Charming heart-shaped private island in Panama could be yours for LESS than the average London home

Dreaming of escaping the city life for sand, sea and glorious sunshine?

You're in luck, as a charming, heart-shaped private island in Panama, Central America, is on sale now on Private Islands Inc - complete with a two-storey house and exclusive beach.

And it's yours for just $425,000 (£329k/$AUS672k).

That's more than £200,000 less than the average cost of a property in London (£531k), and more than $300,000 less than the average cost of a home in New York ($763k).

But, shockingly, it's almost a million Australian dollars cheaper than the average house price in Sydney, where homes cost around $AUS1.65 million.

Just a 25-minute boat ride to the archipelago of Bocas del Toro, the stunning 2,000 square foot property features green landscaping, outside decking and even an outdoor hot tub perfect for stargazing at night.

Inside, a master bedroom comes equipped with a jacuzzi tub, while folding glass doors and windows allow you to enjoy the wraparound sea view.

Homeowners can also relish in a modern and fully-equipped downstairs kitchen and enjoy the novelty of an outdoor shower amidst the tropical landscape.

Other unique features to help facilitate unique island living include a 1,250-gallon water tank, 21 roof solar panels and $30,000 (£23.3k) worth of Outback batteries accompanied with two generators.

If that wasn't enough, the home even comes with a 28ft speed boat, providing a perfect mode of transport to several nearby water restaurants, and the new all-inclusive Bocas Bali resort, where guests can enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling and surfing.

Private Islands describes it as a ‘perfect opportunity’ for those who have long dreamt of island life.

But modern necessities, such as WiFi and mobile phone service, have also been catered for alongside ‘incredible tropical scenery including hummingbirds, doves, and wild parrots'.

The advert adds: ‘The area offers lovely, secluded beaches, and the well-known Star Fish Beach and Red Frog Beach Resort nearby.

‘The sumptuous queen bed on the fully-screened sleeping porch reminds you that you are living your paradise dream. The home is turnkey, ready for you to move in.’

For those interested, there's even more enticing news, as Panama was recently voted the seventh-friendliest country for expats.

The result came from a survey by InterNations, an expat guide, which asked foreign residents in 53 countries around the globe to rate their new home.

Expats were asked about their social life, whether they felt at home, how easy it was to get used to the culture and the friendliness of the local population.

Costa Rica reigned supreme as the friendliest country in the world to relocate as an expat.

The vast majority of expats (88 per cent) felt 'very welcome' in Costa Rica while 83 per cent said they felt at home there.

Mexico took second place in the ranking with top marks for its friendly residents.