Panama Costa Rica visa. Crossing the land border via multi-Schengen

And Costa Rica is the current leader among many countries for attractive immigration. Both countries are located in Central America and are neighboring countries.

In fact, the countries have a lot in common, such as access to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean coast. Also, these countries have recently become especially popular as tourist destinations. Both countries have cool areas in the mountainous regions and places on the coast with a tropical climate, where various diasporas of emigrants are concentrated and have already settled.

How to choose and figure out where it is better to live, and which of these countries to choose?

These countries are similar to each other in many respects, and have recently occupied one of the first places in the ranking of “Best Places to Retire” among Central American countries. I would also like to say that Panama and Costa Rica have the same - moderate tropical climate, modern living conditions at low cost, good healthcare and a number of various recreational activities. But even with such similarities, you can see individual advantages of one country over another. In this article we will look at and compare the basic factors for living successfully in each of these countries.

Providing home services

Both countries offer various services to make life at home easier. This includes: a teacher for your children, a personal driver, a gardener, a watchman and a maid who will work around the house and run errands for grocery shopping, dry cleaning or laundry. In Panama, you can get all these services for just $15 per day for a six-day work week. But despite the fact that in Costa Rica the payment for such services may be higher, Costa Rica is still more attractive in this regard. The fact is that in Costa Rica, despite slightly higher costs, the level of service is much higher than in Panama, so there is no need to spare a few dollars for the quality provided.

Connection

In terms of provision of communication services, of course, the advantage is on the side of Panama. In Latin America, Panama occupies one of the leading places in this direction. Particularly noteworthy is the quality and prevalence of access to broadband Internet. There are also many points throughout the country that provide free wireless Wi-Fi service. Panama was recently ranked second in Latin America for Internet technology and first for Wi-Fi. Therefore, such well-known transnational companies as Philips, Dell and 3M decided to establish their headquarters in Panama.

In turn, Costa Rica will improve its Internet capacity and in recent years has increased Internet speeds by 43% from previous levels. Today, the traffic speed is close to 2.1 Mbit/s, considering that watching video requires a minimum of 1.5 Mbit/s, and in high HD quality 4 Mbit/s is required.

Accommodation options

The advantages of a particular country depend on the area a person chooses to live in, as well as other factors influencing the choice. In order not to list them all point by point, we will analyze the preferences of emigrants according to such criteria as: climate, infrastructure and proximity to attractions. Thus, the most popular mountain town in Costa Rica among expats from North America is Atenas, which is located in the Central Valley, surrounded by beautiful mountains. The weather here remains moderate throughout the year, and the city is located close to the capital San Jose, where the largest concentration of emigrants is. In turn, the city of Boquete in Panama offers conditions no worse than Atenas, one might even say better. The same coolness, only with better roads and infrastructure that make it easy and quick to get to various areas, from the foot of the volcano to the Cote d'Azur.

A city to live in, you can again give preference to Panama. The capital, Panama City, is a major cosmopolitan center that provides everything its residents need, is interesting for tourists and attracts international business and investment. The modern city offers a wealth of world-class shopping, hotels, clubs and restaurants, as well as 650 acres (263,045 hectares) of rain forest within the city. In contrast to this is San Jose, Costa Rica, which is smaller in area and has less attractive tourist attractions.

Public beaches

In this subheading, the advantage is on the side of Costa Rica; it lies in the correct approach of the governing bodies to the organization of services and the presence of the necessary beach infrastructure. For decades now, expats and travelers have been coming to the Costa Rican coast to bask in the sun, have fun and appreciate the level of service provided. In Panama you can also find such vacation spots, especially Coronado, not far from the capital Panama City, but I would like to note that the level of services and beach facilities leaves much to be desired, and is also clearly inferior to many cities on the coast of Costa Rica.

Holidays on the islands

In the “Islands” section, comparison of both countries is inappropriate. The fact is that Costa Rica does not own many islands. There is Cano Island, which offers an exceptionally tranquil setting among coral reefs and nothing else to write home about. Panama, on the other hand, gives the opportunity not only to those who wish to relax on its untouched islands, but also allows them to choose many of them for purchase as private property. For example, the Boca Chica Islands archipelago provides a 400-acre private island where you can buy yourself a piece of paradise, with plots ranging from five to fifty acres of island space. The exhibited objects are located in close proximity to the coast of the mainland and close to other attractive places in the Chiriquí region.

