Area guide · Panama City
Living in Parque Lefevre: Chanis, Santa Elena and Panamá Viejo, Old-School Prices Next to Costa del Este
Parque Lefevre district (corregimiento), Panama City (official boundary: OpenStreetMap relation 11380922). It runs from Vía España and El Balboa (north) to the bay and the Panamá Viejo ruins (south); it borders the San Francisco and Río Abajo districts (west and north; Río Abajo has its own guide, across Vía España) and Juan Díaz (east). Neighborhoods: Chanis, Reparto Chanis, Santa Elena, Panamá Viejo, La Morelos, La Fontana, Reparto Nuevo Panamá, Puente del Rey, Villa del Rey, San Gerardo de Mayela, El Balboa, Carmen Cecilia, Casa Blanca and Altos del Romeral. Main roads: Vía España, Avenida Cincuentenario, Avenida Santa Elena, Avenida Ernesto T. Lefevre, Avenida José Agustín Arango and Avenida La Fontana. We leave out the strip of Costa del Este that officially falls in the district (southeast of the Corredor Sur and east of Avenida Cincuentenario, south of Avenida Centenario): it is in the Costa del Este guide. To the south, beyond Panamá Viejo, come Coco del Mar and Viña del Mar, and to the west Altos del Golf and Loma Alegre (San Francisco guide); all three areas border it.
What is it like to live in Parque Lefevre?
Parque Lefevre is the district of houses and mid-rise buildings between Vía España, Panamá Viejo and Costa del Este. It is named after Ernesto Tisdel Lefevre, owner of Hacienda Santa Elena, a cattle and dairy farm he turned into a subdivision in the mid-1940s, priced for families of limited means (that is how Chanis began); it has been a corregimiento since 1938. It includes neighborhoods such as Chanis, Santa Elena, Panamá Viejo, La Fontana, Reparto Nuevo Panamá, El Balboa and Carmen Cecilia.
Per the 2023 census, the district has 42,832 residents in 7.2 km² and, according to its community council, 20 sectors. Supply mixes one- or two-story houses with yards (mostly in Chanis), low buildings of 2 to 6 floors and 10- to 30-story towers with amenities, such as Riverside, Solok or Park Place. This guide leaves out the strip of Costa del Este that also falls in the district, since it has its own guide.
It suits people who want to be close to Costa del Este, San Francisco and the Corredor Sur while paying much less: a 2-bedroom rents for ~$800–1,025 a month. In exchange, you accept streets that flood in heavy downpours, water outages in some sectors and poor sidewalks.
Pros
- Price: rents and sale prices far below Costa del Este or Coco del Mar, a few minutes from both.
- Houses with yards: Chanis and Santa Elena are among the few central neighborhoods with real supply of houses for sale.
- A public Health Ministry polyclinic with ER, lab and CT inside the area, Monday to Saturday.
- Supermarkets, a gym and restaurants on foot at the entrance to Chanis and at Plaza Ágora.
- Direct access to the Corredor Sur and Vía España; Panamá Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is in the same district.
Things to know
- Flooding: in heavy rain, sectors such as Panamá Viejo, La Morelos, Chanis, Santa Elena and San Gerardo de Mayela flood (SINAPROC, 2025; city hall, 2026).
- Water outages in Panamá Viejo, La Morelos and parts of the district, according to its representative (2025).
- No Metro: the nearest station is ~1.7 km away.
- Damaged or missing sidewalks and collapsed gutters in several neighborhoods (La Prensa, May 2026).
Our take
Who is Parque Lefevre for?
It suits people who want to live near Costa del Este, San Francisco and the Corredor Sur without paying their prices: couples and young families looking for a 2- or 3-bedroom condo with a pool for under $1,100 a month, buyers who want a house with a yard in Chanis or Santa Elena for about $250,000, and anyone who values having a supermarket, a public polyclinic and long-standing restaurants on foot.
The trade-off: what you gain and what you give up
You gain price (an apartment's square meter is about half of Coco del Mar), real houses and everyday services on foot at the entrance to Chanis. You give up infrastructure: several sectors (Panamá Viejo, La Morelos, Chanis, Santa Elena, San Gerardo de Mayela) flood in heavy rain, some streets have water outages and sidewalks are lacking; there is also no Metro inside the area (Cincuentenario, Line 2, ~1.7 km away).
