Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Bangkok?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bangkok or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Bangkok and Panama City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Bangkok or Panama City?
Bangkok
Bangkok: a name synonymous with all things exotic. The vibrant and exciting capital of Thailand is not just a hub for Southeast Asia, but also a destination into itself. Known for an active nightlife and party scene, as well as great food, historic temples, and busy markets, Bangkok offers a diversity to entertain even the most experienced travelers.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Thailand, The Best Wildlife Tours to Thailand, 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 dayBangkok $76Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Bangkok is $76, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $86. 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 Bangkok and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBangkok $41Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBangkok $82Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Bangkok and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Bangkok 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: Bangkok Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bangkok $5.74Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bangkok
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bangkok are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk to bus station$2.17
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Skytrain Ticket$4.35
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Chao Phraya River Express Ticket$0.87
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Ferry Ride$0.71
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Taxi From Airport$6.79
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Short Taxi Ride$2.45
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Boat Taxi$1.36
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Trains to airport$4.35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bangkok
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bangkok:
- Don Mueang Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Koh Chang: $300
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK): Transfer to Pattaya: $290
- Bangkok Don Mueang Airport (DMK): Transfer to Pattaya hotels: $290
- Private Transfer from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with 2h of Sightseeing: $261
- Don Mueang Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Koh Chang: $243
- From Damnoen and Maeklong Markets Private Transfer: $232
- Private Transfer from Don Mueang (DMK) Airport to Trat: $216
- Bangkok Hotel Transfer: to/from Koh Chang Hotel Transfer: $216
- Private Transfer from Ayutthaya to Hua Hin: $213
- From Pattaya Private Day Trip with Transfer: $200
- Private Transfer from Don Muang Airport to Koh Chang Hotel: $199
- Bangkok transfer: From/ To Laem Sok Pier: $188
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- PTY Airport Transfer Service To Panama City: $50
- PTY Tocumen Airport Private Transfer One Way or Round Trip!: $45
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $38
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $77
- Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $65
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Historic District and Canal Tour with Transfer: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Bangkok or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Bangkok 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 dayBangkok $18Panama City $21
Typical Food Prices in Bangkok
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Bangkok:
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Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe (for Two)$24
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Casual Lunch of Prawns (for Two)$5.43
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2 Rotis (Bread)$1.22
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Mango & Sticky Rice$0.82
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Lunch at KFC (for Two)$5.43
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Pad Thai$1.90
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Airport Lunch for 2$15
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Lunch for 2$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bangkok
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bangkok.
- Bangkok Food Tour and Sightseeing with Tuktuk: $16
- White Orchid Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise: $19
- Chao Phraya Princess Dinner Cruise Ticket: $20
- Baiyoke Observation Deck with Lunch/Dinner Buffet: $21
- River Dinner Cruise on the Chao Phraya Princess: $23
- Meridian Sunset Dinner Cruise - Floating Paradise From ICONSIAM Bangkok: $23
- Calypso Cabaret Show with Thai Set Dinner: $25
- 2-Hour Dinner Cruise on the Chao Phraya Princess: $26
- Chao Phraya Buffet Dinner Viva Alangka Cruise: $27
- Viva Alangka Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise: $27
- Alangka Luxury Buffet Dinner Cruise With Live Music: $27
- Riverside Dinner Buffet Cruise On Chao Phraya: $27
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 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.Bangkok $16Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bangkok
Here are a few typical costs in Bangkok for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Movie Ticket$4.35
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Grand Palace Entrance Ticket$9.51
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Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) Ticket$1.36
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Dusit Zoo Entrance Fee (for Two)$5.43
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Club Cover Charge$10
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Thai Boxing Tickets (for Two)$65
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Fish Pedicure$4.08
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Wat Pho entrance ticket$2.72
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Siriraj Museum (2)$11
Tours and Activities in Bangkok
Here are a few actual costs in Bangkok for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ayutthaya Historic Park Group Tour from Bangkok: $65
- Ayutthaya Historic Park Tour Group Tour from Bangkok: $55
- Ayutthaya Historic Park Tour Group Tour from Bangkok: $55
- Bangkok 5 Hour Cultural & Temples Tour Private: $82
- Full-Day Erawan Waterfall and River Kwai Private Guided Tour: $150
- Maeklong Railway & Floating Market Tour (Private & All-Inclusive): $146
- Private Customized Bangkok Tour With Driver : $50
- Sunset Sail, Glittering Temspls at Afternoon Ayutthaya Tours : $59
- Tuk-Tuk Tour Bangkok By Night With Chinatown Street: $64
- 1 Hour Axe Throwing Experience : $17
- 10 Hours Private Tour Ayuttaya: $113
- 2-Day River Kwai Experience from Bangkok: $224
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Bar tour in El Cangrejo with Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- Walking Tour Metropolitan Park Panama City : $25
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $27
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old City with locals: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBangkok $5.95Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Bangkok
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Bangkok are as follows:
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Beer$1.09
Sample the Local Flavors in Bangkok
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bangkok:
- Pub Crawl and Club Night With Shots & VIP Entrance: $22
When comparing the travel costs between Bangkok and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Bangkok is in Asia and Panama City is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bangkok Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bangkok or Panama City?
Bangkok has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Bangkok 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.