Green Zone

In Panama and Costa Rica, nature has given every chance for people to live in harmony with the environment. But at the moment, Costa Rica is taking advantage of these chances better, while Panama is clearly lagging behind. Costa Rica has declared more than 25% of its territory as National Parks and is fighting against deforestation and environmental pollution. There is an understanding of the local population to protect the country's ecology. Electricity generation in Costa Rica is based on clean technologies, accounting for 90% of the country's total electricity production.

Panama also has a lot of forests, but the difficulty is that these are sometimes inaccessible and remote areas. In terms of cleanliness of cities, Panama also has more shortcomings. Both countries have the opportunity to introduce their rainforests and mangroves to their tourists, as well as offer their best scuba diving spots.

Living wage

Here I would like to highlight a small advantage of Panama. Compared to the cost of living of the United States and Canada, Panama and Costa Rica look rosier than their northern friends. Comparing them, one can see certain advantages of Panama in terms of consumer prices for many products and services. Of course, in the two countries there are quite developed cities and regions where prices for rent, services and products are within the limits of the countries of North America, but still the costs differ to a lesser extent. It is known that Costa Rica has a very high import tax, making it very difficult to purchase many household goods and electronics. Car prices are also more expensive than in Panama, here is a list of some price points in Panama and Costa Rica:

  • Panama's core consumer prices are 10.35% lower than Costa Rica.
  • Rental prices are 71.24% higher than in Costa Rica.
  • Restaurant prices in Panama are 19.73% lower.
  • Prices in Panama for a group of food products are lower by 5.54%.
  • Purchasing prices for food are 17.60% lower than in Costa Rica.

One of the many factors that attracts many expats to Panama is its Pensionado pension program. With certain guarantees of pension financing, the state provides discounts to retired emigrants living on its territory. These are discounts from 10 to 50% on various types of services and entertainment, such as healthcare, visits to cinemas, restaurants, hotel accommodations.

Transport connection

In order to get to one of these countries, you will need to decide on your destination and purchase a plane ticket. Transport connections in Panama and Costa Rica are quite good. Panama stands out for the quality of reception and departures of international flights at Tocumen Airport. There are also a number of flights to various cities in North and South America, allowing Panama to provide access to hard-to-reach areas. Costa Rica has more extensive flights to various areas of Central America, creating many easier options to get to nearby popular tourist destinations in the region.

Business environment

The World Bank's international rankings for ease of doing business in 2014 ranked Panama 55th among 189 countries. In 2015, the country’s ranking improved by 3 points and reached 52nd place. Costa Rica ranked 78th in 2014 and, according to the World Bank, worsened its position, moving to 82nd place. Fitch (New York) also in 2015 lowered the level of long-term foreign investment in Costa Rica to BB+ and short-term to B. Conclusions were drawn about a slowdown in economic growth associated with problems of tax reform and increasing pressure on domestic investors, by increasing interest rates. Already by these indicators one can judge the business activity of these two countries. The government of Panama, especially in recent years, has adopted many different laws regulating the relationship between the state and foreign investors. To the international community, Panama is demonstrating real action in reforming its legislation, which brings the country closer to meeting international business standards. Costa Rica is a more bureaucratic country; reform processes there lag behind modern realities, which is why the country has higher taxes and fees.

Banking services

Fluctuations in the provision of banking services will continue for a long time, this is due to various changes in regulations, both in the United States and in Panama and Costa Rica. But according to North Americans, in recent years, banking services provided in Costa Rica have been better compared to Panama. Attention was focused on the procedure for opening a bank account and its maintenance. Although both countries are careful about verifying a potential client's personal information, income statements and place of residence, Costa Rica's account opening requirements are much more attractive than Panama's. Thus, to open an account in Costa Rica, the minimum deposit requirement is 25 USD, and in Panama the minimum is 1000 USD. In addition, Panama banks may require a number of additional documents confirming the employment of the future client, as well as one or more letters of recommendation from banks that previously served the client. Here you need to understand the pros and cons of the differences. The currency of Costa Rica is the “colon”, the exchange rate of which today against the US dollar is: 1 USD = 535.70 CRC. In the event of a financial crisis in the country, there are large inflation risks, and the Costa Rican colón could sharply depreciate, which would directly affect the Costa Rican financial system. Panama uses the “balboa”, which is equal to the US dollar and does not print money, which may be why Panamanian banks require additional documents when opening an account in order to avoid risks and weed out financially unreliable applicants in time.

