A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Gothenburg vs. Panama City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Gothenburg or Panama City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Gothenburg or Panama City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Gothenburg or Panama City?

Gothenburg

Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden with a population of about 500,000. It is located on the western coast at the edge of the Gota River. It's a very friendly and welcoming city with a great vibe. Part of its energy comes from the Gothenburg University, which, with over 60,000 students, is the largest university in the country. Historically, Gothenburg has working class roots which are still apparent today, particularly in the city's harbour area. Recently there has been a growing number of expensive restaurants and cafes, showing that the demographic continues to evolve.

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 10-Day Tours in Sweden, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Sweden, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Gothenburg?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Gothenburg Prices
    Sweden Prices
    Panama City Prices
    Panama Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Gothenburg $140
    Panama City $101

The average daily cost (per person) in Gothenburg is $140, 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 Gothenburg and Panama City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Gothenburg $45
    Panama City $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Gothenburg $90
    Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Gothenburg and Panama City

Looking for a hotel in Gothenburg 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.

Hotels in Gothenburg


Hotels in Panama City


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: Gothenburg Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Gothenburg $20
    Panama City $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gothenburg

Also for Gothenburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Goteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT) to Goteborg City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $211
  • Private Transfer Gothenburg Airport GOT to Gothenburg by Sedan: $168
  • City Highlights Bike Tour with Transfer: $130
  • Airport Transfer: Gothenburg to Airport GOT by Business Car: $129
  • Private Transfer From Gothenburg Landvetter Airport to Gothenburg Hotels: $110
  • Goteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT) to Goteborg City - Arrival Private Transfer: $106
  • Gothenburg Private Transfer from Central Gothenburg to Gothenburg Airport: $79
  • Gothenburg Airport: Transfer to City center of Gothenburg: $76
  • Landvetter Airport Bus Transfer Departure: $16
  • Landvetter Airport Bus Transfer Arrival: $16

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
  • Transfers to Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf, Rio hato: $45
  • Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
  • Transfer to or from the airport / Min 2 pax: $20
  • Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
  • Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
  • 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 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 (PTY) to Playa Bonita (Westin and Dreams): $38

Is it cheaper to fly into Gothenburg or Panama City?

Prices for flights to both Panama City and Gothenburg 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Gothenburg $74
    Panama City $36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gothenburg

For Gothenburg, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Taysta's Food Tour i Göteborg: $42

Typical Food Prices in Panama City

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:


  • 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:

  • Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $44
  • Panama City Market Food Tour & Lunch by Paradox Experience: $50
  • Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
  • 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
  • 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
  • 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
  • Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
  • Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Gothenburg $17
    Panama City $66

Tours and Activities in Gothenburg

For Gothenburg, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 24h Gothenburg Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tour: $37
  • 24h Gothenburg Hop-On Hop-Off Tour by Bus and Boat: $53
  • Archipelago Tour with guide Gothenburg: $46
  • Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $48
  • Bike Tour Gothenburg, Guided Bicycle Tours: $64
  • City Kayak Tour: $60
  • City Sightseeing Gothenburg Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $38
  • Entry Ticket To Gothenburg Museum of art with pickup: $70
  • Entry Ticket To Gothenburg Museum of art with pickup: $76
  • Gothenburg - Private guided tour: $581
  • Gothenburg 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket: $37
  • Gothenburg : Must-See Attractions Walking Tour: $122

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
  • 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
  • 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
  • 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
  • 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
  • 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
  • 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
  • 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
  • 5 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City: $100
  • 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
  • 5hrs Panama City and Canal Tour + Amenities: $65
  • 6-Hour Culture and Nature Tour in Embera Tribe - All Included: $155

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Gothenburg $23
    Panama City $18


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Gothenburg and Panama City, we can see that Gothenburg is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Gothenburg 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 Gothenburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gothenburg 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 Gothenburg Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Gothenburg or Panama City?

Gothenburg has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Gothenburg 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.