Cost of living
A 2-bedroom typically rents for $800–$1,025 a month and a 3-bedroom for $870–$1,460 (November 2026); for sale, a 2-bedroom asks ~$110,000–151,000 and a 3-bedroom house ~$190,000–295,000. Add the building fee if it is not included (several rentals at PH Época and Creta include it) and electricity, billed by ENSA in almost the whole area.
For utilities, a 2-bedroom apartment running air conditioning 8 hours a day in two rooms (3 people) would pay about $188–$197 a month for electricity, water, 300 Mbps internet and gas, based on the current official rates used in our utilities calculator. Without A/C the figure drops sharply.
Getting around
By bus, MiBus routes C640 and C641 leave from the El Balboa paid zone (Vía España) toward Panamá Viejo, Coco del Mar and Albrook; the nearest metro is Cincuentenario (Line 2, ~1.7 km). By car, the Corredor Sur by the entrance to Costa del Este leads to Tocumen or Paitilla, Vía España to San Francisco and the banking district, and Avenida José Agustín Arango to Juan Díaz.
TuHogar en Panamá analysis using listing prices from November 2026 (sources in the prices section) and transport data checked on OpenStreetMap, MiBus and the Metro. We are not brokers: confirm each case before signing.
Reference prices · November 2026
Apartments for rent in Parque Lefevre: prices
| Type | Asking range /month | Most common |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment | $600 – $650 | — |
| 2-bedroom apartment | $660 – $1,195 | ~$800 – $1,025 |
| 3-bedroom apartment | $850 – $1,545 | ~$870 – $1,460 |
| 3-bedroom house | $1,450 – $3,000 | — |
Apartments and houses for sale in Parque Lefevre: prices
| Type | Asking range |
|---|---|
| 2-bedroom apartment | $93,000 – $170,000 (typical ~$110,000–151,000; median ~$134,000 (148 listings, the most plentiful supply); ~70 m² and a median ~$1,810/m². Examples: Riverside (61 m²) $115,000; Lefevre 75 (81 m²) $149,000–154,000; Arenas Park (77 m²) $165,000.) |
| 3-bedroom apartment | $121,000 – $200,000 (typical ~$135,600–181,250; median ~$149,000 (32 listings); ~98 m² and a median ~$1,585/m². Example: Creta (118 m²) $175,000–185,000.) |
| 3-bedroom house | $175,000 – $431,000 (typical ~$190,000–295,000; median ~$250,000 (49 listings, mostly in Chanis); ~246 m² built and a median ~$990/m².) |
| 4-bedroom house | $199,500 – $474,500 (typical ~$230,000–347,000; median ~$272,500 (20 listings); ~273 m² built. The priciest are in gated communities such as Castel Novo.) |
| Asking price per m² (2- and 3-bedroom apartments) | $1,290 – $2,600 / m² (Middle 80 % of 2-bedrooms (our own calculation); median ~$1,810/m² for 2-bedrooms and ~$1,585/m² for 3-bedrooms: roughly half of Coco del Mar.) |
Asking-price ranges from Casas24 (Encuentra24 network) listings in the "Parque Lefevre" location (which includes Chanis, Panamá Viejo, Reparto Nuevo Panamá and Puente del Rey), checked on November 9, 2026; duplicate listings counted once; range = 10th–90th percentile and typical = 25th–75th. We excluded listings whose title names another area (Costa del Este, Coco del Mar, Altos del Golf, Santa María, San Francisco…), offices, retail and commercial-use properties, and for rentals those that are actually for sale. Few 1-bedroom listings and few houses for rent. They are not closing prices or an appraisal.
Sources (listings checked in November 2026): Casas24 – apartamentos en alquiler en Parque Lefevre (9 nov 2026), Casas24 – apartamentos en venta en Parque Lefevre (9 nov 2026), Casas24 – casas en venta en Parque Lefevre (9 nov 2026), INEC – Cuadro 4: superficie y población por corregimiento, censos 2000, 2010 y 2023, La Prensa – Urbanización Chanis (historia de la Hacienda Santa Elena, 2013), Junta Comunal de Parque Lefevre – ¿Quiénes somos? (20 sectores).
Getting around Parque Lefevre
- Metro: there is no station in the area. The nearest is Cincuentenario (Line 2), ~1.7 km from the center in a straight line; Line 2 fare B/. 0.50.
