Panama
Panamá
Panama City is highly modern. Uber and DiDi compete; USD is used alongside the Balboa.
🚖Rideshare & Taxi
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The most widely available rideshare service globally. Works in 70+ countries.
Wide coverage.
China's dominant ride-hailing app, also big in Latin America. China uses a separate app (DiDi China) from the DiDi Rider app used everywhere else.
Often cheaper.
🗺️Navigation & Maps
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Works almost everywhere except mainland China. Offline maps are critical when roaming.
Strong.
📱Messaging
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The dominant messenger in Europe, Latin America, India, Middle East, Africa.
Universal.
🍱Food Delivery
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Wide coverage in US, UK, Japan, Australia, parts of Europe and LATAM.
Restaurant delivery in Panama City.
Latin America's home-grown delivery app — the most used in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and several Central American and Caribbean countries.
Main food delivery in Panama City.
Is Panama one stop of several?
Add your other destinations and get one combined app list, with the adapters and currencies for the whole trip.
The practical basics
Power & plugs
- Plug type
- A / B
- Voltage
- 120V
- Frequency
- 60Hz
- Type A: Two flat parallel pins. Common in North America, Japan, parts of Central America and Asia.
- Type B: Two flat pins + grounding pin. Standard in North America for grounded appliances.
Same as the US.
Tipping
In restaurants a 10% service charge is often added to the bill; if so, an extra 5% for good service is appreciated but optional, otherwise leave around 10%. Tip hotel porters and tour guides a few dollars; taxi drivers are not typically tipped.
CurrencyUSD & PAB
Spanish you'll actually use
Etiquette and scams to know
✓ Do
- Greet with a handshake and a friendly "Buenos días/tardes"; women often greet with a cheek kiss
- Dress neatly, as Panamanians value a tidy appearance, especially in the capital
- Use titles like Señor and Señora with surnames in formal or first-time encounters
- Be patient with a relaxed sense of time for social plans, but stay punctual for business
- Respect indigenous communities (such as the Guna) by asking before taking photos and buying their molas directly
- Accept offers of food or coffee from hosts as a sign of courtesy
✕Don't
- Don't take photos of military, police, or canal security installations
- Don't display expensive jewelry, cameras, or large amounts of cash in public
- Don't make dismissive jokes about the Panama Canal, which is a source of national pride
- Don't wander into unfamiliar neighborhoods at night, particularly parts of Colón
⚠️ Common scams to know
- Taxis without meters quoting inflated fares to tourists; agree on the price before getting in or use a ride-hailing app
- Distraction theft and pickpocketing in crowded areas like Casco Viejo and bus terminals
- Fake or overpriced tour and Canal-tour sellers operating on the street
- Counterfeit bills handed back as change; Panama uses the US dollar (called the balboa)
This page was last reviewed in September 2026. Apps launch, rebrand and pull out of countries all the time, so confirm anything your trip depends on. Spotted something out of date? Tell us — here's how we check.