Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Chengdu?
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 Chengdu 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 Chengdu 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: Chengdu or Panama City?
Chengdu
Chengdu is in China's Sichuan Provence and is in what is known as the Red Basin. It is a particularly fertile region in China that is known for its agriculture. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Milk and Honey". The Funan River cuts through the city but has almost no boat traffic anymore. The city itself has a wonderful relaxed vibe compared to the rest of China and is filled with green parks and places to relax. It is considered one of the most livable cities in China.
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 Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
-
Chengdu Prices
China PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $72Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $72, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $101. 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 Chengdu and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $23Panama City $35
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $46Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu 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: Chengdu Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.42Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Chengdu 3-Day Self-Guided Jiuzhaigou&Huanglong with Transfer: $412
- Algou Valley Hiking Tour with Roundtrip Transfer: $289
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Panda Base, city central with Round Airport Transfer: $240
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $230
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Leshan Giant buddha with Round Airport Transfer: $205
- Downtown to Mountain Emei round way transfer for one day service: $189
- Downtown to Leshan round way transfer for one day service: $172
- Private Day Tour of Giant Pandas and Kuanzhai Alley with Transfer: $168
- Downtown to Dujiangyan round way transfer: $161
- Leshan Buddha Optional Tours w/ Transfer or Guide: $156
- Chengdu Private Round Trip Transfer to Emei Mountain: $128
- Chengdu Tianfu Airport Private Transfer: $119
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- 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 Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca - Private Transfer: $77
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $102
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Chengdu 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 dayChengdu $41Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Chengdu Night: VIP Seat Opera Show or Back Alley Food Tour: $40
- Chengdu Vegetarian Cooking Class at a Local Home: $45
- Private Chengdu TukTuk Food Tour: Hidden Alleys & Local Eats: $59
- Chengdu Food Tour Local Delicacies and Ear Cleaning: $59
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Eat Like a Local! Food Tour in the Hidden Alleys: $67
- Food Tour Through Chengdu Local Eats: $68
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals: $69
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $73
- Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $78
- Chengdu Evening Food Tour: $79
- Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
Sandwich$8.26
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:
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ 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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $17Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Tea Trip in Mount Mengding with Tea Making Experience: $150
- 1 Day Wolong Panda Nature Reserve Tour: $204
- 1 day Chengdu City Highlights Mini Group tour: $102
- 1-Day Chengdu Cultural Discovery:Jinsha,Shu Brocade Museum & Dufu Cottage Tour: $189
- 1-Day Chengdu Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour With the Lunch and Boat tour: $242
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha GROUP Tour: $144
- 1-Day Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch: $246
- 1-Day Chengdu tour with Panda Base, Renmin Park,Wenshu Temple and Hot Pot Lunch: $193
- 1-Day Leshan Giant Buddha Private Tour with the Lunch from Chengdu: $229
- 1-Day Leshan Giant Buddha and Huanglongxi old town Private Tour from Chengdu: $236
- 1-Day Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System Private Tour from Chengdu: $272
- 1-Day Panda Base and Huanglongxi old town Private Tour from Chengdu: $234
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $15
- BEC Immersive Museum: Panama Through Your Senses Admission Ticket: $15
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $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
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Panama City : Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $34
- 5 hour tour in Panama City: $35
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $4.25Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Chengdu Pub Crawl: $23
- Tipsy Travel: Chengdu Evening Food and Bar Crawl with Local Guide: $138
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chengdu and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Chengdu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chengdu is in Asia 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 Chengdu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chengdu 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 Chengdu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chengdu Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Panama City?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu 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.