---
title: "Panama City vs Uvita for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/panama-city-vs-uvita
description: "Under balanced weights Uvita edges it, 61 to 61, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Panama City is stronger on getting there & around, air quality; Uvita on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Panama City vs Uvita for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Uvita edges it, 61 to 61, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Panama City is stronger on getting there & around, air quality; Uvita on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 38 | 39 | Uvita |
| Safety | 48 | 57 | Uvita |
| Healthcare | 78 | 82 | Uvita |
| Internet | 70 | 68 | Panama City |
| Visa ease | 79 | 92 | Uvita |
| Getting there & around | 60 | 44 | Panama City |
| Climate | 33 | 33 | tie |
| Air quality | 79 | 69 | Panama City |
| Quality of life | 61 | 68 | Uvita |

## Cost

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,742 | $1,700 | Uvita |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $1,055 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 12.78 | 17.12 | Panama City |
| Political stability (0–100) | 69.9 | 87 | Uvita |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 84 | Uvita |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 yrs | 78.6 yrs | Uvita |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 43.6 Mbps | 36.5 Mbps | Panama City |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps | 10 Mbps | Uvita |

## Visa

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Short-stay visa for remote workers | Remote worker and service provider stay (digital nomad permit) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $3,000/mo | tie |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 180 days | Uvita |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days | Uvita |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 93 | 53 | Panama City |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 1 | Panama City |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Panama City | Uvita | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.3 µg/m³ | 19.1 µg/m³ | Panama City |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Panama City or Uvita?

Uvita is cheaper: about $1,700 per month versus $1,742 for one person.

### Is Panama City or Uvita safer?

Uvita scores higher on safety (57 vs 48), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Panama City or Uvita?

Panama City: a measured median of 43.6 Mbps versus 36.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Panama City](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/panama-city) · [Uvita](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/uvita). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/panama-city-vs-uvita