Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Belize City?
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 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 Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Belize City Prices
Belize PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBelize City $108Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $108, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $102. 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 $5.84Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Belize City Airport to Placencia Private Transfer: $180
- Tours&airport transfer: $128
- Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
- Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Private Transfer from Belize city hotels to Belize City Port: $72
- Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize city hotels -Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Belize City to Belize Airport (BZE) - Departure Private Transfer: $54
- Transfer from Water Taxis to Tikal Guatemala: $45
- Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Belize: $25
- From One way shared transfer to Flores, Peten: $25
- Belize City:, Transfer from Belize City Water Taxi to Flores Guatemala: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP Transfer Panama: Playa Bonita, Panama City & Pacific Riviera: $20
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty: $30
- Transfers to Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf, Rio hato: $45
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Transfers: $37
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or Back: $35
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Hotel Westin or Dreams Playa Bonita: $55
- Transfer Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita (Westin and Dreams): $38
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 $47Panama City $36
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
- Belize: Tikal, Yaxha, and Cooking Class 4-Day Tour: $1,800
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 Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama City (28+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
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:
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from Belize City: $268
- Altun Ha Heritage Tour from Belize City: $85
- Altun Ha Mayan Ruins & Zipline Tour from Belize City All Inclusive: $210
- Altun Ha and Cave Tubing Tour from Belize City: $234
- Belize Cave Tubing and Zipline Jungle Adventure with Lunch: $110
- Belize City Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM )Full Day Tour: $250
- Belize City Day and Night Cocktail Tour with Tuktuk Belize Tours: $60
- Cave Tubing & Zipline Adventure Tour: $115
- Cave Tubing and Xunantunich Mayan Site Tour: $200
- Half-Day Altun Ha Temple & Belize City Tour: $96
- Lamanai Mayan Site Tour and Jungle Boat Ride: $140
- Tikal National Park Private Tour with Lunch: $450
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- #1 Walking Tour of Casco Viejo Panama with Lunch included: $70
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour ": $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260
- 3 1/2 Hour Experience of Lake Gatun in Panama: $95
- 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5-Hour Tour of Panama City, Panama from Tocumen Airport: $130
- 5-hour tour in Panama by a Local Guide: $39
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBelize City $12Panama City $18
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.