood, Lisa’s individual monthly expenses are far lower than what any of them were paying alone in the United States.
How a Panama Relocation Tour Helped Them Make the Move
Lisa credits the Panama Relocation Tour as the single biggest reason she had the courage and clarity to move abroad — and bring her family along.
On the tour, she learned:
✔️ How to find rentals
✔️ How to avoid common scams
✔️ Visa options
✔️ How to set up utilities
✔️ Where expats live
✔️ Healthcare options
✔️ Costs of living in different towns
✔️ Contact information for trustworthy attorneys, real estate agents, and service providers
By Day Two, she knew Panama City felt like home.
“The tour gave me the confidence I needed to make the move. It answered every question I had — and more.”
After Lisa’s Panama Relocation Tour, she got free access to the Online Panama Relocation Guide.
The Online Panama Relocation Guide played a major role in helping Lisa and her family enjoy an easy, stress-free move to Panama. With instant access to vetted real estate agents, trusted immigration lawyers, recommended movers, insurance brokers, and essential step-by-step instructions, they never had to guess their way through the relocation process. Every contact they needed — from finding rental options in Panama City to securing their visas, banking, and setting up utilities — was already in the Guide.
Lisa said having these reliable connections made their transition incredibly smooth and eliminated the overwhelm that so many people feel when moving abroad. Instead of struggling through trial and error, they followed the proven roadmap in the Online Guide, which gave them the confidence to move quickly, settle in easily, and start enjoying their new life in Panama from day one.
A New Life They Absolutely Love
Moving to Panama has allowed Lisa and her family to:
Reduce their living costs
Improve their quality of life
Live in a fun, culturally rich city
Share responsibilities
Spend more time together
Experience a calmer, more affordable lifestyle
Instead of juggling three separate households, they’ve created one big, happy, functional home — and it’s working beautifully.
Watch Lisa’s Video to learn more about her new life in Panama:
Thinking About a Move to Panama?
Lisa’s story is just one example of how people are creating better, more affordable lives in Panama.
If you’re considering the move, a Panama Relocation Tour can give you the same clarity, confidence, and step-by-step plan that helped Lisa take the leap.
Since 2010, Panama Relocation Tours has helped thousands of people learn how they can LIVE BETTER for LESS in Panama. We can help you too!
GO HERE to Learn more about Panama Relocation Tours.
You don’t have to guess your way through the process — we’ll show you exactly how to make a smooth and affordable transition.
