What the difference in the culture, people, way of life between the 2 countries :Costa Rica and Panama?

Question

What the difference in the culture, people, way of life between the 2 countries :Costa Rica and Panama?

Answer 1

There are a lot of differences between Panama and Costa Rica.  However all of them positive.

Panama, because of all the influence the US presence in its history, looks and feels more than a US city.  You'll find bigger roads, more similarities in the infrastructures, taller buildings, etc.

Costa Rica is more a typical Latin American city.  Also the reference of taller buildings vs. Panama is because there is more seismic activity throughout Costa Rica, so tall buildings are more expensive to build.

Culturally it is difficult to give an answer.  If you're looking for which country is more inclined toward the arts, man that's a tough call for me because I live in Panama and not Costa Rica.  Both have art galleries, performing arts, concert halls, theaters, etc.  If your way to judge culture is by bookstores, well I guess Costa Rica has more bookstores than Panama.  If you're judging from how people get treated, you have to take into consideration that while Panama is practically new to tourism, Costa Rica has been pushing tourisim since the 70's, so Costa Ricans are more used to give tourists the treatment they are used to get.  Panama is playing catch up in tourisim, since Panama has been a business town since the time when Christopher Columbus discovered America, and only about 10 years ago Panama started with tourism campaigns worldwide, however I feel Panama is doing a good job at it.

Way of life is another tough call.  From my point of view San Jose is more expensive than Panama City.  Then again this is from a currency exchange point of view.  Since we use US Dollars in Panama, when we exchange to Costa Rican Colones, and come back again to USD's we lose a bit in the exchange.  Besides when you do the math, things are simply more expensive in Costa Rica than in Panama.

As for the rest it depends on what you're looking for.  You could move to Panama and live on the beach, or move to the mountains, and come to Panama City when you need your city fix.  It depends if San Jose gives you the same city fix as Panama, or vice versa.

As for Costa Ricans being nicer than Panamanians, that again depends on what you use as a measure.  Costa Ricans always say "gladly" after being asked for something, and I feel that is more culturally than heartfelt.  Panamanians usually say "OK" or "sure" after a request, and from my standpoint that is not being unpolite or less nice than saying "gladly" 1,000 times a day.

Hope it helps!

Answer 2

I live mostly in Costa Rica (though right now I'm in the US), but have traveled to Panama often.  Judging from the places I've been in both countries, it seems to me the people are A LOT friendlier in Costa Rica.  Religion also seems to be of much more importance to Costa Ricans.  Panamanians seem to be more materialistic and with more US values, which could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.  And I do think Costa Rica is a prettier country.