Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Ho Chi Minh City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ho Chi Minh City or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Panama City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Ho Chi Minh City or Panama City?
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. It previously served as the capital of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The metropolitan area, including Ho Chi Minh City, Thu Dau Mot, Di An, Bien Hoa, and other surrounding towns, has a population of more than 9 million people and continues to grow.
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 Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best 10-Day Tours in Vietnam, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHo Chi Minh City $80Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Ho Chi Minh City is $80, 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 Ho Chi Minh City and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHo Chi Minh City $48Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHo Chi Minh City $96Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh 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: Ho Chi Minh City Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ho Chi Minh City $15Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ho Chi Minh City:
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Short Taxi Ride$1.38
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Taxi From Airport$7.87
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Cyclo Ride (One Hour)$1.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ho Chi Minh City
Also for Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh: $358
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City: $358
- Private Taxi transfer from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh: $358
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Phnom Penh: $292
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Nha Trang Cang Pha Vinpearl : $274
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Nha Trang: $273
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Cam Ranh: $260
- Private Transfer: Ho Chi Minh City Center/ Airport - Mui Ne/Phan Thiet: $258
- Private Transfer from Cam Ranh to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport: $245
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Phang Rang Thap Cham: $235
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Ca Mau: $229
- Private Transfer from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport to Vinh Tan: $223
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Private Transfer to Coronado: $271
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $267
- Round trip transfer in private Car from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $240
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca resorts : $206
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Skip the Line: Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket with Transfer: $155
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Round-Trip Transfer in Private Minivan from-to Tocumen Airport in Playa Bonita: $140
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $137
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $137
Is it cheaper to fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Ho Chi Minh 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 dayHo Chi Minh City $14Panama City $21
Typical Food Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ho Chi Minh City:
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Street Food Dinner (for Two)$4.21
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Pizza$5.12
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Sweet Rice$1.18
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Pork Sandwich$0.59
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.68
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Western Lunch (for Two)$12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ho Chi Minh City
For Ho Chi Minh City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Saigon Unseen & Food Tour By scooter w Student | Saigon Adventure: $19
- Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Tour by Motorbike/ Car with Student : $19
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike (Unique & Authentic): $26
- Private Walking Food Tour with Local Students : $26
- Saigon: Backstreets Private Walking Food Tour & 10 Tastings: $27
- Food Tour by Scooter with Eleven Tastings: $27
- Super Niche Walking Street Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh City: $28
- Ho Chi Minh Street Food Tour By Motorbike/Car + Sightseeing + Fun: $28
- Top Notch Street Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $28
- Private Walking Food Tour with 13 Tastings: $28
- Private Half-Day Ho Chi Minh Food Tour with Local Students: $29
- Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour With Saigon Vibes: $29
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
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- 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.Ho Chi Minh City $20Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
For Ho Chi Minh City, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Massage$5.51
Tours and Activities in Ho Chi Minh City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ho Chi Minh City.
- From Ho Chi Minh to Mui Ne 3 Days Tour | 4 Star Beach Resort : $170
- Mekong Delta Discovery Day Tour - My Tho - Ben Tre: $46
- Mekong Vespa Tour 5 hours: $92
- Mui Ne,Fairy Spring, Sand dunes, Fishing Village, Private Tour: $290
- Non-Touristy Mekong Delta with Biking in Ben Tre Private Tour: $40
- Private Mekong Delta 1 Day Tour: $65
- Private Tour Water Puppet Show And Cruise Tour On Saigon River : $65
- Saigon Vegetarian Tour by Motorbike and Scooter: $39
- 'Cost-Saving' Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta 1-Day Tour: $65
- 'Cost-Saving' Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta 1-Day Tour: $60
- "Less-touristy" Mekong Delta Ben Tre Cruising Fullday: $138
- 02 - Days: Experience The Real Mekong Delta By Bike & Boat.: $220
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 4-Hour Gatun Lake Boat Tour and Jungle Wildlife: $99
- 5-Hour Tour to Miraflores Locks and Sloth Sanctuary: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHo Chi Minh City $7.86Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ho Chi Minh City
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Ho Chi Minh City:
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Beer$0.39
When comparing the travel costs between Ho Chi Minh City and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Ho Chi Minh City is in Asia and Panama City is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ho Chi Minh City Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ho Chi Minh City or Panama City?
Ho Chi Minh City has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Ho Chi Minh 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.