Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Bilbao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Bilbao or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Bilbao and Panama City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Bilbao or Panama City?
Bilbao
The industrial city of Bilbao is located on a port of the Nervión River in northern Spain, an important location of Basque country. While the downtown is filled with skyscrapers and innovative architecture, it sits between a river and mountains of natural allure. A city of hard-workers to the core, Bilbao displays remnants of its industrial past, though in more recent years it has transformed into a center for art. It is now a popular location for visitors looking to experience art galleries and museums.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
-
Bilbao Prices
Spain PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBilbao €170Panama City €90
The average daily cost (per person) in Bilbao is €170, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €90. 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 Bilbao and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBilbao €72Panama City €31
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBilbao €144Panama City €62
Compare Hotels in Bilbao and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Bilbao 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: Bilbao Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bilbao €26Panama City €9.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bilbao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bilbao:
- Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Santander Airport: $285
- Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Santander: $285
- Private Transfer from Bilbao Airport to Santander Port: $285
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Logroño: $276
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Pamplona city: $259
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Elciego town: $225
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Laguardia town: $225
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Bilbao Cruise Port: $217
- Private Transfer from Vitoria city to Bilbao Airport: $172
- Private Transfer from Vitoria Airport to Bilbao city: $172
- Private Transfer from Vitoria to Bilbao: $172
- Private Transfer from Bilbao city to Vitoria: $172
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Coronado/Gorgona - Round-Trip Transfer: $203
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $203
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $64
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
Is it cheaper to fly into Bilbao or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Bilbao 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 dayBilbao €77Panama City €32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bilbao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bilbao.
- Bilbao Food Tour: Pintxos, Drinks, and Tapas with a Local: $101
- Bilbao Authentic Food Tour with 9 Pintxos and Local Drinks: $111
- Pintxos and Tapas Cooking Class in Bilbao: $114
- Traditional Basque Pintxos Cooking Class in Bilbao: $114
- The Award-Winning Bilbao Food Tour & Wine Pairing by Basque Local: $120
- Paella and Burnt Basque Cheesecake Cooking Class in Bilbao: $143
- Gourmet Pintxos & Premium Wines small groups Food Tour: $205
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
Sandwich€7.33
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
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show - All Inclusive Experience: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bilbao €29Panama City €58
Tours and Activities in Bilbao
Here are a few actual costs in Bilbao for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Biarritz and French Basque coast small group tour lunch included: $272
- Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and San Sebastian Tour from Bilbao: $80
- Bilbao : Highlights Private Bike tour With A Guide: $160
- Bilbao : Private Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $51
- Bilbao Custom-Made Private Tour max 3ppl.: $131
- Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Entry Admission With Audio Guide Tour: $13
- Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Entry Ticket: $34
- Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Ticket: $34
- Bilbao Highlights 3-hour E-Bike tour: Small Group or Private Tour: $56
- Bilbao Historic Walking Tour in Small Group: $34
- Bilbao Icons and Photo Safari 2 Hours Walking Tour: $74
- Bilbao Must See Attractions Walking Tour With A Guide: $38
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- BEC Immersive Museum: Panama Through Your Senses Admission Ticket: $15
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $15
- Panama Old Town Tour: Learn about our History and Culture: $22
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Museum of Illusions Panama Admission Ticket: $26
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $26
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayBilbao €21Panama City €16
Sample the Local Flavors in Bilbao
Also in Bilbao, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Rioja & Txakoli Wine Tasting in Bilbao with a Local Sommelier: $57
- The Authentic Bilbao Pintxos, Food & Wine Tour with a Local: $113
- Basque Best Bites - #1 Food & Wine tour of Bilbao: $114
- Private Basque Vineyard Visit: Txakoli Wine Tasting from Bilbao: $200
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bilbao and Panama City, we can see that Bilbao is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bilbao 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 Bilbao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bilbao 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 Bilbao Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bilbao or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 16% larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Bilbao 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.