Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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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 3-Day Tours from Athens, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Athens Prices
Greece PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €154Panama City €97
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €154, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €97. 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 €10
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: $2,666
- Minibus Transfer between Athens (incl. airport) & Porto Heli: $984
- Private Transfer to/from Volos: $518
- Private Transfer, Athens City/Airport - Kalamata: $455
- Private Transfer, Athens City/Airport - Nafplio: $423
- Kymi-Skyros port private Minivan transfer (from/to Athens): $349
- Private Transfer, Athens City/Airport to/from Evia/Eretria: $333
- Athens International Airport (ATH): Transfer to Piraeus: $322
- Athens Airport Taxi Transfer from Kosta (Spetses) - Private for up to 4 pax: $297
- Private Transfer from Athens to Epidaurus or Epidavros: $296
- Athens Airport Taxi Transfer to Ermioni - Private for up to 4 pax: $296
- Transfer from Athens airport to Epidavros up to 4 customers: $294
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Private Transfer to Coronado: $267
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $262
- Round trip transfer in private Car from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $240
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca resorts : $204
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $170
- Panama Airport Transfer from Tocumen PTY to Playa Blanca: $170
- Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket & Transfer: $155
- Skip the Line: Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket with Transfer: $155
- Arrival Transfer Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Panama by Sprinter: $152
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $140
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $135
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 €64Panama City €34
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
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $46
- Athens walking and tasting food tour.: $53
- Greek Street Food Tour: $53
- "A Night in Dinner and Music Under the Stars": $58
- Greek Spirits & Meze, Food Tour in Athens: $61
- Traditional Greek food tour in hidden spots: $62
- Street Food Tour with 7 Tastings: $64
- Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $64
- Light Lunch Tasting & Cooking Demo: $66
- 6-Course Greek Dinner on a Rooftop with Wine: $69
- 4 hours Greek Traditional Cooking Class Athens incl. drinks: $69
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€7.87
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
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Panama City €63
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: $86
- Ancient Corinth Canal Epidavrous Nafplio Private Tour 8Hours: $190
- Athens Gems & Charms for the First Time Cruiser: $74
- Athens Private Day Tour Best place to visit: $269
- Best of Athens & Ancient Corinth Full Day Private Tour 8h: $216
- DISCOVER ATHENS IN 6HRS Private Tour BEST INTRODUCTION-FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS : $216
- Food Experience in Athens including Unlimited Lunch : $63
- Full Day Tour in Athens with Lunch: $147
- Highlights Athens History Tour: $36
- Layover Private Tour in Athens: $242
- Mycenae Epidavrous Nafplio Full Day Private Tour From Athens 8 H: $189
- Private 5 hour Tour in Athens with a pick up: $269
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- "Panama Tour: Canal, Old Town, Amador, and Americas Lookout": $145
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $85
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $164
- 5 hour tour in Panama City: $65
- 5 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City: $100
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:
- Thursday & Friday Night Bar Crawl in Athens, Greece: $15
- Polykala Distillery showroom. A125 years of history along with liqueur tasting.: $15
- The NightCrawlers | Athens Bar Hopping | Pub Crawl: $17
- Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $17
- Athens Party Pub Crawl with Unlimited Drinks & Club Access: $21
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Small-Group Rooftop & Offbeat Night Gems Pub Crawl: $37
- Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $42
- Greek Wine Tasting and Pairing in Chalandri : $43
- Athens Greek Wine Tasting with Expert Sommelier: $43
- Organic and Vegan Indigenous Wine Tasting Private Experience: $43
- Old Town Acropolis Wine Tasting: $52
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.