I have a $20K passive income of and living expenses of $10K. My hobbies are really cheap and centered around building skills. Programming / construction / sports. I do miss my friends in SF though. That's the biggest downside. I've been trying to encourage more to come down.
That still seems expensive. You can get by with that much in rural areas of the US or Detroit.
He's choosing to retire, so why not live beyond "getting by" if he can afford it and is happy to live where he can afford it?
He didn't say if it's per month or per year.
It's per year. Panama is more expensive than many areas of the US but the lifestyle is subjectively better. Plus you don't go broke trying to pay for medical coverage or treatment. And there is no tax on foreign sources of income.