Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Brussels?
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 Brussels 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 Brussels 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: Brussels or Panama City?
Brussels
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and also the sight of the headquarters of the European Union. Generally speaking, it's an expensive city that sees a good amount of travelers. It is also a highly political city that has an air of importance and power. It's an incredibly international city, with people from all over the world flocking to it due to its political, economical, and cultural significance.
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 Tours for Seniors to Belgium, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Belgium, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Brussels Prices
Belgium PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBrussels €165Panama City €89
The average daily cost (per person) in Brussels is €165, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €89. 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 Brussels and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBrussels €73Panama City €31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBrussels €146Panama City €62
Compare Hotels in Brussels and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Brussels 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: Brussels Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Brussels €17Panama City €9.37
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brussels
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Brussels are as follows:
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Subway Pass€4.50
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Atomium train ticket (2)€8.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brussels
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Brussels:
- Brussels & Atomium: Private Tour with Transfer and Tasting: $813
- VIP Transfer between Brussels Airport (BRU) and Antwerp: $268
- Private transfer from Brussels to Ostend, 2h Sightseeing Stop: $258
- Private transfer in Belgium Brussels Charleroi: $223
- Private Arrival Transfer from Brussels to Maastricht by Business car: $210
- Private door-to-door transfer from Brussels to Lille, France: $188
- Transfer Shuttle Leuven Schipol Airport Amsterdam (1 to 8 Places): $188
- Private direct transfer from Brussels to Ostend: $188
- Private transfer From Charleroi airport to Bruges by luxury car: $187
- Brussels Airport Shuttle Transfer Maastricht (1 to 8 PLACES): $168
- BRU Airport Transfer to Brussels City Center for 3 Pax: $163
- Brussels City Center to BRU Airport Transfer for 3 Pax: $163
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: $75
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $209
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $157
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- 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: $76
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca - Private Transfer: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into Brussels or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Brussels 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 dayBrussels €66Panama City €32
Typical Food Prices in Brussels
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Brussels:
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Ice Cream & Macaroons€4.60
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Dessert (Turkish Delights)€4.75
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Cheese€5.60
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Olives and Snacks€6.98
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Waffle€3.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brussels
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Brussels.
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $33
- Chocolate and Beer Food Tour of Brussels: $46
- City Center Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $74
- Brussels Food Tour: Main Dish, Beer, Waffle & Chocolate: $93
- Experience Authentic Belgian Cuisine: Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Ghent Local: $99
- Walking Food Tour with Chocolate, Beer, & Waffles: $111
- Brussels Food Tour with Full Meal & Drinks by Do Eat Better: $111
- Brussels Food Tour: 10 Tastings of Waffles, Beers, Fries & More: $127
- Food Tour of 10 Tastings - Waffles, Beers & More: $147
- Brussels Private Food Tour: Waffles, Fries, Beer & Local History: $151
- Private Food Tour – 10 Tastings with Locals: $183
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€7.25
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:
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $44
- Panama City Market Food Tour & Lunch by Paradox Experience: $50
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Brussels €23Panama City €58
Tours and Activities in Brussels
Here are a few actual costs in Brussels for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- "From Waterloo Battlefield History Private Tour: $500
- 2-Hour Walking Tour in Fall and Rise of Art Nouveau: $18
- 3-Hours Private Sightseeing Trip in Brussels: $241
- 600 Years of History and Heritage: A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Leuven: $5.99
- A Belgian Town's Curious History: Diest Walking Tour: $12
- A day in the life of Brussels - Private tour with a local: $159
- Antwerp Day Trip by Train Small Group Tour from Brussels: $41
- Art Nouveau's Sublime Capital: An Audio Tour in Brussels: $15
- Axe Throwing Experience: $20
- Battle of the Bulge & Gen Patton Private Tour from Brussels: $1,454
- Belgian Beer World Experience and GoPhoto ticket included: $25
- Belgian Beer World Experience: Beer Tasting + Rooftop Beer: $25
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $18
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Experience of Salsa in Panama: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- City Tour guiado en Panamá con Canal y Casco Antiguo: $35
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- Panama City : Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBrussels €13Panama City €16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brussels
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Brussels are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine€10
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Beer€6.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Brussels
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Brussels:
- BBQ night at Tipsy Tribe Brewery & Distillery: $15
- Brussels Pub Crawl - Nightlife & Party Experience: $18
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Party Experience: $23
- micro brewery & distillery tour + beer tasting: $29
- micro brewery & distillery tour + beer tasting: $29
- Discovery of the La Senne Brewery: $31
- Immersive Brewery Tour for 2 with Beer Flight - Brussels Area: $43
- Beer & Chocolate Tasting in a Micro Brewery-Distillery: $53
- Sip the Unexpected at a Hidden Leuven Brewery: $59
- Spirit tasting workshop at a Brussels distillery: $67
- Gin Cocktail Workshop at a Brussels Brewery & Distillery: $67
- Beer Pong in a Micro Brewery and Distillery: $76
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Brussels and Panama City, we can see that Brussels is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Brussels 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 Brussels would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brussels 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 Brussels Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Brussels or Panama City?
Brussels has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Brussels 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.