Investment property in Panama: what to buy and what it costs
Apartments and houses for sale in Panama City, the beach town of Coronado and the mountain town of Boquete at the lowest price, yield, purchase and ownership taxes, investor residence.
Panama runs on dollars: the dollar is legal tender alongside the balboa, so prices and deals do not depend on the exchange rate. A square meter in the capital costs about $1,900 on average, about $2,000 in central El Cangrejo and $2,600-2,800 in Punta Pacífica and Costa del Este. A one-bedroom apartment in central Panama City costs $110,000, and a studio by the ocean in Coronado $65,000. From September 2026 the investor residence permit is granted for a new home from a developer from $300,000 or a resale home from $500,000.
Below are seven properties for sale now, from $65,000 to $549,900: apartments in the capital, an apartment and houses by the ocean in Coronado, a house in the Boquete mountains and a penthouse for residence, plus prices by district, yield, taxes and residence terms. A manager will confirm what is for sale today and the exact price.
The market in brief
Prices and rules as of 2026.
Which properties investors buy in Panama
Seven properties for sale in Panama now, from $65,000 to $549,900: apartments in El Cangrejo and El Carmen in central Panama City, apartments, a house and a penthouse in the beach town of Coronado on the Pacific coast, and a house in the Boquete mountains. Price, floor area, floor and condition are as given by the seller; a manager will send documents, plans and similar options to the chat.
An ocean-view studio in the beach town of Coronado
$65,000
A 30.49 m² studio with an ocean view in Coronado, a beach town on the Pacific coast a little over an hour from the capital. The building maintenance fee is $92 a month. Coronado is chosen by retirees and families from the capital for its beaches, golf club and shopping centers, and a studio is the lowest-cost way into a home by the ocean in Panama.
A furnished two-bedroom apartment in a 2012 building
$90,000
A 68 m² apartment in a 2012 building in Coronado is sold furnished: two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an ocean view and two parking spaces. Coronado is a beach town on the Pacific coast a little over an hour from the capital, with beaches, a golf club and shopping centers. Retirees move here and families from the capital come for weekends, so apartments here are let both long term and by the day.
A 64 m² one-bedroom apartment in a central district of the capital
$110,000
A 64 m² one-bedroom apartment in El Cangrejo, a central district of the capital near the business center, universities, cafés and the metro. The building maintenance fee is $96 a month. El Cangrejo is one of the most affordable central districts: a square meter costs about $2,000 against $2,700 in Punta Pacífica, and apartments here are taken by company staff and students.
A three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment next to El Cangrejo
$125,000
A 104 m² apartment in a 1986 building in El Carmen, next to El Cangrejo: three bedrooms, three bathrooms, one of them for household help, a living room and a kitchen. The kitchen furniture, a sofa and a bed stay, and the metro, a park and a supermarket are nearby. A large floor area in a central district for the price of a small apartment in a new building, an option for a family with children.
A three-bedroom house on a 1,000 m² plot in the Boquete mountains
$139,000
A house in excellent condition with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and two parking spaces on a 1,000 m² plot in Alto Boquete. Boquete is a town in the mountains of Chiriquí province with a cool climate all year, coffee farms and a large community of foreign retirees, and a house with a plot here costs as much as an apartment in the capital.
A 210 m² single-story house in a gated estate with a pool
$160,000
A 210 m² single-story house built in 2014 on a 210 m² plot in a gated estate with a shared pool in Coronado: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a terrace and a parking space. The beaches are a few minutes away. The house suits year-round life by the ocean and a family move, and the estate's security and maintenance take care of safety and upkeep.
A 313 m² beachfront duplex penthouse for investor residence
$549,900
A 313 m² beachfront duplex penthouse in Punta Prieta: four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a family room, a bar, ocean views and two parking spaces. The building has beach access, a pool, a tennis court, a gym, a children's area and security; the maintenance fee is $570 a month. The price has been cut by 4% and meets the $500,000 investor residence threshold for resale homes.
The price is the seller's price in 2026 in dollars, the currency of Panama. Each property costs no more than the lowest price of similar properties in the district plus 10%, and the residence property is not below the $500,000 threshold for resale homes. We check the cards monthly and replace a sold property with one of the same type and price.
