Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Belize City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Belize City or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Belize City or Panama City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Belize City or Panama City?
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.
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 G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBelize City $88Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, 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 Belize City and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBelize City $49Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBelize City $98Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Belize City 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: Belize City Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Belize City $5.82Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
- Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
- Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
- Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $61
- Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
- We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
- Philip Goldson Airport BZE to Belize hotels Round Trip Transfer: $47
- Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30
- Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Belize: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $33
- Transfers: $37
- Transfer in private vehicle from Playa Bonita to Panamá Tocumen Airport: $43
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Transfer in Private Car from Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $120
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $67
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City to Amador Cruise Terminal: $30
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY Airport/Panama City to Playa Blanca or Coronado: $63
- Transfer Amador Cruise Terminal-Airport or City Hotel: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Belize City 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 dayBelize City $27Panama City $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour - fish farm & restaurant : $80
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
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $72
- Private Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Belize City $29Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Belize City
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure from Belize City: $167
- ATM Cave Adventure "Actun Tunichil Muknal" (from Belize City): $235
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from Belize City: $208
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins & Zipline Tour from Belize City All Inclusive: $170
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
- Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
- Altun Ha Temples and Belize City Tour +: $90
- Altun Ha, Monkey Sanctuary and Rum Factory Tour from Belize City: $170
- Belize City Tour: $34
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Full Day Tour: $200
- Cave Tubing & Zipline Adventure Tour: $110
- Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $79
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- City Tour y Canal de Panamá: $35
- Private Group Eco Boat Canal Cruise & Monkey Habitat Tour: $39
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Panama Tour: Canal, Old Town, Amador, and Americas Lookout": $145
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $165
- 5 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City: $100
- 5-Hour Tour in Agua Clara New Locks: $100
- 5-hour tour in Panama by a Local Guide: $65
- 6-Hour Culture and Nature Tour in Embera Tribe: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBelize City $12Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:
- Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $40
When comparing the travel costs between Belize City and Panama City, we can see that Belize 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. Since both cities are in Central America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Belize City Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Belize City or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Belize City. When comparing the sizes of Belize City 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.