Investment incentive

To more realistically assess the advantages of one country over another, you can turn to the history of twenty years ago and analyze the events. More than twenty years ago, streams of emigrants from North America poured into Costa Rica, most of them were American retirees. Costa Rica at that time attracted foreign retirees to live in the country by guaranteeing certain incentives that are no longer in effect. Decades later, many retirees who moved to Costa Rica became uncomfortable living in the crowded society of their compatriots and other emigrants, and they began to turn their attention to a neighboring country with the same climate - Panama. Also, for similar reasons, emigrants began to leave Mexico. Panama, in turn, did not waste its chance to attract foreign capital and created various laws that promote economic development with the help of foreign investment. Emphasis was placed on attracting investments related to the development of tourism in the country, for which the state provides tax benefits and certain privileges. Panama is currently welcoming retirees from America and Europe.

There are various types of visas for obtaining a residence permit and citizenship, which are accompanied by benefits, determine the minimum size of investment deposits in the country and registration conditions. After completing the paperwork, expats in Panama have the opportunity to receive financing from a Panamanian bank, which they could not obtain in Costa Rica.

Healthcare

The level of healthcare in Costa Rica and Panama is quite high and inexpensive. At one time, Costa Rica's healthcare was advertised internationally as "the best country with an inexpensive medical program." The quality of Costa Rica's healthcare system is ranked 36th by the International Health Organization, where the United States ranks 37th. Both countries have a sufficient number of modern hospitals and clinics, staffed by qualified English-speaking doctors who received their medical education in the USA and Europe. Many medical institutions in Panama have world famous names, such as the Johns Hopkins Clinic, which is also in the USA. Panama's disadvantage in this industry is that the location of medical facilities is mainly located in large cities such as Panama City and David, making it difficult to obtain complete medical care in rural areas and more remote places in the country.

Common consumption goods

As mentioned above, the cost of living in Costa Rica exceeds that of Panama. This is especially evident when purchasing consumer goods; products of such a group as groceries are 15-20% more expensive than in Panama. The level of tax on export goods is so high that sometimes it is impossible to find some of them in the store. Value added tax in Costa Rica is 14%, while in Panama it is only 7%. Panama also has several duty-free zones, which translates into lower taxes. Panama can be called the center of trade in Latin America, where many people come to buy cheaper equipment and electronics than in their own country.

Right to property

Panama is considered an impeccable leader at this point because the state does not impose serious restrictions on property purchased by foreigners on its territory. Foreign corporations or individuals cannot buy property within 10 kilometers of the border, and there are some restrictions regarding the coastal areas of Panama, where construction is prohibited closer than 20 meters from the end of high tide, or a special building permit from local authorities is possible . In all other respects, the rights of foreigners regarding the acquisition of property are no different from the rights of local residents. The laws of Costa Rica can be called the opposite. Foreigners do not have the right to purchase land, and 95% of all the country's beaches are publicly owned, which cannot be owned by foreign citizens if they have lived in Costa Rica for less than five years. There is an option to use the property if 49% of the property is owned by a Costa Rican corporation, the owner of which is a citizen of Costa Rica by birth. So you can see that the process of buying property is much easier in Panama and if you contact a qualified real estate lawyer, you can simplify the purchase process and avoid possible missteps.

After reading this article, you will notice the differences and advantages of these countries. Your choice depends on your preferences. If you want to open a corporation in Panama or private foundation, open a bank account or prepare documents for obtaining a residence permit, Offshore Pro Group will help you, since we specialize in providing services in such matters. Our qualified specialists will advise and explain all complex issues. You just need to contact us by email [email protected] .


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Costa Rica

If the purpose of the trip is tourism, and the period of stay in Costa Rica does not exceed 30 days, Russian citizens will not need a visa.

Panama

Citizens of Russia (as well as citizens of Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine) do not require a visa to visit Panama for the purposes of tourism, business visit, transit, visiting friends and relatives, provided that the period of stay does not exceed 90 days.

Cuba

For a tourist trip to Cuba for up to 30 days, citizens of Russia and Belarus do not require a visa.

When crossing the border you must present the following documents:

a foreign passport valid for the entire period of stay in the country;
return tickets;
migration card (2 copies): the first copy is presented when going through passport control at the airport along with your passport, the second copy of the card should be kept until the end of the trip - it is confiscated upon departure from Cuba.

It is also necessary to confirm the availability of sufficient financial resources for the trip at the rate of $50 per person per day (cash or traveler's checks). This rule is not mandatory for persons traveling through travel agencies.

There are no border fees.

Currency

Costa Rica

The country's currency is the Costa Rican colon (CRC), there are 100 centimes in 1 colon. Current rate: 10 CRC = 1.01 RUB (1 USD = 573.45 CRC, 1 EUR = 673.26 CRC).

