A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Coimbra vs. Panama City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Coimbra or Panama City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Coimbra 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: Coimbra or Panama City?

Coimbra

Coimbra is located in Central Portugal in the Centro Region. It's the third largest city in the country with about 460,000 people living in the entire region. It is also where you'll find the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese speaking world. During the High Middle Ages, Coimbra served as the nation's capital and there are archaeological structures that date back to the Roman era.

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 Food and Culinary Tours in Portugal, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Portugal, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Coimbra?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Coimbra is €138, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €87. 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 Coimbra and Panama City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Coimbra 44
    Panama City 30
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Coimbra 88
    Panama City 60
Compare Hotels in Coimbra and Panama City

Looking for a hotel in Coimbra 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.

Hotels in Coimbra


Hotels in Panama City


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: Coimbra Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Coimbra 11
    Panama City 9.20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Coimbra

Also for Coimbra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private transfer from/to Fatima - Porto, Coimbra or Aveiro: $267
  • One Way Private Transfer from Fatima Nazare or Obidos to Lisbon: $261
  • Private transfer from/to Fátima - Porto, Braga or Guimarães: $208
  • Fátima Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $157
  • Private transfer in Coimbra City: $93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City

Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty: $30
  • Transfers to Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf, Rio hato: $45
  • Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
  • Transfers: $37
  • Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
  • Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels: $25
  • Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
  • Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or Back: $32
  • Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
  • Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port: $35
  • Transfer Hotel/Airport to Resorts in Playa - return or return: $125
  • Transfer Colon Cruise Port - Panama Airport: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Coimbra or Panama City?

Prices for flights to both Panama City and Coimbra 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 day
    Coimbra 83
    Panama City 31

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Coimbra

For Coimbra, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Erotic Cabaret Show and Dinner: $64
  • Bairrada Food Tour: $115

Typical Food Prices in Panama City

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:


  • Sandwich
    7.11

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 Food Tour Local Markets Immersion (Tasting tour + Lunch): $50
  • Unique Ravioli Fusion Cooking Class with lunch in Panama City: $55
  • 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
  • Street Food Tour Panama (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $90

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Coimbra 18
    Panama City 57

Tours and Activities in Coimbra

For Coimbra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2 Hours Private Walking Tour in Coimbra: $249
  • An adventure through the Forest and Palace of Bussaco - Coim: $99
  • An adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã: $87
  • Arista Tour - Penacova Windmills and Landscapes (noon): $87
  • Best of Coimbra Private Walking Tour with University Late Visit: $81
  • Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $29
  • Buggy Tour in Serra da Lousã 2Hours: $145
  • Buracas do Casmilo Private Hiking Tour from Coimbra: $104
  • Coimbra - Condeixa: 120-minute Off-road Buggy Adventure: $303
  • Coimbra - Condeixa: 240-minute Off-Road Buggy Adventure: $512
  • Coimbra - Condeixa: 60-minute Off-road Buggy Adventure: $175
  • Coimbra : Guide to tour, with local guide/certificate, and an entry: $50

Tours and Activities in Panama City

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.

  • "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour ": $100
  • 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
  • 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
  • 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
  • 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
  • 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
  • 4-Hour Guided Tour of Panama Canal & Old Town & More: $150
  • 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
  • 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
  • 5 hour tour in Panama City: $35
  • 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
  • 6-Hour Culture and Nature Tour in Embera Tribe - All Included: $155

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Coimbra 12
    Panama City 16

Sample the Local Flavors in Coimbra

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Coimbra:

  • Guided Wine Tasting with Regional Bites: $31
  • Coimbra Food and Wine Tasting Private Guided Walk: $41


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Coimbra and Panama City, we can see that Coimbra is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Coimbra 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 Coimbra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Coimbra 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 Coimbra Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Coimbra or Panama City?

Panama City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Coimbra. When comparing the sizes of Coimbra 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.