Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Auckland?
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 Auckland or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Auckland and Panama City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Auckland or Panama City?
Auckland
Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand on an isthmus between the Northland Peninsula and the other parts of the North Island. Auckland is not only a city but also a region. In 2010 New Zealand combined what had previously been four separate cities into one region. These cities include the southern city of Manukau, the western city of Waitakere, the North Shore in the north, and Auckland City. The City of Auckland is the largest city in Polynesia and is very diverse with many expatriates from elsewhere in Polynesia. This diversity becomes most apparent in Auckland's many festivals and sporting events.
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 Wildlife Tours to New Zealand, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Auckland Prices
New Zealand PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAuckland $169Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Auckland is $169, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $102. 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 Auckland and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAuckland $98Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAuckland $196Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Auckland and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Auckland 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: Auckland Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Auckland $17Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Auckland
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Auckland:
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Bus from Airport$9.41
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Airport Shuttle$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Auckland
Also for Auckland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Hobbiton Private Transfers with Group Tour: $516
- Private Transfer from Auckland Airport /City to Rotorua: $299
- Auckland Airport Premium Private Golf Transfer To Te Arai Links: $299
- Premium Private Transfer From Auckland Airport To Raglan Beach: $281
- Premium Private Transfer From Auckland Airport To Matakana: $269
- Premium Transfer From Auckland Airport To Omaha And Snells Beach: $239
- Auckland Airport to Whangaparaoa - Gulf Harbour Luxury Transfers: $227
- Private Luxury Auckland Airport Transfer for 11 Guests: $224
- Auckland Airport (AKL) to North Shore-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $216
- Private Luxury Auckland Airport Transfer (Up to 5 Guests): $197
- Premium Private Transfer From Auckland Airport To Cambridge: $179
- Transfer Service: Auckland to Rotorua or Rotorua to Auckland: $179
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP Transfer Panama: Playa Bonita, Panama City & Pacific Riviera: $20
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty: $30
- Transfers to Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf, Rio hato: $45
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or Back: $32
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Hotel Westin or Dreams Playa Bonita: $55
- Transfer Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita (Westin and Dreams): $38
- Transfer Panama City to Columbus Cruise Port: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Auckland or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Auckland 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 dayAuckland $45Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$4.71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Harbour Sailing Cruise with 3-Course Dinner: $93
- Flavours of the City Walking Food Tour: $101
- Auckland Harbour Sailboat Cruise Including Three Course Dinner: $102
- Auckland Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $116
- Auckland Downtown Food Tour with 5 Locals Favorite Dishes: $129
- Ponsonby Road Food Tour in Auckland: $140
- Waiheke Island: Private Sunset Wine Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $392
- Māori Evening Dinner and Private Show Experience: $519
- From Kiwi Bird Encounter & 3-Course Dinner Tour: $550
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$8.27
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 Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Auckland $27Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Auckland
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Auckland's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Auckland Sky Tour (for 2)$32
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Waiheke Island Tour (for 2)$119
Tours and Activities in Auckland
For Auckland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "City of Sails" highlights - private tour with German tour guide: $219
- 2-Hour Muriwai Beach Horse Trek Experience: $161
- 2025 Award Winning: Auckland City Highlights Half Day Tour: $96
- 24 day Greatest Of All Tours Small Group Tour: $3,447
- 6 Hours Sightseeing Tour in Auckland: $173
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Auckland's Hidden Stories: $15
- Half-Day CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR - Mt.Eden, Tamaki Dr: $86
- Afternoon Piha Beach and Rainforest Tour from Auckland: $120
- Amazing Auckland City Half Day Guided Tour: $107
- America's Cup Sailing Experience on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour: $126
- America’s Cup 2-Hour Sailing Experience Waitemata Harbour: $122
- Auckland Airport To Ports Of Auckland Private Highlights Tour: $239
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
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260
- 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
- 3 1/2 Hour Experience of Lake Gatun in Panama: $95
- 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of Panama Canal & Old Town & More: $150
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAuckland $13Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Auckland
Also in Auckland, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Auckland Coastal Brewery Kayak Tour: $71
- Waiheke Island: Scenic Island Wine Tour & Local Wine Tasting: $110
- Muriwai GANNET Colony & Wine Tasting - Half Day Tour Ex Auckland: $117
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour in Auckland with 3-Course Vineyard Lunch: $119
- Ultimate Auckland Experience Full Day Tour with Brewery Lunch: $149
- Waiheke Island: The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour: $159
- Waiheke Island: Wine Tour & Lunch at Award Winning Venue: $168
- Piha Waitakere Rainforest Wine Tour from Auckland: $176
- From Small Group Kumeu Wine Tour with Lunch: $180
- Waiheke Island Gourmet Food and Wine Tour with Platter Lunch: $183
- City Tour with Wine Tasting and Black Sand Beach: $217
- Auckland City Tour & Kumeu Wine Country Includes Wine Tastings & Lunch: $239
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Auckland and Panama City, we can see that Auckland is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Auckland is in Pacific 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 Auckland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Auckland 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 Auckland Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Auckland or Panama City?
Auckland has a larger population, and is about 2% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Auckland 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.