- Buses: at the El Balboa paid zone on Vía España, routes C640 (Albrook–Cinta Costera–Panamá Viejo–El Balboa) and C641 (Albrook–direct via Avenida Cincuentenario–Panamá Viejo–El Balboa) end, and the V531 Vía España route stops, per OpenStreetMap; the C641 runs 3:40 am–11:20 pm on weekdays and the C640 until 2:30 am. On Vía Cincuentenario there is the "Entrada Costa del Este" stop. Fares are paid with the Metro card.
- Car: the Corredor Sur (toll with Panapass), by the entrance to Costa del Este, leads to Tocumen or to Paitilla and downtown; Vía España leads to San Francisco and the banking district, and Avenida José Agustín Arango to Juan Díaz. Inside, the neighborhoods are residential streets with many intersections; residents are asking for proper sidewalks and bus stops (La Prensa, May 2026).
Utilities in Parque Lefevre
- 💡Electricity
- ENSA (Elektra Noreste) · Naturgy (Edemet)
Split: the official boundary between ENSA and Naturgy (Edemet) is Vía Ernesto T. Lefevre (Annex A of EDEMET's concession contract, ASEP). The road and everything east of it (Chanis, Santa Elena, Panamá Viejo, La Fontana, El Balboa) is ENSA; the strip west of the road is Naturgy. Parque Lefevre appears on both companies' district lists. Check the property's previous bill. - 🚰Water
- IDAAN IDAAN. In 2025 the district representative said Panamá Viejo, La Morelos and parts of Parque Lefevre run out of water because of tower development in Coco del Mar (TVN, Sep 2025): ask whether the building or house has a reserve tank.
- 📶Internet & phone
- +Móvil (Cable & Wireless Panamá) · Tigo Panamá
Panama's two operators; fiber depends on the building: check your address with each. - 🔥Gas
- Tropigas · Panagas
25 lb cylinders in houses and low-rise buildings; 100 lb with installation (Tropigas, Panagas). Some buildings have central gas: ask the management. - 🗑️Garbage collection
- AAUD (Autoridad de Aseo)
Panamá district: the garbage fee comes on the IDAAN bill.
Estimate my monthly cost Utilities guide: how to set up electricity, water, gas and internet →
🛂 Moving from abroad? Residency for foreigners · buying or renting as a foreigner
Properties in Parque Lefevre
There are no published properties in Parque Lefevre yet.
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Condo buildings (PH) and gated communities in Parque Lefevre
Each building and gated community has its own page with verified amenities (pool, gym, 24-hour security, gatehouse, backup generator…), map, nearby places and the homes brokers list there.
- PH Creta — Condo building (PH)
- PH Lefevre 75 — Condo building (PH)
- PH Panamá Viejo Residences — Condo building (PH)
- PH Park Place — Condo building (PH)
- PH Prisma — Condo building (PH)
- PH Riverside — Condo building (PH)
- PH Solok — Condo building (PH)
- PH Época — Condo building (PH)
Places in Parque Lefevre
Schools, supermarkets, clinics, transport and more: each category has its own page and each place its own page with prices (when published), hours, sources and map.
Schools in Parque Lefevre
- Boston School International — IB international school, ages 3–18 (preschool to diploma). Fees not published.
- Academia Interamericana de Panamá (AIP) — Bilingual, pre-K to 12th grade. Monthly tuition $625 (PK–K) to $850 (10th–12th), 10 payments; enrollment $800.
- The Casco School – Costa del Este — Bilingual British school, preschool and primary (ages 3–11). From $6,609/yr (preschool) and $9,379/yr (primary).
- Instituto José Dolores Moscote — Public middle and high school; ~3,300–3,400 students in two shifts. ~0.5 km from the center.
Supermarkets in Parque Lefevre
- Supermercados Rey Costa del Este — Daily 7 am–10 pm (per its map listing).
- Super 99 Chanis — Daily 6 am–10 pm; pharmacy inside the building. ~0.3 km from the center.
- Xtra Market Chanis (Plaza Ágora) — Mon–Sat 6 am–10:30 pm, Sun 6 am–10 pm; café, bakery and ATMs. ~0.3 km from the center.
Transport in Parque Lefevre
- Paradas MiBus Entrada Costa del Este (I y R) — Routes C640 and C641 towards Panamá Viejo, El Balboa, Cinta Costera and Albrook.
- Estación Cincuentenario (Metro Línea 2) — Line 2; ~2.7 km from The Regent and ~3.4 km from Town Center; route E664 reaches the Cincuentenario Metro stop.
- Zona paga MiBus El Balboa (Vía España) — Terminus of routes C640 and C641 (Albrook–Panamá Viejo–El Balboa) and V531 stop. ~0.9 km from the center.