Banks are open from 8:30-9:00 to 15:00-17:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays, Sunday is a day off. Currency can be exchanged at the airport, bank, exchange office or hotel, but banks offer the most favorable rate. Preference is given to US dollars; other currencies are more difficult to exchange. In general, American currency circulates quite freely in Costa Rica and is accepted everywhere. True, change is most often given in local currency.

Panama

Balboa (international designation - PAB), equal to 100 centissimo (centavo). The exchange rate is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of 1 balboa per $1. There are no paper Balboa bills; their role is played by US dollars (the American currency was adopted as official in 1904 and is widely circulated freely). There are coins in circulation in 10 and 1 balboa, as well as 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 centissimo.

Cuba

There are two types of local currency - the non-convertible peso (CUP) used for internal circulation and the convertible peso (CUC, CUC$ or convertible, pegged to the US dollar in a ratio of 1:1.08), which is circulated only in Cuba, used for settlements with foreign tourists. All goods and services, including transportation costs and airport taxes, must be paid in convertible pesos. CUC$ also denotes most prices in tourist areas and resort areas, and change is often given in both types of local currency.​​

When carrying out exchange transactions with US dollars, a commission fee of 10% of the exchanged amount is charged (no fee is charged when exchanging other currencies).

Transport

All transfers according to the program are in separate comfortable transport.

Accommodation

  • Havana – Cubanacan Comodoro or similar
  • Arenal – Montaña de Fuego or similar
  • Pacific Coast – Occidental Tamarindo or similar
  • Panama City – Radisson Decapolis or similar

Nutrition

Breakfast is included in the price. On days 3 and 4 of the trip, the price of the program includes lunch. On the Pacific Coast (days 6-7) - three meals a day.

Other food is not included in the cost of the program.

Medicine and insurance

All personal medications must be taken with you.

To participate in the program, you must take out medical and transport insurance in the “Travel” category.

Cuba

Medical insurance for a trip to Cuba is not mandatory, but it is recommended because medical care on the island is quite expensive, although an ambulance and the first visit to a doctor are free. Medical services are quite high quality, and dentists in general are among the best in the Western Hemisphere.

There is a high risk of hepatitis, malaria and sunburn. It is recommended to drink bottled water and use sunscreen. It is better to take essential medicines with you.

In Cuba, sea urchins, some types of tropical fish and jellyfish, as well as sand fleas, mosquitoes and malaria mosquitoes can cause a lot of trouble.

Weather, climate

Costa Rica and Panama

The climate in the country is subequatorial. There are two seasons: dry - from December to April and rainy - from May to November. On the plateau, the average temperature throughout the year is about +20...+22 °C, and in mountainous areas it can reach +10 °C (with possible frosts in winter). On the Caribbean coast and in the south of the Pacific coast, temperatures range from +27...+33 °C, there is practically no difference between day and night temperatures.

Cuba

The climate in Cuba is tropical trade wind.

The average air temperature in January is +19-21°C, in July – +30-35°C, the average annual temperature is +26°C.

Throughout the year there is high humidity, which in combination with high temperatures requires some acclimatization, but on the coast the heat is often mitigated by constant winds. Precipitation falls up to 1500 mm per year, fairly evenly distributed throughout the seasons. The rainy season in Cuba lasts from May to August-October, the dry season - from September-November to April, but there are frequent changes in the weather, when in the dry season there is heavy tropical rain, and in the rainy season the weather is dry and sunny.

The average annual water temperature off the coast of Cuba does not fall below +24°C.

Service staff

The group is accompanied by a Russian-speaking guide

Responsibility

During the trip and especially in critical situations, participants must fully and unquestioningly follow the recommendations and instructions of the guide. All actions and decisions during a situation that threatens the safety of participants are solely within the competence of the guide.
During all our programs, guides and instructors carry the necessary group equipment, a mobile phone with the numbers of the area's rescue services, as well as a first aid kit.

Safety for us remains the main condition for fulfilling our obligations to the client!

  • 1 day Havana

    Departure to Havana on a direct Aeroflot flight. Arrival in Havana. Meeting and transfer to the hotel, rest. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 2 Havana

    Breakfast in the hotel. Sightseeing tour of Havana. You will visit colonial Havana, declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity, walking through the historical part with its squares, fortresses and buildings built by the Spaniards between the 16th and 19th centuries. You will visit the observation deck at the Christ Monument in Havana, from where you can admire the view of the city from the other side of the bay, as well as all the interesting things in the city. After the excursion, return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 3 Havana - San Jose - Arenal

