Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Foz do Iguacu?
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 Foz do Iguacu 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 Foz do Iguacu 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: Foz do Iguacu or Panama City?
Foz do Iguacu
Foz do Iguacu is a larger city in Brazil that is most famous for the Iguacu Falls. The city serves as an entry point for Paraguay and Argentina as well. The obvious reason to visit the city is to see the beautiful falls, and together with Ciudad del Este, Paraguay and Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, it makes up one of the largest tourism sights in South America.
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 Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Foz do Iguacu Prices
Brazil PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFoz do Iguacu $81Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Foz do Iguacu is $81, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $102. 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 Foz do Iguacu and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFoz do Iguacu $29Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFoz do Iguacu $58Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Foz do Iguacu and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Foz do Iguacu 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: Foz do Iguacu Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Foz do Iguacu $13Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Foz do Iguacu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Foz do Iguacu:
- Private Transfer to Foz do Iguaçu from the Airport: $164
- Shared Roundtrip Transfers with Brazilian and Argentinian sides: $159
- Transfer from Foz de Iguazu Airport to Hotels on the Argentine side: $130
- Macuco Safari Boat with Transfer: $117
- Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu Hotels: $82
- Private Transfer from IGU to Any Point within Foz Do Iguaçu City: $80
- Private transfer from Foz do Iguaçu Airport to Puerto Iguazu: $72
- Roundtrip Airport Transfer in Foz do Iguaçu: $51
- Private airport transfers – National & International: $37
- Brazilian Falls Tour Transfers with Tour Guide: $31
- PRIVATE Transfer Iguassu Airport (IGU) to Hotels in Iguassu: $30
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Foz de Iguazu Airport (IGU): $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $64
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca - Private Transfer: $77
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $102
Is it cheaper to fly into Foz do Iguacu or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Foz do Iguacu 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 dayFoz do Iguacu $38Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Foz do Iguacu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Foz do Iguacu.
- Rafain Dinner Show: $73
- Boozy Cooking Class in Foz do Iguacu with a chef: $85
- Foz do Iguacu Brazilian BBQ and Home Cooking with a Local: $85
- Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included: $108
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Selva Iriapu Hotels Exclusive: $110
- Foz do Iguaçu: Latin American Show with Dinner and Transfers: $119
- Dinner Show - Rafain Steakhouse: $120
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Belmond Hotel Cataratas: $135
- Rafain Samba Show & Dinner – Round Trip Transfer Included: $135
- Dinner Show at Rafain in Foz do Iguaçu: $136
- Foz: Private Guide & Transfer to Shared Dinner Show Experience: $208
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$8.27
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:
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show - All Inclusive Experience: $70
- Panama City by Night: Rooftop Skyline, Dinner & Folklore Show: $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Foz do Iguacu $24Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Foz do Iguacu
Here are a few actual costs in Foz do Iguacu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Iguaçu Falls Tour across Brazil and Argentina: $61
- 1 Day Private Tour of Brazilian and Argentine Waterfalls: $92
- 2-Day Private Tour Iguaçu Falls Brazil and Argentina: $235
- 2-Days PRIVATE Brasil & Argentina Experience Iguazu Falls: $185
- Afternoon Iguazu Falls Tour with Sunset & Drinks – Brazil Side: $179
- Airport IGU Round Trip & 2 Days Sightseeing in Iguassu: $245
- AquaFoz VIP Experience with Guided Tour: $189
- Argentina Iguazu Falls Private Tour with Professional Guide: $164
- Best Private Tour Iguassu Falls Brazil, Argentina in 1 day: $123
- Bike Tour 3 Countries in 1 Day - 55 KM | (All Day): $168
- Bike Tour Argentina: Pedal in the Guarani Indigenous Community: $127
- Bird Park Tour: $38
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $15
- Panama Chocolate Factory Experience and Tasting: $19
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $24
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $26
- Rum & Chocolate Pairing: The Casa Baru Experience Casco Viejo: $28
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City : Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $34
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFoz do Iguacu $12Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Foz do Iguacu
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Foz do Iguacu from other travelers:
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Beer$0.86
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Foz do Iguacu and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Foz do Iguacu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Foz do Iguacu is in South America 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 Foz do Iguacu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Foz do Iguacu 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 Foz do Iguacu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Foz do Iguacu Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Foz do Iguacu or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 39% larger than the population of Foz do Iguacu. When comparing the sizes of Foz do Iguacu 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.