Gyms & sports in Parque Lefevre
- PowerClub Costa del Este — Mon–Fri 5 am–10 pm; Sat 6 am–6 pm; PowerFIT and group classes. Price not published.
- Smart Fit Chanis (Plaza Ágora) — From $26.99 + tax a month (Fit plan); Mon–Fri 5 am–10 pm, weekends 7 am–7 pm. ~0.3 km from the center.
Parks & recreation in Parque Lefevre
- Parque Costa del Este — Neighborhood park of ~5,700 m² by Avenida Centenario.
- Sitio Arqueológico de Panamá Viejo — 1519 ruins, museum and lookout. Residents $11, non-residents $17 (adults). Tue–Sun 8:30 am–5:30 pm. ~1.0 km from the center.
Clinics & health in Parque Lefevre
- Hospital Pacífica Salud – Costa del Este — Private hospital with 24/7 emergency care (adults and children); emergencies 204-8184.
- Farmacia Metro Plus Costa del Este — Pharmacy at Sky Plaza. Mon–Sat 6:30 am–9:30 pm; Sun 8 am–8 pm.
- Policentro de Salud Luis H. Moreno (MINSA, Parque Lefevre) — Public Health Ministry polyclinic with ER and CT. Mon–Fri 7 am–6 pm, Sat 7 am–3 pm. ~0.7 km from the center.
Restaurants in Parque Lefevre
- Botánica Pizza (Coco del Mar) — Italian and pizzeria. ~$25 per person (Degusta). ~0.4 km from the center.
- Waikiki — Panamanian and international. ~$17 per person (Degusta). ~2.3 km from the center.
- BBQ Fellas Smoke & Steak House (Santa Elena) — American: smoked meats and grilled cuts. ~$24 per person (Degusta). ~1.4 km from the center.
- Yoi Korean Fried Chicken (Chanis) — Korean and Asian. ~$16 per person (Degusta). ~0.2 km from the center.
- Bronco Steaks (Restaurante Bronco) — Panamanian and international, grill. ~$17 per person (Degusta). ~1.0 km from the center.
Pet friendly
- Botánica Pizza (Coco del Mar) — Italian and pizzeria. ~$25 per person (Degusta). ~0.4 km from the center.
- BBQ Fellas Smoke & Steak House (Santa Elena) — American: smoked meats and grilled cuts. ~$24 per person (Degusta). ~1.4 km from the center.
🐾 Pet friendly
Pet-friendly Parque Lefevre
Parque Lefevre is an area of houses with yards, which makes owning a dog easier, but it has few public spaces to walk one: BBQ Fellas' terrace in Santa Elena is listed as "Dog Friendly" on Degusta and OpenTable, and some condo buildings allow pets (listings for PH Creta, in Chanis, say it accepts pets and has a direct gate to Parque Costa del Este). Note: pets are not allowed at the Panamá Viejo ruins. If you need a dog-friendly apartment or house, tell us in your request.
- Botánica Pizza (Coco del Mar) · 🐾 Pet Friendly Panamá
- BBQ Fellas Smoke & Steak House (Santa Elena)
Neighboring areas
Living in Costa del Este
East Panama City, Juan Díaz district: between the Corredor Sur, Panama Bay, Panamá Viejo and the Juan Díaz mangroves. To the west, across Avenida Cincuentenario, are Chanis and Panamá Viejo (Parque Lefevre guide, which borders it).
Rent in Costa del Este · Buy in Costa del Este · Area guide →
Living in Coco del Mar
San Francisco district (corregimiento), Panama City. We follow the "Coco del Mar and Viña del Mar" sector in the city planning office's (DPU) 2025 zoning of San Francisco, which groups the Coco del Mar and Viña del Mar neighborhoods: the strip between the Vía Israel–Avenida Cincuentenario axis (west and northwest) and the bay (east), from the mangrove by the Corredor Sur (south, along Calle Manuel de Jesús Quijano) to the boundary with the Parque Lefevre district, near Panamá Viejo (north; Parque Lefevre guide, which borders it). Streets include the end of Calle 50 (Nicanor A. de Obarrio), Andrés Mojica, Dr. Jaime de la Guardia, Esther Neira de Calvo, Juan R. Morales, José Matilde Pérez, Los Fundadores, Calle 79 Este, Calle 80 Este, Las Begonias and Las Amapolas. Across Avenida Cincuentenario are Loma Alegre and San Francisco de la Caleta (San Francisco guide, which borders it); to the southwest, Atlapa and Boca La Caja, and beyond them Punta Pacífica and Punta Paitilla, each with its own guide, reached via Vía Israel.
