Should you visit Daytona Beach or Panama City?
Should I visit Daytona Beach or Panama City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida, located on the Atlantic coast, is a wildly popular tourist destination for people from all over the world due to great beaches, spring break fun, and NASCAR races. Tourists come to enjoy the warm Florida weather, the beautiful beaches, the activities, the boardwalk, the nightlife, and many other things the city has to offer. The beaches around Daytona are famous for their hard-packed sand, which makes them easy for cars to drive on. For this reason, Daytona has a history of automobile racing, and is home to dozens of races that take place throughout the year, the most famous of which is the Daytona 500. Naturally, Daytona is also home to NASCAR headquarters. But it's so much more than just a race destination, as it's also a fun and family-friendly destination that attractions a wide range of visitors.
Panama City
As the tropical breeze kisses your face amidst the never-ending rows of palm trees and high-rise beach condos, you find both pleasure and peace in this popular beach vacation spot. Such a city could be no place else than Panama City, Florida, located on the Florida Panhandle on the Gulf Coast. The entire region is known for it's calm beach with white sand, blue water, and spring break and summer vacation fun. Panama City offers a multitude of hotels, parks, beaches, and restaurants to make it a prime destination to both party and relax. However, as you explore the city, you will find that Panama City acquires its own diverse, vibrant character unique to other beach towns. Bring out the fishing rods and boogie boards and take advantage of one of Florida's most popular destinations! It's a great destination for families, kids, younger travelers, singles, couples, and retirees alike.
Which city is cheaper, Panama City or Daytona Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Daytona Beach is $169, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $179. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Daytona Beach and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $67. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Daytona Beach the cost is $134 on average.
A hotel room in Panama City is about $206 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
Daytona Beach food costs typically run travelers around $64 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
On average, meal and food prices in Panama City cost around $53 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $21.
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Food
Meals for one day
Daytona Beach $64
Panama City $53
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Panama City.
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Food Tour - Panama Gastronomy:
$102
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Casco Antiguo Sunset Walking Tour with Dinner:
$170
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The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour:
$200
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Whale Watching + Beach + Seafood Dinner - BEST VALUE IN PANAMA:
$205
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $42 per day to get around in Daytona Beach.
The average price of local transportation around Panama City is $38 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Daytona Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Daytona Beach:
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Daytona Beach & surrounding areas Private 14 passenger Luxury Mini-bus transfer:
$62
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Daytona Beach International Airport One Way Transfer:
$43
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Private Transfer from Daytona to Orlando (MCO) Airport:
$377
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Private Transfer from Daytona to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport:
$228
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Private Transfer from Daytona to Port Canaveral:
$360
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Panama City:
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Transfer to Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks):
$11
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Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY):
$12
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Private Arrival Transfer from Panama City Airport (PTY):
$12
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Shared Arrival Transfer: Tocumen International Airport to Panama City Hotels:
$15
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Shared Departure Transfer: Panama City Hotels to Tocumen International Airport:
$15
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Airport Private Transfer Tocumen Direct to Panama City:
$18
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Transfer to Dreams Playa Bonita:
$18
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Private Airport Transfer: Panama City to Tocumen International Airport (PTY):
$19
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Private Airport Transfer: Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Panama City:
$19
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Transfer from Panama City to Tocumen Airport:
$19
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Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Downtown Panama City, Panama:
$20
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Private Transfer Airport PTY to Panama City:
$22
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $22 per person, per day in Daytona Beach. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Panama City's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $15 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Daytona Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Daytona Beach are as follows:
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Zipline Adventure through Tuscawilla Park:
$41
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Small-Group Sailing Tour in Daytona Beach:
$49
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Historic Pub and Bar Pedal Bus Tour of Beach Street:
$54
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Hopcycles Pedal Bus 2 Hour South Tour:
$54
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Dolphin and Manatee Stand Up Paddleboard Tour in Daytona Beach:
$56
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Here are a few actual costs in Panama City for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Casco Antiguo Virtual Live Tour:
$12
-
Skip the Line: Panama La Vieja Admission Ticket:
$15
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Dolphin Sightseeing Tour on The Footloose Catamaran from Panama City Beach:
$25
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Sea Breeze Champagne Adventure:
$28
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Panama City and Canal Tour ( Centro de Visitante de Miraflores):
$31
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Private Panama Canal Tour:
$41
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Tour Colonial Panama:
$42
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Shopping Tour in Panama:
$42
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Panama Viejo Ruins Sightseeing Tour:
$43
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Panama City Tour highlight:
$45
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Panama City E-Bike Adventure:
$48
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Panama City Sunset E-Bike Adventure:
$48
Alcohol
The average person spends about $34 on alcoholic beverages in Daytona Beach per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Panama City may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $45 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Panama City
Also in Panama City, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Panama Bar Crawl (private):
$33
When comparing the travel costs between Daytona Beach and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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