What an apartment in Panama costs in 2026
Prices in Panama are quoted in dollars, and the most expensive homes are the new ocean towers in Costa del Este and Punta Pacífica. Central El Cangrejo and San Francisco cost less, about $2,000 a square meter, and 1980s buildings give a large floor area for the price of a small new apartment. The beach coast and the mountains cost less than the capital: a studio by the ocean in Coronado costs $65,000, and a house with a plot in Boquete $139,000.
| District | Square meter | 60 m² apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Costa del Este | ~$2,600-2,800 | ~$156,000-168,000 |
| Punta Pacífica | ~$2,700 | ~$162,000 |
| San Francisco and El Cangrejo | ~$2,000 | ~$120,000 |
| Panama City average | ~$1,900 | ~$114,000 |
Data for 2026: asking prices, dollars rounded up.
What yield letting gives
The gross yield of long-term letting in Panama City is about 7.6% a year before tax. Apartments in the central districts are taken by staff of international companies, banks and logistics firms, while demand in the beach town of Coronado and in Boquete is seasonal: people come there for weekends from the capital and for the winter from North America.
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| Rental income | on a scale: up to $11,000 a year - 0%, up to $50,000 - 15%, above - 25% |
| Gain on sale | 10%, the seller pays a 3% advance on the price or the cadastral value at the deal |
| Annual tax on the main home | up to $120,000 - none, up to $700,000 - 0.5%, above - 0.7% |
| Annual tax on other property | up to $30,000 - none, up to $250,000 - 0.6%, up to $500,000 - 0.8%, above - 1% |
Data for 2026: the yield is the Panama City average; countries are compared in the rental yield table.
Tax on rent from a property in Panama is paid in Panama, whether or not the owner lives there. Rates and examples are on the page taxes in Panama.
What costs to add to the property price
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property transfer tax | 2% of the higher of the price or the cadastral value, paid by the seller |
| Notary and registration in the Public Registry | at the official rate |
| Building maintenance fees | $92-570 a month for the properties in the cards |
| Legal check | at the lawyer's rate, separate from taxes |
Data for 2026. Payment goes through a bank or an escrow account with proof of the source of funds. Foreigners cannot own land within 10 km of the borders with Colombia and Costa Rica; this does not affect apartments and houses in the capital, Coronado and Boquete. A manager calculates the total for a specific property.
In Panama the Public Registry and building debts are checked before the deposit
Mistakes cost more than the tax: an apartment with a mortgage or an encumbrance in the Public Registry, the previous owner's property tax and building fee debts, a plot near the border that a foreigner cannot own, a resale home under $500,000 that will not give residence. Murblz support removes these risks: we find a property for the budget and goal, check the registry and the debts, take the deal through the notary to title registration and prepare the investor residence documents.
The cost of support depends on the purchase budget and the goal - investment, a move or residence; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Does the purchase give a residence permit
Yes, the investor residence permit. From September 2026 it is granted for a new home from a developer from $300,000 or a resale home from $500,000. The beachfront penthouse in Coronado from the cards meets the threshold, and a manager will send new homes from a developer from $300,000 to the chat.
You can buy without a status: a foreigner's ownership right is the same as a citizen's, with registration in the Public Registry, and the purchase can also go through a Panamanian company or foundation. For living in the country without a purchase there are the retiree visa and the digital nomad visa. Details are on the page Panama residence.
How we find a property
- Budget and goal: investment, a home by the ocean or in the mountains, the investor residence permit. The manager clarifies the town and how you will pay.
- A selection of real properties: apartments and houses with the seller's price, floor area, building year and maintenance fees.
- A Public Registry check: the owner, encumbrances, mortgages, property tax and building fee debts.
- A remote deal by power of attorney: the promise of sale contract, payment through a bank or an escrow account, the deed at the notary and title registration.
The manager sends the selection to the chat, with sellers' prices on the date of the selection.
Options in other countries
Investment property in other countries:
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More on buying in this country:
- Property in Panama for foreigners: rules, taxes and the deal
- How to buy an apartment in Panama
- Panama qualified investor visa: 2026 rules
- Panama residence permit by investment
- Taxes in Panama
- Panama City: what to see and whether to move there
All countries and budgets compared - on the page Investment property abroad.
FAQ
How much does an apartment in Panama cost in 2026?
Can a foreigner buy property in Panama?
Does buying property give residence in Panama?
What yield does letting an apartment in Panama give?
What taxes apply when buying property in Panama?
In what currency is property bought in Panama?
Where to buy an apartment for investment in Panama?
Can I buy property in Panama remotely?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we shortlist properties for your goal, run legal checks and support the deal through to registration. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
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