Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Barcelona?
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 Barcelona 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 Barcelona 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: Barcelona or Panama City?
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.
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 Spain, The Best 10-Day Tours in Spain, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Barcelona Prices
Spain PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBarcelona €185Panama City €86
The average daily cost (per person) in Barcelona is €185, 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 Barcelona and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBarcelona €98Panama City €30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBarcelona €196Panama City €60
Compare Hotels in Barcelona and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Barcelona 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: Barcelona Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Barcelona €19Panama City €9.09
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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10 Trip Metro Ticket€7.80
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Airport Bus€5.00
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Metro€2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
- Montserrat Half Day Private Guided Tour with Transfers: $298
- Montserrat RoundTrip Transfer with lunch (optional): $297
- Barcelona Airport (BNC) to Palamós - Arrival Private Transfer: $292
- Private Arrival Transfer from Barcelona Airport to Sitges: $286
- Private Transfer from Barcelona city to Girona airport: $269
- Private Transfer From Barcelona To Tarragona With a 2 Hour Stop: $260
- Transfer with wheelchair Accessible from Bcn airport/ port/city: $239
- Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to Cambrils: $227
- Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport (BCN) to Tarragona Port: $210
- Private Transfer from Barcelona hotels to Tarragona Cruise Port: $210
- Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport to Lloret de Mar: $209
- Private transfer from Airport Barcelona to Santa Susanna: $203
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty : $12
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- One Way Private transfer Panama City PTY Airport to City: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport : $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfer Airport - City / Min 2 pax: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Barcelona or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City 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
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Food Meals for one dayBarcelona €58Panama City €31
Typical Food Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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Hot Cocoa & Churro€4.15
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Sandwich€1.70
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Baguette & Horchata€3.80
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Tapas on the beach€8.28
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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: $34
- Barcelona Morning Walking and Food Tour with Local Flavors: $35
- Barcelona Guided Street Food Tour and Gothic Quarter Visit: $42
- Tasty Barcelona Street Food Tour With Local Market Visit : $54
- Barcelona Food Tour: Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide: $54
- Tablao Flamenco Cordobes on Rambla Barcelona with Dinner Option: $57
- Barcelona Morning Tapas Crawl by Food Tour: $70
- Wine Tasting and 5 Course Tapas Pairing Dinner: $70
- Barcelona Interactive Spanish Cooking Experience: $78
- Seafood Paella and Mediterranean Tapas Cooking Class: $81
- Barcelona Food Tour: Tapas, Drinks and Delights with a Local: $85
- Barcelona : Paella Cooking Experience + Boqueria Market Exclusive Tour: $94
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€7.03
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
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $75
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Cooking Class in Panama City with 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
- Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Barcelona €33Panama City €56
Typical Entertainment Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
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Picasso Walking Tour and Museum Pass€42
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Souvenir Gaudi Book€8.55
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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 Arrival Cruise Port to Sants Station Private: $45
- Barcelona Christmas Walking Tour: $32
- Coffee and Art Tour walking Gothic Quarter, Official Guide: $89
- Costa Brava Coves Towns and Winery Private Tour: $197
- Day Sailing Experience, Barcelona(9 Persons): $89
- Highlights & Hidden Spots of Barcelona Bike Tour w/ Local Guide: $43
- Montserrat Guided Tour from Barcelona + Basilica Access : $94
- Montserrat Monastery Classic One Day Tour from Barcelona: $84
- Private Mountain Bike Tour in Barcelona: $57
- Wine & Scent Experience in Barcelona: $60
- Big Fun Museum Ticket: $30
- 1 Hour Barcelona Sailing Tour Experience with Drinks: $35
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama Casco Viejo: Walking Tour Must See Treasures!!!: $25
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $26
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $27
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $29
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Causeway and Old Town Night Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Panama City: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBarcelona €17Panama City €15
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Bar Crawl Old Town Treasure Tramp Adventure: $15
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by KING -The Best Party tour & VIP Club Entry: $18
- Largest Pub Crawl in Barcelona: $18
- Largest Bar Crawl in Barcelona: $18
- Estrella Damm Brewery in El Prat de Llobregat tour with Tasting: $18
- Pub Crawl in Barcelona: $18
- Barcelona Halloween Bar Crawl: $18
- Pub Crawl Barcelona by EVOLVE The BEST night experience: $24
- Wine tasting next to the Sagrada Familia: $30
- Go out like a local, pub Crawl / Tour in Raval - Barcelona: $32
- Magic Montjuïc Tour with Wine Tasting : $33
- Barcelona Markets Tour With Optional Food & Wine Tasting Upgrade: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Barcelona and Panama City, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Barcelona 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 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 Panama City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Barcelona Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Barcelona or Panama City?
Barcelona has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Barcelona 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.