> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://balboa.news/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Survey Finds 47% of Panama Households Cut Meals
- URL: https://balboa.news/survey-finds-47-of-panama-households-cut-meals/
- Published: 2026-09-23T13:34:13.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-23T13:34:13.000Z
- Author: Balboa News Desk
- Tags: Economy

Nearly half of households surveyed in Panama reported eating fewer than three times a day during the preceding month because they lacked money for food, according to a new national quality-of-life study.

The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama presented the findings on September 22 as part of the ninth edition of its *Panamá, ¡Cuéntame!* report.

Gallup Panama interviewed 1,238 adults between August 12 and September 1 across all 10 provinces and the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca. The survey has a reported margin of error of 2.8 percentage points and a 95% confidence level.

The reported pressure was most severe in Panama’s indigenous territories, where 74% of households said they had eaten fewer than three times a day because of insufficient money. The national figure was 47%, rising to 53% outside the metropolitan area and falling to 42% within it.

Economic insecurity extended beyond food. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said their financial situation had deteriorated during the previous year, while 68% did not expect to be able to save money over the next 12 months.

Among employed respondents, 47% said their salary was insufficient to cover basic needs. Separately, 83% of Panamanians surveyed described finding work as difficult.

The wider report combines the Gallup survey with official and international statistics covering 2023 through 2025\. It found that informal employment represented 47.1% of Panama’s non-agricultural workforce in 2025, equivalent to nearly 785,000 people. More than 70% of formally employed workers earned less than $1,000 per month.

The Chamber cautioned that the survey findings reflect respondents’ reported experiences and perceptions and do not replace official poverty or food-security statistics.

The report also identified improvements, including greater access to financial accounts and a reduction in the conventional housing deficit. However, it concluded that income inequality and unequal access to employment, education, healthcare and basic services remain particularly severe in indigenous and rural communities.

**Sources:** Panama Chamber of Commerce