Just a note to let everyone know that, thanks to the suggestions of my old friend, Tom Steffen in Florida, I am starting this new blog about the goings on in and around Santiago, Veraguas, Panama. Any suggestions or comments will be most welcome!
Thanks, Tom. You're the reason I started this thing, so it's really good to read your comments.
First, let me explain why I'm here. I decided to settle in Santiago because it's populated enough to have a few decent restaurants & grocery stores plus you can shop here without having to go to Panama City. Some things, however, you won't find here, and that's why my wife and I take a trip every month or two to PC. We usually go by bus unless there's some major shopping to be done at Pricesmart, Costo or some other places where there are things that we just can't find here. Then, we take the car. But driving in Panama City requires nerves of steel and a great deal of bravery. It is not for the weak hearted. Santiago has some pretty horrendous traffic too, but it's nothing compared to PC.
We go to Panama City about once every month or two and usually take the bus. It's a 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip, depending on the number of stops along the way. With my Pensionado Visa the trip one-way costs me $5.25 and $7.50 each for my wife and son. I was talking with an English-speaking friend the other day and he said the trip to PC costs him $100 when he drives his SUV. Considering gas & meals, he's probably right.
Another place I'd consider living is Anton. It's a lot closer to the main beaches, right on the main drag, and just a few miles from Penonomé, which has nearly the same amenities as Santiago but on a slightly smaller scale. Plus there's the XS Sports Bar in Santa Clara just a few miles in the other direction, where nearly everybody, including the people who own the place, speak American English.
Or Chitré. The good things about Chitré are that there are better roads and medical services than in Santiago. It's also closer to the Azuero beaches. But Chitré is a little further away from Panama City and somewhat off the beaten track. Still, it's a marvelous little town with a lot going for it.
Another nice thing about Santiago is the cost of living. Our costs average around half what they would be in PC. We pay around $10.00 a month for water. Electricity costs depend on whether or not you use A/C. Most Americans here think they HAVE to have it. Some don't. If you just run fans in the house, your rate will probably be $30 - $50 a month. If you install a 24,000 BTU A/C and run it nights and about half the day, you'll be looking at $100 to $120 a month. BUT, as a Pensionado, you'll get 20% off the first 600 kWh, so my bill runs around $75 - $85 a month.
Cell phone service runs me about $21 a month unless I go over my 250 minutes. Regular phone service is about the same price as in the States. Broadband Internet runs me $35 a month (128kb up, 256kb down). Cable runs me $21 a month, and that gets me a bunch of channels (some in English), plus HBO and Cinemax. Santiago is booming with new home construction with prices in the upper teens to the mid-40's and up. Clave machines (ATM's) are on almost street corner.
And get used to using a gas stove. Refilling a 20-gallon tank will cost you less than $5.00 and it will last 4-6 months unless you cook pots and pots of beans and rice all day long.
Groceries generally run a little less here than in the States. There are exceptions, though. Bleach that you pay 99 cents for at a US supermarket will cost you $1.49 here. But top grade ground beef here runs about $1.75 a pound. You can't get a decent steak, at least not in Santiago. I'm told that some markets near Panama City carry them, but apparently they don't truck much of anything to the Interior because nobody will pay the prices. Plus, everybody is pretty much accustomed to Panamanian beef that tastes and has the same texture as beef-jerky in the States.
Surprisingly, pork chops are about the same as in the States, but the cuts are smaller here. Chicken is the staple. It's everywhere. You can buy breast, and it's excellent quality, for something like $1.40 a pound or so. Milk is the same as in the States. I buy 1/4-gallon cartons for 70 cents each. Butter is almost the same. Around $2.00 a pound. But it's softer and melts faster here. I don't know why.
There are lots and lots of American brands. Lots of them are missing too. I used to be able to buy Jif peanut butter, but no longer available since the store I used to find it at has stopped carrying it. I can get Peter Pan, but only in small jars. There's a Pricesmart in Panama City where you can find a LOT of American brands.
A couple of things take some getting used to. During the summer, about 9 months out of the year, it rains almost every day. Two, maybe three inches daily. It usually doesn't cause any major flooding because they're so used to it that drainage is handled really well. Panama City has gotten so overcrowded that they've had to cut corners building in some places and wound up forgetting about decent drainage. Here there's room for expansion so you don't see those sorts of problems, yet.
