Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Jakarta?
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 Jakarta or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Jakarta and Panama City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Jakarta or Panama City?
Jakarta
As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.
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 Indonesia, The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Jakarta Prices
Indonesia PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJakarta $68Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Jakarta is $68, 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 Jakarta and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJakarta $30Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJakarta $60Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Jakarta and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Jakarta 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: Jakarta Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Jakarta $18Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:
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Taxi to Station$0.97
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta
Also for Jakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Ujung Genteng Sukabumi: $225
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regenc to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $191
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regenc: $191
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukarasa Kuningan Regency: $191
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regency to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $180
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukaresmi Garut Regency: $180
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regency: $179
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukarasa Kuningan Regency: $179
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukaresmi Bandung: $172
- Jakarta Airport CGK to Bandung or Lembang Round Trip Transfer: $140
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukatani Purwakarta Regency: $125
- Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukaresmi Bandung: $117
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- Private Transfer from Panama City or PTY Airport to Beach Resort: $220
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $208
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport to Beach Resorts: $175
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $152
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $146
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $146
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Decameron -Arrival Private Transfer: $104
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $104
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Linton Bay Marina: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Jakarta or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Jakarta 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 dayJakarta $26Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:
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Dinner$2.45
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Dinner$0.67
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta
For Jakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fun Food Tour Jakarta: $30
- Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
- Jakarta Night Tour with Dinner at Café or Food street: $50
- Melawai Night Street Food Tour: $67
- Jakarta Private Cooking Class and Experience Tour: $120
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$8.24
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:
- Panama Food Tour Local Markets Immersion (Tasting tour + Lunch): $50
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $65
- 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.Jakarta $11Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Jakarta
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jakarta.
- 1 Day Jakarta Historical Tour: $75
- 1 Day Motorcycle Adventure Tour West Java: $204
- 1 Day Motorcycle Tour To Citorek Banten West Of Java: $213
- 3 Hours Jakarta City Tour (Jakarta's Iconic Places): $45
- 8 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (All Tourist Attractions): $109
- Afternoon city tour Jakarta: $82
- Authentic Full Day Colonial Jakarta Heritage Trail Tour: $75
- Bandung City Tour Mountain Volcano and Hotspring ( Start From Jakarta): $154
- Batik Course & City Tour Jakarta: $60
- Bogor City Full-Day Private Tour from Jakarta with Pick Up: $160
- Bogor City Tour Nature waterfall with Local Food ( Start From Jakarta ): $130
- City Tour Jakarta: $75
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour ": $100
- 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of Panama Canal & Old Town & More: $150
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5-Star Embera Village Tour | Waterfall, Lunch & River: $75
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
- 5hrs Panama City and Canal Tour + Amenities: $65
- 7 hour Miraflores Locks + Sloth Sancturay in Gamboa Tour: $150
- ALL INCLUSIVE San Blas Islands Day Tour on Sailboat: $240
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJakarta $3.79Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jakarta is in Asia 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 Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta 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 Jakarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Jakarta Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Jakarta or Panama City?
Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta 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.