Mexico vs Panama
A data-driven side-by-side: investment score, economy, business climate, political stability, and tax, to help you decide where to invest, incorporate, or relocate.
Overall: Panama ranks higher
Panama scores 65/100 on our composite investment index, ahead of Mexico at 57/100. This blends economic strength, political stability, business climate, financial maturity, and growth outlook. Read the breakdown below to see where each country actually leads.
Category breakdown
58
Economic strength
Panama leads
65
42
Political stability
Panama leads
58
58
Business climate
Panama leads
70
60
Financial maturity
Panama leads
68
62
Growth outlook
Mexico leads
58
Macro snapshot
1,320
GDP (USD bn)
+1238.0 bn
82
3.2%
GDP growth (%)
-0.3 pp
3.5%
$10,000
GDP per capita (USD)
-8500.0
$18,500
4.6%
Inflation (%)
+2.6 pp
2.0%
2.5%
FDI (% of GDP)
-3.0 pp
5.5%
54%
Public debt (% of GDP)
-1.0 pp
55%
132
Population (M)
+127.6M
4.4
Mexico: strong sectors
- Manufacturing (Nearshoring)22.0% of GDP85
- Automotive5.0% of GDP80
- Tourism8.0% of GDP75
- Energy6.0% of GDP65
Panama: strong sectors
- Logistics & Canal18.0% of GDP78
- Financial Services14.0% of GDP70
- Tourism8.0% of GDP62
- Construction10.0% of GDP58
Frequently asked
Which is better for investment: Mexico or Panama?
Our composite investment index gives Mexico a score of 57/100 and Panama a score of 65/100. Panama ranks higher overall, but the right answer depends on your sector and risk tolerance. See the category breakdown above.
Is Mexico a safer market than Panama?
Risk classification puts Mexico as moderate (Growing economy with manageable risks - suitable for diversified portfolios) and Panama as moderate (Growing economy with manageable risks - suitable for diversified portfolios).
Which has higher GDP growth: Mexico or Panama?
Mexico is currently growing at 3.2% per year, vs 3.5% for Panama. Panama has the faster headline growth rate today.