My $2,900-a-Month "California Girl" Lifestyle

The sand at Coronado Beach is a salt-and-pepper mix of white coral and a deep, volcanic black with a very peculiar quality. Perhaps due to crystalline basalt formed long ago in a magma flow, it sparkles madly in the sun. Some say it looks like diamonds. It's always reminded me of pictures of the Milky Way surrounded by a staggering number of stars—like a whole universe underfoot.

I love bringing visiting friends and family to see it, this one fantastical thing about the place I now call home here in Panama. But nearly everything about my new home seems marvelous to me. It brings me joy to live here and I'm proud to show it to my loved ones.

Jess’ $155K apartment offers stunning views of a golf course, beach, and tropical Pacific, with mountains in the background.|©Jess Ramesch

The apartment I was able to buy here for just $155,000 blew my friends away when they first came to see it. The "wow factor"—part of it—comes from the view. I'm on a golf course surrounded by trees, with the tropical Pacific sparkling in the background. From my windows and balcony I can see the beach and all the way down to Campana, a mountain and national park.

On a sunny day, when the ocean's a sapphire blue and the foliage an intense emerald green, it's like looking at a picture postcard from Honolulu. (And a postcard is about all I'd be able to afford somewhere as pricey as Hawaii.)

Part two of the "wow factor" comes from my building's incredible amenities. The ground level and top three floors house our beautifully decorated common areas. We have spaces for parties and barbecues, a massive pool downstairs and smaller one on one of the rooftop levels, a gym, a sauna, and a game room where you can play pool, darts, air hockey, and foosball.

At the very top of the tower we have a wide open terrace with seating, small pools, and outdoor showers. The 360-degree views of the ocean and all the lush greenery around it are nothing short of spectacular. Everything is beautifully maintained, and my monthly fees are just $262—that includes my water, too. (Due to a common exemption, my property taxes are less than $50 a year… once the exemption runs out, I'll pay less than $400 a year.)

It's a friendly building, and I love having neighbors to socialize with. There's a weekly happy hour, a monthly potluck, water aerobics in the pool, a book club, and plenty of impromptu gatherings, too. That's the best thing about living in one of the world's most active and welcoming expat destinations—built-in friends.

A lot of the things we do for fun are free, and of course that includes going to the beach (there's also hiking nearby). But there are plenty of inducements to go out and spend a little… golf and pickleball, fun events like trivia and karaoke, and a great selection of restaurants, many of which feature live music. My favorites include Peruvian restaurant Nazca 21, Brunette for real-deal Italian pizza, and the gorgeous beachside Las Bovedas de Ensenada.

This past Sunday I went out to brunch with a fun group and enjoyed live music courtesy of my friend, an expat musician named Fiddle Joe. I had a big smoked salmon bagel sandwich with home fries, $9, and a craft IPA made by Rana Dorada—$4.25—just one of many excellent beers brewed in Panama. The others had bottomless mimosas for $15. (For our next get-together we're having a potluck by the beach… simple, easy breezy fun.)

The last time I had a friend in from out of town, we went to local hangout Picasso for live music—the local band was excelente, and played salsa, merengue, and Spanish rock. It's normally a cool and breezy 74 F to 78 F at night (daytime peak temperatures are about 10 degrees higher). Still, salsa-ing the night away in the open air is a good way to work up a sweat!

My life here is extremely varied. When my cousin Honey was in town with her husband, we drove 45 minutes to the crater town of El Valle to enjoy the cool mountain air and go on my favorite waterfall hike. When my friend Tina's in Panama, I drive up to her beach house in a neighboring town called Piedras Gordas, or we pamper ourselves with a spa weekend at the luxury Buenaventura resort, just an hour's drive from Coronado.

Panama City is just an hour in the opposite direction, and I go there often. Once a year, I also visit Contadora Island (just under two hours by ferry or a 20-minute flight), the Caribbean Bocas del Toro archipelago (an hour by plane, about $250 roundtrip), or I plan a road trip somewhere different. I get so many invitations to do fun stuff, you wouldn't believe it. And as a result of my wanderlust I now have friends all over the country (friends who invite me to go stay with them, too).

You may be wondering what I spend on this jet-setter lifestyle. I keep close track of all my expenses, here's what I spend on average, monthly, including a very generous allowance for food and fun:

I love inviting friends to visit—most of them have told me I'm glowing with happiness. (And it's really lovely to see how genuinely happy they are for me, too.) The last time I had a little group over, I served a champagne brunch at the rooftop pool.

My friends Roz and Jane come to stay with me at different times of the year and are thrilled to just sit on my balcony, talking and enjoying wine, cheese, and whatever else I concoct in my kitchen.

Back when I lived in the States, I never could have imagined being able to afford a home like this… a life like this. I shudder to think what I'd pay in property tax alone in a good-weather state like California. (And then I smile to think that I'm enjoying that "California lifestyle" here, in Coronado.)