Self-Care Shouldn’t Be a Luxury: How Panama Gets It Right

REAL TALK PANAMA | EXPAT LIFE

Self-Care Shouldn’t Be a Luxury: How Panama Gets It Right

REAL TALK PANAMA | EXPAT LIFE

I’m a burly guy. Back in the US, my grooming routine consisted of clipping my fingernails with my teeth and my toenails with what I can only describe as a woodsaw. Don’t judge me—it got the job done.

The idea of getting a pedicure? That was something other people did. Specifically, it was something that cost over $100, required sitting in a chair with massive headphones drowning out the world, surrounded by mean old ladies and teenage girls getting prom-ready. You’d tip generously only to have it barely acknowledged, and somehow you’d leave feeling more stressed than when you arrived.

It wasn’t relaxing. It wasn’t affordable. It wasn’t part of my routine.

Then I moved to Panama, and everything changed.

The $40 Revelation (That Locals Say Is Too Much)

I now get regular manicures and pedicures. Like, actually regularly. It’s part of my routine, the same way coffee is part of my morning.

A complete manicure and pedicure runs me under $40 including tip. And before you think that’s a good deal, locals will scoff and tell me I’m paying too much. They’re probably right, but I’m okay with it.

My regular technician has become familiar with my preferences. She knows to offer me whiskey or wine when I arrive. I always take the whiskey—every single time—and I’ve learned I’m apparently the only client who sits there getting his toes done while sipping whiskey. I’m fine being that guy.

The service is attentive without being intrusive. I rarely wait more than 10 minutes even without an appointment, and most places now let you book online if you want to plan ahead.

It’s civilized. It’s affordable. It’s actually relaxing.

This is what self-care should feel like.

The Economics That Baffle Me

Here’s something I still can’t quite wrap my head around: I’ll walk into these nail salons and see 5-10 technicians just sitting there. Waiting. Scrolling their phones. Chatting with each other.

It’s midday on a Tuesday, and they’re staffed like they’re expecting a rush that isn’t coming.

Labor is cheap here—and I mean that as an observation, not a judgment—if a business model can support this many technicians sitting idle for most of the day, waiting for their preferred clients or the evening rush.

In the US, you’re lucky if there are enough staff to handle the appointments that are booked. Here, they’re perpetually ready for walk-ins that may or may not materialize.

As someone who values convenience and immediate service, I benefit enormously from this model. But it does make me think about the economic realities that allow it to exist.

The Things That Will Kill You

I firmly believe that many things can kill a man, but two big ones are often overlooked: your toes and your gums.

Seriously.

Neglected feet lead to infections, circulation problems, and a cascade of health issues that people don’t take seriously until it’s too late. Neglected oral health is linked to heart disease, diabetes complications, and a host of systemic problems that go way beyond bad breath.

Taking care of these things shouldn’t be optional. It shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for special occasions. It should be basic maintenance.

But in the US, the cost of regular professional foot care and dental care makes it prohibitive for a lot of people to maintain the frequency they actually need. You end up rationing self-care, spacing out appointments, letting things slide because you’re trying to budget.

That’s backwards.

What Regular Self-Care Actually Costs

Let’s do the math on what proper grooming maintenance would cost in the US versus Panama:

Monthly US Costs:

• Haircut: $40-60 (plus $10-15 tip)

• Beard trim: $25-35 (plus $5-10 tip) or included in haircut if you’re lucky

• Manicure: $55-60 (plus $5-10 tip)

• Pedicure: $80-90 (plus $10-20 tip)

If you’re doing this properly—haircut every 3-4 weeks, nails every 2-3 weeks—you’re easily looking at hundreds of dollars. And that’s assuming you’re finding decent deals and not opting for high-end options.

Monthly Panama Costs:

• Haircut: $10-25 (tip often included or minimal)

• Beard trim: $8-10 (tip often included or minimal)

• Manicure: $10-15

• Pedicure: $12-25

Same frequency, same quality (often better, honestly), you’re looking at $80-120/month total.

That’s not a small difference. That’s the difference between self-care being a luxury line item you feel guilty about and self-care being a normal part of your routine that you don’t think twice about.

The Cultural Shift

Here’s what I’ve noticed: In Panama, personal grooming isn’t treated as indulgent—it’s treated as basic maintenance.

Men get manicures without anyone batting an eye. Getting your beard professionally shaped is standard, not special. Taking care of your feet is normal hygiene, not a spa day indulgence.

The culture around self-care is just different. It’s accessible, it’s affordable, and it’s normalized in a way that makes the US approach look almost puritanical by comparison.

Why should taking care of yourself be expensive enough that you have to budget for it? Why should basic hygiene maintenance feel like a luxury?

The Bottom Line

If you’re in Panama, or planning to be, don’t skip this part. Take care of your toes. Take care of your nails. Get your hair cut regularly. Maintain yourself properly.

It’s affordable. It’s accessible. It’s actually enjoyable.

And honestly? It should be this way everywhere.

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xo We left the USA for Panama🇺🇸🇵🇦 and Real Talk Panama | Expat Life