One of the things that takes some getting used to here is the fact that it takes an enormous amount of time to do almost anything. Mail service is almost non-existent, so every bill you pay, you have to physically go to the company to make payment. And usually stand in line, although most places have a Pensionado line that's shorter than the regular one. That is, you can make payment unless they're closed, so be sure you know the hours that they're open, including holidays, before you go. And one other thing. I've gone to Cable and Worthless (Wireless) to pay my bill and while talking with their one English-speaking representative, the clock passed 4:30. At 4:35 I walked over to the cashier's window to make payment and found it closed. Sorry, I was told, you'll have to come back tomorrow.
I'll add more to this next time. Please, you readers, any and all advice is most welcome! OK?
Hi Rick, Just checking out your blog and the info on Santiago and those three condos in P.C. Great prices and magnificent views of the city! The views at night must be spectacular. I always wanted a place with a view like that.
Once again you hit the nail on the head. It is great having someone in Santiago giving us the lowdown on the cost of living. Are you a representative for any of the bullding companies? Do you have a gringo tour set up for us? Any discounts on hotels you can pass on to us?
\Brother John , his wife and I will be there in four weeks or so.
Actually, Tom, my wife and I were planning to start up a visitor information service here but the only way we could figure out how to make any real money at it (we'd be passing out free brochures and sightseeing information) was to put a restaurant/bar in the back where visitors and locals could sit down, eat a snack and have a drink if they wanted to. That way we could at least charge something for the food even if the brochures and general information we'd talk about was free. Alas, we just couldn't put all the pieces together - the planning authorities told us that there are already more bars here than people and getting a new license would be almost impossible on our budget. So, the Kings Head Pub hasn't found it's niche. Yet. But there's always mañana, eh?
Hey, i was a volunteer in Veraguas last summer and am planning on going back this summer to visit my host family. Last summer we flew into Panama City but since we were in a group our buses were reserved thus we did not need to use the terminal. I was wondering if you could give me any advice as to how to get from Panama City to Santiago, Veraguas, and the cost etc.
My wife and I are Peace Corps volunteers in Santiago charged in part with developing tourism here and improving the teaching of English. There certainly is a lot of tourist stuff here, but no one publicizes it at all. I think you could definitely make a business of it by doing day tours or 1/2 day tours. Think about contacting me. I´d be glad to meet.
7 comments:
Keep on blogging. I am sure new stuff will emerge. Pictures, land deals, trips, hotel deals, Rent a car and sightseeing.
Thanks, Tom. You're the reason I started this thing, so it's really good to read your comments.
First, let me explain why I'm here. I decided to settle in Santiago because it's populated enough to have a few decent restaurants & grocery stores plus you can shop here without having to go to Panama City. Some things, however, you won't find here, and that's why my wife and I take a trip every month or two to PC. We usually go by bus unless there's some major shopping to be done at Pricesmart, Costo or some other places where there are things that we just can't find here. Then, we take the car. But driving in Panama City requires nerves of steel and a great deal of bravery. It is not for the weak hearted. Santiago has some pretty horrendous traffic too, but it's nothing compared to PC.
We go to Panama City about once every month or two and usually take the bus. It's a 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip, depending on the number of stops along the way. With my Pensionado Visa the trip one-way costs me $5.25 and $7.50 each for my wife and son. I was talking with an English-speaking friend the other day and he said the trip to PC costs him $100 when he drives his SUV. Considering gas & meals, he's probably right.
Another place I'd consider living is Anton. It's a lot closer to the main beaches, right on the main drag, and just a few miles from Penonomé, which has nearly the same amenities as Santiago but on a slightly smaller scale. Plus there's the XS Sports Bar in Santa Clara just a few miles in the other direction, where nearly everybody, including the people who own the place, speak American English.
Or Chitré. The good things about Chitré are that there are better roads and medical services than in Santiago. It's also closer to the Azuero beaches. But Chitré is a little further away from Panama City and somewhat off the beaten track. Still, it's a marvelous little town with a lot going for it.
Another nice thing about Santiago is the cost of living. Our costs average around half what they would be in PC. We pay around $10.00 a month for water. Electricity costs depend on whether or not you use A/C. Most Americans here think they HAVE to have it. Some don't. If you just run fans in the house, your rate will probably be $30 - $50 a month. If you install a 24,000 BTU A/C and run it nights and about half the day, you'll be looking at $100 to $120 a month. BUT, as a Pensionado, you'll get 20% off the first 600 kWh, so my bill runs around $75 - $85 a month.
