Indoor smoking exists in some social settings, though not everywhere. Law vibe is fairly formal in urban systems, lighter outside them.
Minimum budget: rural $900/mo, urban $1600/mo. Medical insurance: $1,200/yr.
Auto: Russian licenses are usually workable for short tourist driving when readable, but an IDP, Spanish translation is safer. Rentals are roughly $25-65/day for Picanto, Accent, Yaris class and more for SUVs; Panama City traffic and insurance upsells matter. Costa Rica crossing is usually not allowed with standard rentals, and Colombia has no road crossing through the Darien.
Smoking: Indoor smoking exists in some social settings, though not everywhere.
Police / rules: Police and public-order vibe is formal but not deranged: rules matter, paperwork can be tiring, yet daily street life usually feels manageable rather than punitive.