Panama City is 1 hour ahead of San José. San José uses Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6) while Panama City uses Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5). When it's 12:00 PM in San José, it's 1:00 PM in Panama City.
Neither Costa Rica nor Panama observes daylight saving time, so the 1-hour difference remains constant throughout the year.
Best calling time: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM San José time. This corresponds to 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM in Panama City, providing full overlap for business hours.
San José and Panama City are neighboring Central American capitals with strong regional ties. Both are important business hubs in the region. Direct flights connect them in about 1.5 hours, and there is regular bus service between the countries.