Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Bogota?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Bogota or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Bogota or Panama City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Bogota or Panama City?
Bogota
Sprawling across a high altitude in the Columbian Andes region, Bogota is the capital city of Columbia. It is a mix of the old and new with century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers, museums representing the history, art, and culture of the region, as well as a mix of distinct neighborhoods from quaint and historic to trendy and contemporary.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBogota $53Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Bogota is $53, 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 Bogota and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBogota $26Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBogota $52Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Bogota and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Bogota 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: Bogota Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bogota $8.77Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$7.56
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Taxi Ride$0.39
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2 Bus Passes$0.89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Salt Cathedral and Nemocón Salt Mines + In & out Transfer + (8 hours): $242
- Private Visit to Zipaquira's Town & Salt Cathedral + In&Out Transfer + (6 hours): $176
- Bogotá to or from Barichara or San Gil Private Transfer: $167
- Bogotá to or from Villavieja or Tatacoa Desert Private Transfer: $167
- Layover Bogotá Private Tour + Transfer in & Out (4 Hrs.) : $149
- Arrival Private Transfer Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota City in a Luxury Van: $134
- Arrival Private Transfer from Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota City by Minibus: $124
- Bogotá Private Luxury Transfer - Airport Pick Up or Drop Off - SUV Mercedes Benz: $97
- Bogotá to or from Villa de Leyva Private Transfer: $80
- El Dorado International Airport (BOG) - Private Round trip transfer Bogota: $80
- Arrival Transfer from Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota by MiniSuv: $66
- Andres Carne de Res Chia • Premium Private Transfer: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers Airport - Hotels Riu Playa Blanca, Decameron, Bijao, Playa Blanca: $70
- Transfers: $37
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Transfer in private minivan from Playa Bonita to Panama Tocumen Airport: $70
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $70
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY Airport or Panama City to Playa Blanca and Back: $77
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Transfer Panama Airport- Colon Cruise Terminal: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Bogota or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Bogota 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 dayBogota $14Panama City $21
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.57
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Hot Dog$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Peruvian cooking workshop: $26
- Bogotá Bites: Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $45
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- PALOQUEMAO MARKET FOOD TOUR. EXOTIC FRUIT. LOCAL SNACKS. /Min 2 pax: $55
- Bogota Food Tour • Private Car • Fruits Cacao Lunch Coffee Beer: $59
- Private Colombian Cooking Class and Market Tour In Bogota: $90
- Dinner and party at Andres Carne de Res DC: $100
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
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bogota $13Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bogota
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Bogota's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Beer$1.31
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bogota Zipaquira Salt Cathedral Private Tour + Lunch: $80
- Express Salt Cathedral Tour• Guided Tour & Tickets • 5h: $219
- La Candelaria and Monserrate Walking Half Day Tour: $234
- Lake Guatavitá Private Day Tour: $255
- Salt Cathedral Zipaquira - Group tour and daily departure: $80
- *Private tour* to Guatavita sacred lagoon + Nemocon salt mine: $153
- 3h 30 -Hour StopOver—Walking Tour: Bogota Historical Center: $54
- 4 Hours Private Tour to Monserrate from Bogotá: $69
- 4-Hour Private Tour of Bogotá with Guide and Transportation: $77
- 4-hour Paragliding Adventure from Bogota: $170
- 5-hour Bogota Street Art Tour with transportation: $184
- 5-hour Tour through Bogotá during the stopover. Includes round-trip from airport: $160
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
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $165
- 5-Hour Tour in Agua Clara New Locks: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBogota $14Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Thursday Bar Crawl in Bogotá: $25
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá : $25
- Saturday Bar Crawl in La Candelaria, Bogotá: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bogota and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Bogota much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bogota is in South America 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 Bogota would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bogota 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 Panama City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Panama City than you might in Bogota.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bogota Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bogota or Panama City?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Bogota 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.