Mac Davidson, 46, was done with the intense Canadian winters. After living in Manitoba his whole life, a friend convinced him to leave for somewhere much warmer — and cheaper.
In 2015, Davidson settled down in Panama City, working as a technical support manager. He met his wife in Panama, and the two bought a $150,000 home and now raise their children in the capital.
It initially took months for him to adjust to cultural differences, and he needed to quickly improve his Spanish. Despite some frustrations with the medical system and reservations about his children’s education, he doesn’t plan to leave the country, especially given the costs of retiring comfortably in Canada or the US.
“I love it here but have met many other foreigners who couldn’t take it. It’s not for everyone,” Davidson said. “If you move here thinking you can do everything the same as back home, then you are better to stay where you are.”