    Breakfast in the hotel. Airport transfer. Flight Havana - San Jose. Meeting at the airport. Visit to La Paz Waterfall Gardens (birds, butterflies, monkeys, hummingbird garden, snakes, felines, frogs and 5 waterfalls. Lunch. Transfer to the Arenal volcano area, hotel accommodation. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 4 Arenal

    Breakfast in the hotel. Boat tour on the Rio Frio River in the Canio Negro Nature Reserve, observing flora and fauna. Dinner. Return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 5 Arenal

    Breakfast in the hotel. Tour to the Arenal Mundo Aventura park (descent to the La Fortuna waterfall where you can swim, canopy 12 ropes, visit to the Maleku Indians and horseback riding). Return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 6 Holidays on the Pacific Coast

    Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Pacific Coast, accommodation at a hotel with all-inclusive meals. Vacation on the ocean. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 7
    Day 8 Costa Rica: holidays on the Pacific coast

    Breakfast at the hotel. Holidays on the Pacific coast with all-inclusive meals. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 9 Panama City

    Breakfast in the hotel. Early transfer to Juan Santamaria airport. Flight to Panama City. Transfer to the hotel. Hotel accommodation. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

    10 day Panama City - Panama Canal

    Breakfast in the hotel. City Tour: Visit to Old Panama with a stop at the local museum, Independence Square, Cathedral, France Square, Las Bóvedas, Bolívar Square, stop for lunch in the city (not included in the price), and then continue the excursion to the Panama Canal - perhaps the most popular and longest artificial waterway in the world. The best place to watch ships is at the walls of the Miraflores locks, from where you have a beautiful view of the southern mouth and you can watch the work of the Canal and watch ships pass through the Canal. Overnight at the hotel.

    Day 11 Portobelo

    Breakfast in the hotel. At 9 am, departure towards the Caribbean coast of Panama to the main duty-free port of Colon, where cruise ships also sail. The road then continues south to Portobelo. This town is filled with colonial history, where you will feel transported back to the time of Christopher Columbus and the pirates of the Caribbean. Here you can find up to 5 colonial fortresses, where
    the cannons still point towards the bay. Portobelo is also home to a statue of the Black Christ, which, according to legend, has divine powers that prevented its theft. Other monuments in Portobelo: the Customs House, built in 1640 and the hospital in 1597. Stop for lunch (not included in the price). After exploring Portobelo, you will take a boat to Grande Island where you can swim in the clear waters of Panama's Caribbean Sea. Lunch break. Lunch is not included in the price. Return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

The cost of a flight always depends on the time of travel. The chart will allow you to compare prices for air tickets from Panama to Costa Rica, track the dynamics of changes in their cost and find the best offer.

Statistics will help determine the season of low prices. For example, in February prices reach an average of 23,285 rubles, and in May the cost of tickets drops to an average of 9,649 rubles. Plan your trip now!

We analyze this information and create charts to make it easier for you to plan your trips.


What is more profitable – to buy air tickets in advance, avoiding the general rush, or to take advantage of a “hot” offer closer to the departure date? The chart will help you determine the best time to purchase airline tickets.


See how the price of air tickets from Panama to Costa Rica has changed depending on the time of purchase. Since the start of sales, their value has changed by an average of 88%. The minimum price for a flight from Panama to Costa Rica is 46 days before departure, approximately 7,043 rubles. The maximum price for a flight from Panama to Costa Rica is 27 days before departure, approximately 27,666 rubles. In most cases, early booking helps you save money, take advantage of it!

Airfare from Panama to Costa Rica does not represent a fixed and constant amount. It depends on many factors, including the day of departure. The dynamics of changes are visible on the graph.


According to statistics, the most affordable option for flights from Panama to Costa Rica is on Saturdays, their average cost is 8,960 rubles. The most expensive flights are on Mondays, their average cost is 27,666 rubles. It is worth considering that flights on holidays are usually more expensive. We hope this information will help you plan your travels more effectively.

The cost of air tickets depends not only on the date, but also on the time of departure. An airline can operate several flights on one day, and they will differ in price category.


The graph shows the cost of departure depending on the time of day. For example, the average cost of a ticket from Panama to Costa Rica in the morning is 21,308 rubles, and in the evening 18,227 rubles. Evaluate all conditions and choose the best offer.

The graph shows comparative prices for air tickets from Panama to Costa Rica on the most popular airlines. Based on this information, you can plan your trip and buy air tickets from Panama to Costa Rica from the carrier that suits you.


Statistics will help you choose a flight based on your financial capabilities, as well as your wishes in terms of comfort and flight conditions. The lowest prices for air tickets from Panama to Costa Rica are offered by Avianca, the highest prices are offered by Copa Airlines.

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