Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Ilha Grande?
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 Ilha Grande or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande 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: Ilha Grande or Panama City?
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
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 3-Day Tours from Manaus, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Ilha Grande Prices
Brazil PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $83Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $83, 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 Ilha Grande and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $37Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $74Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande 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: Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $18Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Departure private transfer from Costa do Sol to Rio GIG Airport: $160
- Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $50
- Regular transfer from Isla Grande (Abraão) x Rio de Janeiro: $48
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Private transfer from Panama to Airport: $36
- Private Transfer pty Tocumen to Panama City Price per Group: $42
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Gamboa: $40
- Premium Transfers in Panama: $36
- Panama: Private transfer to Tocumen Airport: $24
- Panama: Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport: $24
- Panama: Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport: $23
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Shopping at Albrook Mall & Round-Trip Transfer: $36
- One-Way or Round-Trip PTY Airport Transfer: $51
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Ilha Grande 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 dayIlha Grande $36Panama City $36
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$8.25
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:
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.57Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $84
- Angra Islands Speedboat Tour from Paraty: $64
- Angra Paradise Islands Speedboat Tour: $89
- Angra Paradise Islands Speedboat Tour: $85
- Angra Super Blue Lagoon Speedboat Tour: $79
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $74
- Boat Adventure through the Super Blue Lagoon in Angra dos Reis: $109
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $20
- Discover Angra’s Hidden Paradise Islands by Speedboat Tour: $115
- Diving Adventures in Angra dos Reis: $239
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $46
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
- 2 Nights in San Blas - Shared Cabin + Meals + Boat Tour: $179
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- ALL INCLUSIVE San Blas Islands Day Tour on Sailboat: $240
- City Tour In privates cars Around the city and Panama Canal: $198
- City Tour Panama City + Canal + Shopping: $40
- City Tour: Miraflores Locks, Casco Viejo & Amador Causeway: $90
- Disco Tour,in Private car The Best Clubs & Rooftop,Old Town: $87
- Disco Walking Tour, The Best Clubs and Rooftop, Casco viejo: $50
- Discover Santa Ana and El Chorrillo: an urban and culinary tour: $60
- Ecotour and Indian Village: $150
- El Tigrero Waterfall Adventure: $144
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $11Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Ilha Grande much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
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.