Is Panama safe? What Americans moving there should know
Get a clear picture of where Panama is safe, which areas to avoid, and the everyday precautions residents take.
Yes, for most people who move there. Panama is one of the safer countries in Latin America, and the towns and neighborhoods where foreign residents live see little violent crime. The risk sits in specific places: some districts of Panama City, the city of Colón, and two remote regions the US government tells Americans not to visit.
Safety by area
| Area | What residents report |
|---|---|
| Panama City: waterfront towers, Costa del Este, El Cangrejo, San Francisco, Clayton, Albrook | Generally safe day and night, with normal big-city care. Car break-ins and phone theft happen |
| Panama City: Casco Viejo | The restored blocks are well policed and busy. The streets just outside them change quickly |
| Panama City: El Chorrillo, Curundú, parts of Calidonia and Santa Ana, much of San Miguelito | High crime, including gang violence. Residents don’t walk here |
| Colón | High crime across most of the city. Go with a purpose and by car |
| Boquete, Volcán and the Chiriquí highlands | Low violent crime. Burglary of empty homes is the usual complaint |
| Coronado and the Pacific beach towns | Low violent crime, many gated communities. Break-ins rise when part-time owners are away |
| El Valle de Antón, Pedasí and the Azuero | Quiet. Petty theft |
| Bocas del Toro | Relaxed, with more petty theft and occasional robberies aimed at visitors |
| Darién near the Colombian border; parts of the Mosquito Gulf | The State Department says do not travel |
This table reflects what residents and official advisories commonly describe. Conditions change, and one street can differ from the next. Ask people who live in the exact neighborhood before you sign a lease.
The safest places to live in Panama
Residents and long-time foreign homeowners generally name the same places:
- Small towns with established foreign communities: Boquete, Volcán, El Valle de Antón, Pedasí and Coronado. Violent crime is rare, and burglary of empty homes is the usual problem.
- The safest cities in Panama for daily life are generally described as David and the Azuero towns of Chitré and Las Tablas, which are calmer than the capital.
- Panama City is safe in its main residential districts, such as the waterfront tower areas, El Cangrejo, Costa del Este and Clayton, and not in the districts listed in the table above.
This is a summary of what residents report, not an official ranking, and conditions change from one street to the next. For climate, cost and healthcare in each place, see the best places to live in Panama.
What the US government says
The State Department publishes a travel advisory for Panama with an overall level from 1 to 4 and separate warnings for particular regions. In recent years the country as a whole has sat at the lower levels, with crime and occasional civil unrest named as the reasons for caution. Two areas have carried a “do not travel” warning: parts of Darién province, and parts of the Mosquito Gulf on the Caribbean coast. Both are remote and far from where foreigners live.
Levels are revised without notice, so read the current advisory before you travel. The US Embassy in Panama posts alerts about demonstrations, road closures and crime trends, and Americans can sign up to receive them by email.
Panama’s crime rate
Panama’s reported homicide rate has been roughly 10 to 13 per 100,000 people in recent years. That is higher than the US national rate and lower than the rates several neighbors have recorded. The national figure hides a wide spread. Most killings are tied to gangs and drug trafficking, and they cluster in Colón, San Miguelito and a few Panama City districts. Panama’s Public Ministry publishes the official figures each year.
For a foreign resident, the crimes that matter in practice are:
- Burglary, especially of houses left empty for months.
- Theft from cars and of phones and bags in busy places.
- Card skimming at ATMs.
- Scams around property and rentals, such as paying a deposit to someone who doesn’t own the home.
Risks that aren’t crime
- Roads. Traffic accidents are a bigger everyday danger than crime. Rural highways are unlit, drivers overtake on hills, and pedestrians and animals share the road. Residents avoid driving between towns at night.
- Protests and roadblocks. Demonstrations sometimes close the Pan-American Highway, the one road linking the capital with the west. Long protests in recent years left fuel and groceries short in Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro for a time. Keeping a few weeks of medicine and basics at home is sensible.
- The sea. Rip currents are common on Pacific beaches, and most beaches have no lifeguard.
- Weather. Panama lies south of the hurricane belt. The wet season brings flooding and landslides, mostly in the highlands and on the Caribbean side.
- Earthquakes. The west of the country, near Costa Rica, has the most seismic activity. Damaging quakes are uncommon.
- Health. Dengue occurs in the lowlands. See healthcare in Panama for where the hospitals are.
How residents stay safe
- Choose the neighborhood carefully. Visit at night and on a weekend before renting. A local real estate agent can tell you which blocks to avoid.
- Secure the house. Window bars, good locks, lighting and an alarm are normal in Panama. If you travel for long stretches, pay a house sitter or caretaker.
- Use ride-hailing apps or known taxis at night in the capital.
- Carry a copy of your passport and your entry stamp or resident card. Police can ask for ID.
- Keep a low profile. Leave expensive jewelry and watches at home, and use ATMs inside banks or malls.
- Buy property only with a title search and your own attorney. See buying property in Panama.
Emergency numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Police | 104 |
| Ambulance and medical emergencies | 911 |
| Fire | 103 |
Operators usually speak Spanish only. Tourist police units work in Casco Viejo and other visitor areas. Confirm the numbers when you arrive, and save the US Embassy’s emergency line for American citizens.
Is Panama safe for retirees, women and families?
Retirees are the largest group of American residents, and most live in Boquete, Coronado or the capital without incident. Homes that sit empty are the main target, so a caretaker matters for people who split the year.
Women living alone report that Panama is manageable with the same habits they would use in a large US city. Catcalling is common in the capital.
Families tend to choose Clayton, Albrook, Costa del Este or Coronado, where housing is in quieter or gated areas close to schools. See private schools in Panama City for where the international schools are.
Where to go next
Safety is one part of choosing a place. See the best places to live in Panama for climate, healthcare and cost, living in Panama City for the capital’s neighborhoods, and living in Panama for daily life.
Common questions
Is Panama safe for Americans?
Panama is safe for most Americans who live there. Violent crime is concentrated in specific districts of Panama City and in Colón, away from the neighborhoods and towns where foreign residents settle. The usual problems for Americans in Panama are theft, burglary and road accidents.
Is Panama City safe?
Panama City is safe in the districts where most foreigners live and work, such as the waterfront tower areas, Costa del Este, El Cangrejo, Clayton and the restored part of Casco Viejo. It is not safe everywhere: El Chorrillo, Curundú, parts of Calidonia and Santa Ana, and much of San Miguelito have high crime.
What are the safest places to live in Panama?
The safest places to live in Panama are generally the smaller towns with established foreign communities, such as Boquete, Volcán, El Valle de Antón, Pedasí and Coronado, where violent crime is rare and burglary is the main concern. In Panama City, safety depends on the neighborhood.
What are the safest cities in Panama?
Among Panama's cities, David and the Azuero towns of Chitré and Las Tablas are generally described by residents as calmer than the capital, and Panama City is safe in its main residential districts. Colón and San Miguelito have the highest crime. There is no official city-by-city safety ranking, so ask residents about the exact neighborhood.
Which parts of Panama should you avoid?
The US State Department tells Americans not to travel to parts of Darién province near the Colombian border or to parts of the Mosquito Gulf coast. Residents of Panama also avoid the high-crime districts of Panama City and most of the city of Colón, especially at night.
Sources
This page is general information, not professional advice. Rules and amounts change, and officials apply them differently. Confirm the details with the relevant authority or a qualified professional before you act on them.