Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Dahab?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dahab or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Dahab and Panama City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Dahab or Panama City?
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Dahab Prices
Egypt PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDahab $26Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $26, 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 Dahab and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDahab $9.31Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDahab $19Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Dahab and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Dahab 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: Dahab Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dahab $3.10Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
- Saint paul and saint anthony monastery private transfer: $69
- Private Transfer To/From Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $68
- Private Transfer Between Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $60
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $42
- Private Transfer Dahab Hotel to Sharm ElSheikh Airport : $32
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: $20
- Transfers: $37
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Transfer to Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks): $14
- Transfer to BIKINI BEACH (for ages 18+) or Santa Clara: $300
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to hotels in Gamboa or Viceversa: $30
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels : $25
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or to the Marina: $32
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Dahab 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 dayDahab $13Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)$2.00
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Juice$0.11
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Breakfast for Two$0.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $36
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $39
- Dahab Desert Safari and Bedouin Dinner: $95
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$8.24
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 Evening Food Tour: $60
- Street Food Tour in Panama City with 24 samples and secret drinks: $69
- 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
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
- Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dahab $6.56Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Camel Trek Desert and Beach Experience Private Tour in Dahab: $140
- 2 Day Hiking Canyoning Tour Colored and Wishwashi in Sinai: $72
- 4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab: $43
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $50
- Astronomy and Bedouin Culture group Tour in sharm with Pickup: $140
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Adventure in Dahab: $195
- Cairo pyramids tour from Hurghada Small group HurghadaToGo: $60
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $49
- Dahab Windsurfing Adventure in Red Sea Waves: $60
- Dahab's Kept Secrets 5 Adventures in 1 Tour: $25
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
- luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Canopy-ziplining Adventures in Anton Valley: $195
- Gatun Lake Panamá Wildlife Adventure Guided Experience: $159
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Private tour of Panama City and the Panama Canal.: $70
- San Blas Islands, 4-Island Tour All-Inclusive Welcome Cocktail: $149
- Tour of the Historic Center of Panama and the Canal: $52
- “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
- “Panama at Your Rhythm: Private Tour with Canal, Old Town and More”: $67
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDahab $3.89Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dahab and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dahab is in Africa 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dahab Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dahab or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab 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.