Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Guatemala City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Guatemala, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
-
Guatemala City Prices
Guatemala PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuatemala City $56Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $56, 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 Guatemala City and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuatemala City $24Panama City $35
-
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
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guatemala City $6.25Panama 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
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Puerto Quetzal Port: $210
- Private Transfer - Guatemala Airport (GUA) to Puerto Quetzal Port: $210
- Private transfer - San Pedro la Laguna to Guatemala City: $200
- Private Transfers from Guatemala city to Panajachel: $200
- Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
- Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $90
- Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $80
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
- One way private transfer to Antigua: $69
- Private Transfer From La Aurora AirPort to Panajachel Atitlan : $67
- Private transfer from La Aurora Airport to Panajachel: $65
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 : $12
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- One Way Private transfer Panama City PTY Airport to City: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport : $19
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfer Airport - City / Min 2 pax: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Premium Airport Transfer to Panama City Hotels: $21
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
-
Food Meals for one dayGuatemala City $27Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- PRIVATE MAYAN COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF EN Guatemala City: $65
- Antigua: Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class: $90
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Surrounded by The Volcano: $175
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $188
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Cooking Class in Panama City with 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
- Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guatemala City $1.22Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- 2in1 Tour: Avocado Farm + Private Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $195
- 3-Hour Bike Tour Guatemala City: $60
- 4-Hour Bike Tour Guatemala City: $70
- Antigua City Tour from Guatemala City: $78
- Antigua Guatemala & Guatemala City Tour: $65
- Antigua Guatemala , Full-Day Shared Tour from Guatemala City: $75
- Antigua Guatemala Full Day Tour: $65
- Antigua Guatemala Stopover Tour: $75
- Antigua walking tour from Guatemala City : $90
- City walking tour Guatemala City and Relieff Map: $47
- Climb Active Pacaya Volcano - Shared Tour: $75
- Colonial Antigua Guatemala walking tour & Hot Springs from Guatemala City: $99
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
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama Casco Viejo: Walking Tour Must See Treasures!!!: $25
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $27
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $29
- Panama: Panama City City Tour + Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks): $30
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Causeway and Old Town Night Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuatemala City $6.93Panama 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.