Cell phone service runs me about $21 a month unless I go over my 250 minutes. Regular phone service is about the same price as in the States. Broadband Internet runs me $35 a month (128kb up, 256kb down). Cable runs me $21 a month, and that gets me a bunch of channels (some in English), plus HBO and Cinemax. Santiago is booming with new home construction with prices in the upper teens to the mid-40's and up. Clave machines (ATM's) are on almost street corner.
And get used to using a gas stove. Refilling a 20-gallon tank will cost you less than $5.00 and it will last 4-6 months unless you cook pots and pots of beans and rice all day long.
Groceries generally run a little less here than in the States. There are exceptions, though. Bleach that you pay 99 cents for at a US supermarket will cost you $1.49 here. But top grade ground beef here runs about $1.75 a pound. You can't get a decent steak, at least not in Santiago. I'm told that some markets near Panama City carry them, but apparently they don't truck much of anything to the Interior because nobody will pay the prices. Plus, everybody is pretty much accustomed to Panamanian beef that tastes and has the same texture as beef-jerky in the States.
Surprisingly, pork chops are about the same as in the States, but the cuts are smaller here. Chicken is the staple. It's everywhere. You can buy breast, and it's excellent quality, for something like $1.40 a pound or so. Milk is the same as in the States. I buy 1/4-gallon cartons for 70 cents each. Butter is almost the same. Around $2.00 a pound. But it's softer and melts faster here. I don't know why.
There are lots and lots of American brands. Lots of them are missing too. I used to be able to buy Jif peanut butter, but no longer available since the store I used to find it at has stopped carrying it. I can get Peter Pan, but only in small jars. There's a Pricesmart in Panama City where you can find a LOT of American brands.
A couple of things take some getting used to. During the summer, about 9 months out of the year, it rains almost every day. Two, maybe three inches daily. It usually doesn't cause any major flooding because they're so used to it that drainage is handled really well. Panama City has gotten so overcrowded that they've had to cut corners building in some places and wound up forgetting about decent drainage. Here there's room for expansion so you don't see those sorts of problems, yet.
One of the things that takes some getting used to here is the fact that it takes an enormous amount of time to do almost anything. Mail service is almost non-existent, so every bill you pay, you have to physically go to the company to make payment. And usually stand in line, although most places have a Pensionado line that's shorter than the regular one. That is, you can make payment unless they're closed, so be sure you know the hours that they're open, including holidays, before you go. And one other thing. I've gone to Cable and Worthless (Wireless) to pay my bill and while talking with their one English-speaking representative, the clock passed 4:30. At 4:35 I walked over to the cashier's window to make payment and found it closed. Sorry, I was told, you'll have to come back tomorrow.
I'll add more to this next time. Please, you readers, any and all advice is most welcome! OK?
Hi Rick,
Just checking out your blog and the info on Santiago and those three condos in P.C. Great prices and magnificent views of the city! The views at night must be spectacular. I always wanted a place with a view like that.
Once again you hit the nail on the head. It is great having someone in Santiago giving us the lowdown on the cost of living. Are you a representative for any of the bullding companies? Do you have a gringo tour set up for us? Any discounts on hotels you can pass on to us?
\Brother John , his wife and I will be there in four weeks or so.
See you then.
Actually, Tom, my wife and I were planning to start up a visitor information service here but the only way we could figure out how to make any real money at it (we'd be passing out free brochures and sightseeing information) was to put a restaurant/bar in the back where visitors and locals could sit down, eat a snack and have a drink if they wanted to. That way we could at least charge something for the food even if the brochures and general information we'd talk about was free. Alas, we just couldn't put all the pieces together - the planning authorities told us that there are already more bars here than people and getting a new license would be almost impossible on our budget. So, the Kings Head Pub hasn't found it's niche. Yet. But there's always mañana, eh?
Hey, i was a volunteer in Veraguas last summer and am planning on going back this summer to visit my host family. Last summer we flew into Panama City but since we were in a group our buses were reserved thus we did not need to use the terminal. I was wondering if you could give me any advice as to how to get from Panama City to Santiago, Veraguas, and the cost etc.
Thanks much.
Rick,
My wife and I are Peace Corps volunteers in Santiago charged in part with developing tourism here and improving the teaching of English. There certainly is a lot of tourist stuff here, but no one publicizes it at all. I think you could definitely make a business of it by doing day tours or 1/2 day tours. Think about contacting me. I´d be glad to meet.
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