Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Edinburgh?
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 Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh 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: Edinburgh or Panama City?
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
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 3-Day Tours in United Kingdom, The Best 2-Week Tours in United Kingdom, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Edinburgh Prices
UK PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEdinburgh £171Panama City £76
The average daily cost (per person) in Edinburgh is £171, while the average daily cost in Panama City is £76. 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 Edinburgh and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEdinburgh £74Panama City £26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEdinburgh £148Panama City £52
Compare Hotels in Edinburgh and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Edinburgh 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: Edinburgh Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Edinburgh £17Panama City £7.96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
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Local Bus£3.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to/from Edinburgh City, St'Andrews etc.: $330
- Luxury Transfer Service | Glasgow to Edinburgh: $298
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glenshee Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $278
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glasgow - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $271
- Luxury Transfer Service | Edinburgh to Stirling: $260
- Private Transfer from Edinburgh Airport to Glasgow Up to 6 People: $239
- Edinburgh Airport Private Transfers to St Andrews: $225
- VIP Airport Transfer: $205
- Edinburgh Airport Private Transfers to Gleneagles: $191
- Edinburgh Layover Tour: Private & Personalized with Transfers: $180
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Luxury Car: $174
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Car: $174
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
- Transfer to or from the airport / Min 2 pax: $20
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
- 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 PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or Back: $32
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Hotel Westin or Dreams Playa Bonita: $55
- Transfer Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita (Westin and Dreams): $38
- Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Edinburgh or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Edinburgh 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 dayEdinburgh £68Panama City £27
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast£8.50
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Dinner at Filling Station£10
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Lunch for Two£15
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Sandwich£1.85
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Cheese & bread£7.23
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Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)£25
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2 Coffees and Scones£5.80
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Turkish Delight£1.40
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Soup at the Pub£5.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Edinburgh Cheese Crawl : Guided Food Tour: $48
- New! Taste of Local Food Tour in Stockbridge: $109
- Traditional Scottish Cooking Class in Edinburgh: $116
- Edinburgh Food Tour with Scotch, Haggis, a Secret Dish and More: $133
- The Original Premium, Small Group Edinburgh Food Tour: $170
- Traditional Scottish Cooking Class & Dinner with Edinburgh Local: $177
- The 10 Tastings of Edinburgh With Locals: Private Food Tour: $181
- Edinburgh Like a Local: New Town & Stockbridge Food Tour: $185
- PRIVATE Edinburgh Food Tours - Old Town, Leith: $240
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£6.15
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
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Edinburgh £20Panama City £49
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Show Tickets£32
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Movie Tickets for Two£12
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Donation for Storytellers£6.00
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 'A Wee Pedal's' Family Friendly Cycle Tour to Edinburgh's Coast: $85
- 1 Day Castles, West Highlands and Loch Lomond Tour from Edinburgh: $87
- 2-Day Inverness and the Highlands Very Small Group Tour from Edinburgh: $244
- 3-Day Isle of Skye Inverness Highlands and Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour from Edinburgh: $245
- 3hr Edinburgh City and Castle Private Walking Tour: $170
- A Silent Disco Adventure at the Fringe for August in Edinburgh: $30
- Afternoon Old Town and Underground Ghost Tour 1:15, 3:15, 5:15: $22
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland and Borders Tour with Admission: $133
- Bespoke Itinerary Planning from an Experienced Tour Guide: $68
- Best Edinburgh Photoshoot Experience: $170
- Best of Small Group Walking Tour (Max 10, 3 Hours): $67
- Best of Scotland in a Day Very Small Group Tour from Edinburgh: $92
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
- 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 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-Star Embera Village Tour | Waterfall, Lunch & River: $75
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
- 5hrs Panama City and Canal Tour + Amenities: $65
- 7 hour Miraflores Locks + Sloth Sancturay in Gamboa Tour: $150
- ALL INCLUSIVE San Blas Islands Day Tour on Sailboat: $240
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEdinburgh £15Panama City £14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
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Beer & Wine£14
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Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern£1.65
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bobby’s Bar Crawl 5 Bars and best Nightclub in town: $16
- Rum or Agave Tasting Sip Antics Distillery Edinburgh: $29
- Rosslyn Chapel, the Borders & Glenkinchie Distillery: $63
- From Glenkinchie Distillery & Whisky Experience: $75
- Stirling, distillery, St Andrews 1 Day in Spanish from Edinburgh: $75
- Stirling Distillery and Saint Andrews Italian Tour Guide: $75
- Arthur Seat and Vertical Distillery E Bike Tour Small Group: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Edinburgh and Panama City, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Edinburgh or Panama City?
Edinburgh has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Edinburgh 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.