Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Panama City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Athens or Panama City?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
Panama City
Panama City is the cosmopolitan capital city of the country of Panama. With a population of almost 900,000 and almost 1.5 million in the metropolitan area, it's a very diverse city with expat residents from all over the world. You don't have to search far to find someone who speaks English, and many Panamanians are quite helpful and friendly.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €127Panama City €80
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €80. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Panama City €33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Panama City €66
Compare Hotels in Athens and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Panama City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Athens Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Panama City €9.94
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two€6.40
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Metro€1.50
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Metro€2.00
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Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Paros: Helicopter Transfer to Greek Islands or Athens: $2,712
- From Meteora Private Day Trip with Transfer: $1,055
- From Ancient Corinth Day Trip with Private Transfer: $464
- Private Transfer to/from Volos: $452
- From Private Cape Sounion Sunset Tour with Transfer: $301
- Transfer from Athens airport to Epidavros up to 4 customers: $298
- Transfer Airport Athens to NAFPLIO , up to 4 customers: $298
- Athens Airport to Kyllini Transfer or from Kyllini to Athens: $291
- Luxury Private Transfer from Athens to Kymi Port: $284
- Vip Transfer From/To Athens Center - Lavrio Port: $273
- Private Transfer through Athens Attractions at Night: $273
- Private Transfer from Athens to Mantoudi: $273
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Private Transfer to Coronado: $271
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $267
- Round trip transfer in private Car from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $240
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca resorts : $206
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Skip the Line: Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket with Transfer: $155
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Round-Trip Transfer in Private Minivan from-to Tocumen Airport in Playa Bonita: $140
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $137
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $137
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Athens change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAthens €37Panama City €19
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream€3.00
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Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $24
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $26
- Street Food Tour Market & City Centre: $42
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $46
- Greek Street Food Tour: $52
- Athens Street Food Tour: Explore City's Iconic Eateries: $52
- Street Food Tour with Local Guide and 7 Tastings: $57
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $60
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $60
- Greek Spirits & Meze, Food Tour in Athens: $62
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Class with Meal: $64
- Alternative, truly authentic food tour in secret Athens: $64
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
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Sandwich€7.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Panama City
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Panama City €61
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Acropolis/Athens Highlights Private Evening Tour (5 hours) from Athens, Piraeus: $87
- Apostle Paul's Footsteps in Athens Christian Private Tour 4Hours: $142
- Athens Private Day Tour Best place to visit: $273
- Best Food Tasting Tour of Athens, taste 18+ iconic Greek foods! : $86
- DELPHI and THERMOPYLAE: Full Day Private Tour Visit Arachova 8 H: $204
- DISCOVER ATHENS IN 6HRS Private Tour BEST INTRODUCTION-FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS : $218
- EPIDAURUS & NAFPLIO : Private Full Day Tour From Athens 6 Hours : $174
- Food Experience in Athens including Unlimited Lunch : $63
- Layover Private Tour in Athens: $246
- Mycenae Lions Gate Epidaurus & Nafplio Full Day Private Tour 8H : $192
- Traditional Villages Full day Tour in Santorini: $59
- "Acropolis Half-day Tour and City Visit": $170
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 4-Hour Gatun Lake Boat Tour and Jungle Wildlife: $99
- 5-Hour Tour to Miraflores Locks and Sloth Sanctuary: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Panama City €17
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $17
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Premium Wine Tastings: $36
- Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $43
- 1 Hour Private Four Greek Wine Tasting and Food Pairing in Athens: $44
- Old Town Athens Wine Tasting: $53
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $54
- Greek food and wine tasting: $54
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $54
- Rare Greek Wine Tasting w/Sommelier by the Acropolis: $59
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $61
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $79
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Panama City, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Panama City is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Panama City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Panama City and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Panama City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Panama City?
Athens has a larger population, and is about 79% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Panama City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.