Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Kingston?
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 Kingston or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Kingston 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: Kingston or Panama City?
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Kingston Prices
Jamaica PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKingston $123Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $123, 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 Kingston and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKingston $62Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKingston $124Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Kingston and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Kingston 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: Kingston Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kingston $28Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- Montego Bay: 5-Day Jamaica Tour with Meals and Transfers: $2,200
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Negril: $749
- Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Montego Bay: $479
- Tropical Off-Road ATV Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $369
- From Kingston Airport: One Way Private Transfer to Ocho Rios: $319
- Runaway Bay Hotels Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $261
- Group Private Kingston Airport Transfers (10 - 15 Persons): $251
- Port Antonio Hotel Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $235
- Kingston Round Trip Airport Transfers to Ocho Rios : $230
- NMIA & Kingston transfer to Negril: $225
- Airport Group Transfers-Kingston: $180
- Transfer for Kingston Airport to and from Hotels in Montego Bay: $173
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 2 Days 1 Night Tour in Panama : Hotel and Transfers: $278
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to City by Luxury SUV: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Panama City by SUV: $75
- Arrival Transfer Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Panama by Sprinter: $152
- Luxury SUV Private Transfer Panama City to Panama PTY Airport: $84
- One Way Private transfer Panama City PTY Airport to City: $19
- Panamá Tocumen Airport Hotel or airbnb Transfer: $25
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $213
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $34
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $67
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Kingston or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Kingston 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 dayKingston $44Panama 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$8.24
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
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kingston $12Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Ocho Rios: $232
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios : $62
- Bamboo Rafting and Boston Jerk Centre Tour in Portland Jamaica: $220
- Blue Mountain Tour: A Half-Day Escape from Kingston: $1,011
- Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
- Bob Marley Guided City Tour: $95
- Bob Marley Museum Entry Ticket: $30
- Bob Marley Museum Express Tour from Port Royal Cruise Port: $141
- Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and Downtown Kingston Tour: $134
- City Tour of Kingston Including Entry Fees: $105
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Devon House City Tour Combo: $85
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: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $26
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $27
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $29
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Causeway and Old Town Night Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Panama City: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKingston $11Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kingston and Panama City, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands 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 Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston 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 Kingston Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kingston or Panama City?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Kingston 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.