Should you visit Flores or Boquete?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Flores and Boquete can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Flores
The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.
Boquete
Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.
Which city is cheaper, Boquete or Flores?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Flores is $26, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $43. 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 Flores and Boquete in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $14 for a double occupancy room in Flores If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Boquete is $36. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
While meal prices in Flores can vary, the average travelers spends about $10 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Flores should cost around $4.00 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Flores is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Boquete food costs typically run travelers around $15 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Flores $10
Boquete $15
Local Transportation
To get around in Flores, the average visitor spends $6.32 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The average price of local transportation around Boquete is $4.18 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 Flores
Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Tikal National Park Tour with Guide and Transfer:
$45
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Round-Trip Private Transfer to Tikal from Flores:
$90
Is it cheaper to fly into Flores or Boquete?
Prices for flights to both Boquete and Flores 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.
Entertainment
In Flores, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $16 per person, per day.
Boquete's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $14 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.
Typical Entertainment prices in Flores
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Tikal Entrance (for 2)
$39
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Map of Tikal
$3.23
Tours and Activities in Flores
For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores:
$40
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Tikal National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Flores:
$55
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Tikal Early Experience !:
$64
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Tikal Day Tour:
$70
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Tikal Day Tour with Lunch from Flores:
$70
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Uaxactun Day Tour from Flores:
$80
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Sunset in Tikal Park and Archeological Tour from Flores:
$80
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Day Trip from Flores with Sunrise in Tikal and Archeology Tour:
$80
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Tikal Private Sunset Tour with transportation:
$85
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Tikal Private Day Tour from Flores with transportation:
$85
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Yaxha Private Day Tour with transportation:
$90
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Yaxha Private Sunset Tour with transportation:
$90
Tours and Activities in Boquete
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:
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Dirtbike adventure in Boquete (half day):
$165
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Specialized Birdwatching Tour:
$102
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Whale Watching (July 15 to October 15), and Island Tour in the Gulf of Chiriqui:
$85
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Flores spend on average $17 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $3.56 on alcoholic beverages in Boquete per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Flores
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Flores and Boquete, we can see that Boquete is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores 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 Boquete would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boquete than you might in Flores.
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