Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Guatemala City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Guatemala City or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Guatemala City 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: Guatemala City or Panama City?
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuatemala City $44Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $44, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $86. 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 Guatemala City and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuatemala City $24Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuatemala City $48Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Guatemala City and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Guatemala City 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: Guatemala City Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guatemala City $6.17Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Panajachel or Atitlan: $254
- Guatemala Airport to San Felipe de Lara RoundTrip PrivateTransfer: $152
- Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $150
- Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
- Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $80
- Transfer from Guatemala City hotel to INTL Airport La Aurora: $75
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
- One way private transfer to Antigua: $74
- Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
- Private one way transfer in Guatemala: $45
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
- Private Airport Transfer La Aurora airport to Guatemala: $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (Tocumen Airport To/From Panamá): $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $23
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $25
- Tocumen Airport Private Transfer. Arrivals / Departures: $27
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Panama city to Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Private Transfer: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Guatemala City or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Guatemala City 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 dayGuatemala City $15Panama City $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Cooked Under Volcanic Heat: $180
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guatemala City $1.21Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- 2-Day Chichicastenango and Lake Atitlan Tour from Guatemala City or Antigua: $265
- 2-Hour Culture and Historical Tour From Guatemala: $29
- 3-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South: $55
- 4-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South Center: $65
- Antigua City Tour from Guatemala City: $77
- Antigua Guatemala Full Day Tour: $58
- Antigua walking tour from Guatemala City : $90
- Chichicastenango - Panajachel collective tour: $150
- Chichicastenango Market Tour: $116
- Climb Active Pacaya Volcano + Box Lunch at the Top - Shared Tour: $75
- Combo Tour: Colonial Antigua & Guatemala City Explorer Tour: $65
- Culinary Experience in Guatemala City: $15
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Casco Antiguo Virtual Live Tour: $12
- Bar tour in El Cangrejo with Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- Tour de bares en El Cangrejo con Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- POIN Glass Viewpoint Experience: $27
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Panama City Bike Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old City with locals: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuatemala City $6.84Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guatemala City and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala 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 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 Guatemala City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guatemala City Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guatemala City or Panama City?
Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Guatemala City 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.