Living in San Francisco
San Francisco district (corregimiento), Panama City. This guide covers the San Francisco neighborhood (Calles 63 to 78 between Vía Porras and Vía Israel), Carrasquilla south of Vía España, Villa Lilla, Altos del Golf and Loma Alegre. Practical limits: Vía España and Pueblo Nuevo (north), Coco del Mar and Atlapa (east), Vía Israel, Multiplaza and Punta Pacífica (south) and Obarrio and Vía Brasil (west). Punta Pacífica, Punta Paitilla and Coco del Mar (with Viña del Mar, across Avenida Cincuentenario) have their own guides, as does Parque Lefevre (Chanis, Santa Elena, Panamá Viejo), which borders it to the northeast.
Living in Río Abajo
Río Abajo district (corregimiento), Panama City (official boundary: OpenStreetMap relation 11385307). It runs from Vía España (south) to Avenida Domingo Díaz and the San Miguelito district (north), and from Pueblo Nuevo (west) to Juan Díaz (east). It borders Parque Lefevre to the south (Parque Lefevre guide), Pueblo Nuevo to the west, Juan Díaz to the east and the Victoriano Lorenzo, Mateo Iturralde and José Domingo Espinar districts of San Miguelito to the north. Neighborhoods and sectors: Villa Rica, San Cristóbal, La Pulida, Marcasa, Villa Lorena, La Florida, Altos del Río, Los Yoses, El Progreso, Monte Claro, Loma Bonita, Altos de los Laureles and the Victoriano Lorenzo complex. Main roads: Vía España, Calle La Pulida, Avenida Cincuentenario, Avenida José Agustín Arango, Avenida Fernández de Córdoba, Calle 16 and Avenida Domingo Díaz; the old core's streets are numbered from 3 to 11½, then continue up to 22.
Parque Lefevre FAQ
How much does it cost to rent in Parque Lefevre?
In listings checked on November 9, 2026, a 2-bedroom apartment asked ~$800–1,025 a month (median ~$875) and a 3-bedroom ~$870–1,460 (median ~$1,075, almost all ~118 m² in Chanis). There are hardly any 1-bedroom or house rentals listed. These are asking prices, not closing prices.
How much does it cost to buy a house or apartment in Parque Lefevre?
In listings, a 2-bedroom apartment asks ~$110,000–151,000 (median ~$134,000) and a 3-bedroom ~$135,600–181,250. A 3-bedroom house in Chanis or Santa Elena asks ~$190,000–295,000 (median ~$250,000) and a 4-bedroom ~$230,000–347,000. Per square meter, apartments are around ~$1,600–1,800/m² (median).
Is Chanis part of Parque Lefevre? And Costa del Este?
Yes: Chanis is a subdivision of the Parque Lefevre district, named after Daniel Chanis Pinzón, president in 1949; per the Comptroller's map, Plaza Ágora and its surroundings are La Fontana. Part of the Costa del Este development also officially falls in the district, but it has its own guide and we leave it out here.
Is there a Metro station in Parque Lefevre?
No. The nearest station is Cincuentenario (Line 2), ~1.7 km from the center. MiBus routes C640 and C641 leave from the El Balboa paid zone on Vía España toward Panamá Viejo, Coco del Mar and Albrook, and the Corredor Sur connects to Tocumen and downtown.
Does Parque Lefevre flood?
Some sectors do, in heavy downpours: in June 2025 SINAPROC reported flooding in Panamá Viejo, La Morelos, Chanis and Santa Elena, and in May 2026 city hall cleaned the sewers of San Gerardo de Mayela after 20 years of complaints. The Public Works Ministry told residents (Feb 2026) that high tides make flooding worse. Before renting or buying, ask the building or neighbors whether the street floods.
Which company supplies electricity in Parque Lefevre?
It depends on the street: the official boundary between ENSA and Naturgy (Edemet) is Vía Ernesto T. Lefevre. The road and everything east of it (Chanis, Santa Elena, Panamá Viejo, La Fontana, El Balboa) is ENSA; the strip west of it is Naturgy. Check the property's latest bill. Water is supplied by IDAAN and garbage is collected by AAUD (the fee comes on the IDAAN bill).
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