A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Barcelona vs. David for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Barcelona or David?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Barcelona and David 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: Barcelona or David?

Barcelona

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.

David

In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Spain, The Best 10-Day Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, and The Best Budget Tours to Panama.


Which place is cheaper, David or Barcelona?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Barcelona Prices
    Spain Prices
    David Prices
    Panama Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Barcelona €179
    David €35

The average daily cost (per person) in Barcelona is €179, while the average daily cost in David is €35. 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 Barcelona and David in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Barcelona €92
    David €11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Barcelona €184
    David €22
Compare Hotels in Barcelona and David

Looking for a hotel in Barcelona or David? 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.

Hotels in Barcelona


Hotels in David


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: Barcelona Hotel Prices and David Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Barcelona €19
    David €11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Barcelona

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:


  • 10 Trip Metro Ticket
    €7.80
  • Airport Bus
    €5.00
  • Metro
    €2.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:

  • Aerobus Barcelona Airport Transfer to or from Plaça Catalunya: $12
  • Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to Barcelona Center Port: $18
  • Barcelona Airport: Transfer to/from Tarragona Bus Station: $19
  • Barcelona airport: Bus Transfer from/to Salou: $22
  • Barcelona Cruise Port to Sants Train Station Private Transfer: $23
  • Arrival Barcelona Airport Private Transfer: $23
  • Comfortable Transfer from Barcelona City Center to Airport: $23
  • 24 Hour Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to City Centre: $23
  • Private transfer from barcelona cruise port to sants station: $23
  • Barcelona Airport Private Arrival Transfers: $24
  • Barcelona Airport Private Arrival Transfers: $25
  • Fast and Easy Private Transfer from Barcelona City to Cruise Port: $25

Is it cheaper to fly into Barcelona or David?

Prices for flights to both David and Barcelona 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Barcelona €58
    David €16
Typical Food Prices in Barcelona

Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:


  • Hot Cocoa & Churro
    €4.15
  • Sandwich
    €1.70
  • Baguette & Horchata
    €3.80
  • Tapas on the beach
    €8.28
  • Gelatto
    €2.50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.

  • Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona with Set Lunch or Dinner: $33
  • Top Awarded Flamenco Show Tablao Cordobes with dinner option: $40
  • Barcelona Guided Street Food Tour and Gothic Quarter Visit: $40
  • Barcelona Food Tour: Tapas, Drinks and Delights with a Local: $43
  • Tasty Barcelona Street Food Tour With Local Market Visit: $51
  • Paella and Sangria Cooking Class in Three Hours: $51
  • Barcelona Paella and Sangria Cooking Experience: $56
  • Tipsy Food Tour with Paella and Sangria and History in Barcelona: $61
  • Barcelona Morning Tapas Crawl by Food Tour: $67
  • Barcelona Interactive Spanish Cooking Experience: $67
  • Unique Sunset Sailing, Tapas, Drinks, with Music & Dinner Options: $67
  • Barcelona : Paella Cooking Experience + Boqueria Market Exclusive Tour: $67

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Barcelona €33
    David €3.89
Typical Entertainment Prices in Barcelona

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:


  • Picasso Walking Tour and Museum Pass
    €42
  • Souvenir Gaudi Book
    €8.55
  • Admission to Museo Picasso
    €6.00

Tours and Activities in Barcelona

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:

  • Barcelona Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $1.70
  • Sagrada Familia Exterior Tour: $3.40
  • Barcelona Segway Tour: $3.40
  • Barcelona Electric Scooter Tour: $3.40
  • Self-Guided Private City Tour in Barcelona's Best Kept Secrets: $3.40
  • Self-Guided Tours 150+ Captivating Audio Stories: $3.40
  • Barcelona Guided Tour on Segway: $3.40
  • Gothic Quarter Donation-Based Walking Tour in English: $3.41
  • Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Barcelona: $3.41
  • Barcelona Gaudi and Sagrada Familia Tour: $3.41
  • Gaudi & Sagrada Familia Donation-Based Tour in English: $3.41
  • Barcelona Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.41

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Barcelona €17
    David -

Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:

  • Barcelona Halloween Pub Crawl: Red Garter and Beach Bars: $12
  • Barcelona Pub Crawl by KING -The Best Party tour & VIP Club Entry: $17
  • Barcelona Pub Crawl Experience with VIP Nightclub Entry: $17
  • Pub Crawl 4 nightclubs + skip-the-line entry: $17
  • Night Pub Crawl Tour in Barcelona: $17
  • Pub Crawl Barcelona | 4h Experience | Club Entry: $17
  • Pub Crawl Barcelona by EVOLVE The BEST night experience: $23
  • Barcelona Rooftop Party + Bar crawl with VIP Club Entry: $23
  • Barcelona Bar Crawl Group: $23
  • Bar Crawl at Gaixample: $24
  • Barcelona Speakeasy Pub Crawl with Hidden Bars & Optional Tapas: $28
  • Barcelona Pub Crawl with Karaoke and Beach bars and VIP Club: $29


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Barcelona and David, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. And not only is David much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Barcelona is in Europe and David 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 David would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in David 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 Barcelona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Barcelona than you might in David.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Barcelona Expensive? and Is David Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Barcelona or David?

Barcelona has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of David. When comparing the sizes of Barcelona and David, 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.