Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Chiang Mai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Chiang Mai 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.
Chiang Mai is both the cultural center of northern Thailand and a launching point for trips into the rural areas, small towns, and lush jungles of the country's northern regions. Known for great food, historic temples, arts and crafts, and a lively night market, Chiang Mai is a very popular destination for travelers. In some areas, tourists and ex-pats dominate, but it's quite easy to get away from the tourist scene and into the real culture of Thailand, as Chiang Mai (and the surrounding countryside) is quite large.
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 G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Chiang Mai is $45, 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 Chiang Mai and Panama City in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Chiang Mai 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.
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Chiang Mai are as follows:
Also for Chiang Mai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Chiang Mai 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Chiang Mai:
For Chiang Mai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Chiang Mai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chiang Mai.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Chiang Mai are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Chiang Mai:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chiang Mai and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Chiang Mai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Chiang Mai 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 Chiang Mai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chiang Mai 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 Chiang Mai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chiang Mai Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Chiang Mai has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Chiang Mai 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.