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.
Jump to 
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
-
Coimbra Prices
Portugal PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCoimbra €138Panama City €86
The average daily cost (per person) in Coimbra is €138, 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 Coimbra and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCoimbra €44Panama City €30
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCoimbra €88Panama 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.
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 €11Panama City €9.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Coimbra
Also for Coimbra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Coimbra to Aveiro Costa Nova : $298
- Private Transfer Coimbra to Take Christ's Convent : $274
- Fátima Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $161
- Transfers Aveiro or Coimbra to Lisbon Airport: $159
- Private transfer in Coimbra City : $95
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 : $12
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfers from Airport to Panama City: $40
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to hotels in Gamboa or Viceversa: $30
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels : $25
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or to the Marina: $32
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port : $30
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 dayCoimbra €83Panama 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:
- Tomar Cooking Class & Garden-to-Table Meal with Lake Views: $142
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
Sandwich€7.03
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
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $75
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Cooking Class in Panama City with 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
- Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Coimbra €18Panama City €56
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 : $218
- A tour between Cascades and Schist Villages, Piodão: $155
- An adventure through the Forest and Palace of Bussaco - Coimbra: $89
- An adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã: $89
- An adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã (with walk): $155
- Arista Tour - Penacova Windmills and Landscapes (noon): $89
- Buggy Tour in Serra da Lousã 2Hours: $143
- Buracas do Casmilo Private Hiking Tour from Coimbra: $101
- Coimbra Adventure Discovery and Learning with a Local: $42
- Coimbra City Tour : $24
- Coimbra Downhill Tour Highlights History and Student Traditions: $5.96
- Coimbra Downtown Walking Tour with uptown insights : $5.96
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Gatun Lake Panamá Wildlife Adventure Guided Experience: $159
- Horseback riding and Agri-Tour in Colon Private tour: $75
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Panama Viejo and Casco Antiguo Tour: $115
- Panama a quick and memorable tour: $68
- San Blas Islands, 4-Island Tour All-Inclusive Welcome Cocktail: $149
- #1 Walking Tour of Casco Viejo Panama with Lunch included : $70
- “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
- “Panama at Your Rhythm: Private Tour with Canal, Old Town and More”: $67
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCoimbra €12Panama City €15
Sample the Local Flavors in Coimbra
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Coimbra:
- Port Wine Tasting in Coimbra: $72
- Self-drive Wine Tour in Bairrada Region: $251
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.
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.