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 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Auckland Prices
New Zealand PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAuckland $158Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Auckland is $158, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $101. 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 $87Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAuckland $174Panama 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 $16Panama 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$9.48
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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: $379
- Auckland Airport (AKL): Private Transfer to Downtown hotels: $347
- Auckland Airport (AKL): Transfer to North Shore hotels: $321
- Downtown hotels to Auckland Airport (AKL) - Departure Private Transfer: $215
- Private Transfer From Auckland Airport To Cambridge : $209
- Private Transfer from Auckland Port to Auckland Airport (AKL): $201
- Private Transfer from Auckland Airport (AKL) to Auckland Port: $201
- From One-Way Transfer to Rotorua w/ Hobbiton Tour: $190
- Private Luxury Transfer To/Fr City in Mercedes Van: $163
- Private Luxury Transfer Frm Cruise Ship to Airport: $163
- Luxury Airport Transfer in First Class Passenger Van: $160
- [Stevong] Small Group transfer to Hobbiton Village and Rotorua: $158
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers in Panama: AIRPORT - HOTEL - BEACH: $35
- Transfers from Tocumen Int. Airport to Panama City: $30
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $33
- Transfers from Airport to Panama City: $40
- Transfers: $37
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Transfer in private minivan from Playa Bonita to Panama Tocumen Airport: $70
- Transfer in Private Car from Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $120
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to hotels in Gamboa or Viceversa: $30
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or to the Marina: $32
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 $46Panama 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$4.74
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Auckland:: Japanese Home Cooking: $80
- Harbour Sailing Cruise with 3-Course Dinner: $93
- Auckland Harbour Sailboat Cruise Including Three Course Dinner: $96
- Flavours of the City Walking Food Tour: $102
- Private Street Food Tour of Auckland with a Local Guide: $156
- Local Auckland Food Tour : Explore the suburbs!: $164
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:
- 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.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)$33
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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:
- Auckland Best Top 5 Spots Half day Tour with small group: $130
- Black Water Rafting Semi Private Tour from Auckland: $293
- Hobbiton Movie Set Small Tour from Auckland: $248
- “City to Surf” - private tour with German tour guide: $289
- 1 Night Auckland - Departure Option with Auckland Sightseeing : $200
- 6 Hours Sightseeing Tour in Auckland: $126
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Auckland's Hidden Stories: $9.99
- Half-Day CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR - Mt.Eden, Tamaki Dr: $87
- Afternoon Piha Beach and Rainforest Tour from Auckland: $117
- All Auckland City Hotels to Cruise Ship / Port by SUV: $48
- America’s Cup 2-Hour Sailing Experience Waitemata Harbour: $114
- Auckland CBD: Escape Game Adventure: $23
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Canopy-ziplining Adventures in Anton Valley: $195
- City Tour y Canal de Panamá: $35
- Panama Viejo and Casco Antiguo Tour: $115
- Panama a quick and memorable tour: $80
- "Panama Tour: Canal, Old Town, Amador, and Americas Lookout": $145
- 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 1/2 Hour Experience of Lake Gatun in Panama: $95
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $164
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:
- Ultimate Late Night Bar Crawl: $20
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour in Auckland with 3-Course Vineyard Lunch: $102
- Muriwai Scenic Wine Tour from Auckland: $105
- Waiheke Island: Scenic Wine Tour Tasting Wines on Waiheke: $108
- Waiheke Island: The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour: $137
- Private Tour - Muriwai Beach & Wine Tasting: $138
- Waiheke Island: Scenic Wine Tour with Lunch: $146
- Waiheke Island Gourmet Food and Wine Tour with Platter Lunch: $160
- From Small Group Kumeu Wine Tour with Lunch: $175
- Kumeu Wineries / Brewery : $176
- Piha Waitakere Rainforest Wine Tour from Auckland: $182
- Scenic Wine Tastings Tour with Lunch: $204
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.