Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Istanbul?
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 Istanbul or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Istanbul or Panama City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Istanbul or Panama City?
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Istanbul Prices
Turkey PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIstanbul $159Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Istanbul is $159, 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 Istanbul and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIstanbul $74Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIstanbul $148Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Istanbul and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Istanbul 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: Istanbul Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Istanbul $35Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Metro Cards$4.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Private Cultural Tours, Hotel Transfers Including: $299
- Istanbul Dolmabahçe Palace Private Tour with Transfers: $295
- Istanbul Old City Private Tour With Professional Guide & Transfer: $272
- Private Transfer from Istanbul Airport to Sabiha Gökcen Airport: $267
- Istanbul Airport Transfer: Istanbul to Sabiha Airport SAW in Luxury Car: $238
- Istanbul Airport Transfer: New Airport IST to Istanbul in Luxury Car: $238
- Istanbul Roundtrip Airport Transfer and 1 Day Chauffeur Service: $203
- Istanbul Layover Tour: Private & Personalized with Transfers: $185
- Istanbul Private Airport Transfer: $182
- Istanbul Private Tour Designed for Layover Flight, Transfer incl.: $175
- Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Layover Flight. Transfer incl.: $175
- Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Cruise Layovers. Transfers incl.: $174
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Airport PTY to/from Panama City: $17
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- PTY Tours & Airport transfers: $22
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Downtown Panama City, Panama: $23
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels: $25
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY): $28
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Istanbul or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Istanbul 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 dayIstanbul $59Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Dinner Cruise Show: $20
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour: $22
- Dinner and Turkish Night Show in Bosphorus Strait: $29
- Budget Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Party: $29
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Show Private Table: $29
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Shows and Drinks: $30
- Mega Lüfer Dinner Cruise Bosphorus and Show with Private Table: $30
- Bosphorus Turkish Night Show and Dinner Cruise with Private Table: $30
- Istanbul Night Life : Bosphorus Dinner Cruise - Unlimited Drinks: $31
- Bosphorus Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Private Table: $31
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Night Show: $32
- Istanbul Turkish Coffee Cooking and Tasting with Locals at Home: $33
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 Food Tour Local Markets Immersion (Tasting tour + Lunch): $50
- Unique Ravioli Fusion Cooking Class with lunch in Panama City: $55
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Istanbul $39Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- "Walk Through History: A Bespoke Istanbul Adventure": $149
- 1 Istanbul Tour: Highlights, Street Food & Hidden Pearls: $278
- 1 Perfect Day in Istanbul Private Guided Tour of the City’s Icons: $250
- 1 or 2 Day Private Istanbul Guided Tour: $72
- 1,2 or 3 DAY: Private Guided Istanbul Tour from CRUISE SHIP or HOTEL: $130
- 1-Day Private Istanbul Layover Tour: $240
- 2 Full Days Guided Istanbul City Tour With Skip the Line Entry: $197
- 2 Hours Bosphorus Cruise ((MORNING TOUR)): $23
- 2 Hours Small Group Guided Bosphorus Luxury Yacht Cruise: $32
- 2-Days Private Walking Tour in Istanbul: $300
- 3 Day Guided Private Tour in Istanbul: $200
- 3 Day Istanbul Historical and Cultural Tour - Old City and Cruise: $295
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $25
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City : Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $35
- Craft Your Own Rum: The Casa Barú Experience Casco Viejo: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- City Tour guiado en Panamá con Canal y Casco Antiguo: $35
- Panama City Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIstanbul $11Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus in Sultanahmet and Taksim: $30
- Pub Crawl Original Istanbul Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $30
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries: $207
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Istanbul and Panama City, we can see that Istanbul is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Istanbul 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 Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul 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 Istanbul Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Istanbul or Panama City?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Istanbul 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.