Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Canberra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Canberra or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Canberra 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: Canberra or Panama City?
Canberra
There is something special about the capital city of Australia. Canberra's not just a wonderful spot for outdoor adventures. It's a city completely designed and built up around the coast of an artificial lake. When architects Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin proposed their plans for Canberra it was met with a lot of criticism. Many people thought it would be a "waste of a good sheep pasture."
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 Walking Tours in Australia, The Best Eco Tours in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCanberra $135Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Canberra is $135, 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 Canberra and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCanberra $83Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCanberra $166Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Canberra and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Canberra 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: Canberra Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Canberra $25Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Canberra
Also for Canberra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Guided Tour of Floriade Festival with Transfers: $118
- Private Transfer from Canberra city hotels to Eden Cruise Port: $82
- Private Transfer from Canberra Airport CBR to Eden Cruise Port : $82
- Canberra Airport (CBR) to Canberra - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $68
- Canberra to Canberra Int Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $34
- Canberra Int'l Airport to Canberra - Arrival Private Transfer: $34
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
- 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 vehicle from Panamá Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $48
- 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 Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY Airport or Panama City to Playa Blanca and Back: $77
- Transfer from PTY Airport or Panama City to Cruise Terminal: $30
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Canberra or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Canberra 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 dayCanberra $35Panama City $21
Typical Food Prices in Canberra
For Canberra, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$17
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 Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- 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.Canberra $17Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Canberra
For Canberra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour in Canberra: $30
- Australian Institute of Sport: The AIS Tour: $14
- Best of Wildlife and Birds Tour: $98
- Building + Architecture Tour | 10am Daily: $13
- Canberra Floriade Tour: $118
- Canberra Small Group Winery Tour: $149
- Beer, Wine, and Spirits Tasting Tour: $112
- Best of Wildlife Tour: $89
- City Highlights Day Tour with Entrance Fees: $118
- Capital Christmas: Private Festive Tour in Canberra: $646
- Discover Canberra’s Heritage: A Full-Day Private Tour: $870
- Discover Pearls of Canberra - Private Walking Tour: $133
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- #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 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 4-Hour Gatun Lake Boat Tour and Jungle Wildlife: $99
- 5-Hour Tour to Miraflores Locks and Sloth Sanctuary: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCanberra $16Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Canberra
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Canberra from other travelers:
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Drinks at a Bar$9.25
Sample the Local Flavors in Canberra
Also in Canberra, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Canberra Brewery and Beer Tour in 3 Hours: $99
- Canberra Brewery Winery and Distillery Tour: $112
- Capital Brewery Full-Day Tour: $122
- CanBEERa Explorer: Capital Brewery Full-Day Tour: $123
- From Winery, Distillery, & Tasting Tour with Lunch: $149
- Canberra Wine Tour: $158
- Full-Day Canberra Brewery, Wineries & Distillery tour /w lunch: $162
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Canberra and Panama City, we can see that Canberra is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Canberra is in Pacific 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 Canberra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Canberra 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 Canberra Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Canberra or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 25% larger than the population of Canberra. When comparing the sizes of Canberra 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.