A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lombok vs. David for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Lombok or David?

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 Lombok and David. 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: Lombok or David?

Lombok

Lombok is an island east of the well-tread Bali and west of lesser-developed Sumbawa. While Lombok is not as popular as its neighbor to the west, it is a great place to visit for that very reason. Less popularity means lower prices for accommodations, food, activities, and less-inundated tourist spots. Nonetheless, Lombok is rapidly developing in tourism, and the government is naming it and Sumbawa the number two tourism spots, following Bali.

David

In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Indonesia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Indonesia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, and The Best Budget Tours to Panama.


Which place is cheaper, David or Lombok?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Lombok is $56, while the average daily cost in David is $39. 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 Lombok and David in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lombok $26
    David $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lombok $52
    David $24
Compare Hotels in Lombok and David

Looking for a hotel in Lombok or David? 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.

Hotels in Lombok


Hotels in David


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: David Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lombok $10
    David $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lombok

Also for Lombok, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Lombok Airport Transfer: $9.47
  • Private Transfer International Airport Lombok (LOP) To Hotel: $17
  • Lombok Private Transfer from or to Airports & Hotel/Ports: $17
  • Airport transfer from lombok Airport to Praya: $22
  • Transfer Service to Lombok Airport: $22
  • Lombok Int Airport (LOP) to Lombok - Arrival Private Transfer: $25
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Lombok Cruise Port: $26
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Cruise Port to Lombok Airport (LOP): $26
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Airport (LOP) to Koeta: $29
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Cruise Port to Lombok island hotels: $29
  • Private Transfer from Lombok Island Hotels to Lombok Cruise Port: $29
  • Gili Trawangan, Air, or 1-Way Boat Transfer to Bali: $29

Is it cheaper to fly into Lombok or David?

Prices for flights to both David and Lombok 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Lombok $19
    David $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lombok

For Lombok, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Anggrek Putih Lombok Cooking Class: $30
  • Gili Trawangan: Authentic Indonesian Food Gili Cooking Class: $44
  • Kids Cooking Class at Tugu Hotel Lombok: $55
  • Traditional Cooking Class Experience With Recipes From The Past Generations: $70
  • Royal Dinner Experience in Lombok at Royal Tugudom: $119

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lombok $9.38
    David $4.37

Tours and Activities in Lombok

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lombok.

  • Gili T Island: The Thrilling Sunset Snorkeling Adventure: $16
  • Gili Air : Shared Tour with Sea Turtles & Underwater Statues: $18
  • Lombok Wildlife Park: Admission Ticket: $20
  • Lombok Waterfalls & Sukarara Weaving Village Tour: $22
  • Tetebatu Walking Tour: $23
  • Sasak Villages, Beaches, and Merese Hill Tour: $35
  • Lombok Sasak Culture and Village Tour: $35
  • Lombok Private Custom Tour - Lombok Car Hire with Driver: $36
  • Gili Nanggu, Sudak and Kedis Snorkeling Tour and Island Hopping: $41
  • Lombok Biking Tour: $41
  • Exclusive Private Lombok Car Hire & Customized Tour: $43
  • Lombok Wildlife Park: Elephant Observation Experience: $43

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lombok $7.42
    David -


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lombok and David, we can see that Lombok is more expensive. And not only is David much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lombok is in Asia and David 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 David would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in David 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 Lombok would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lombok than you might in David.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lombok Expensive? and Is David Expensive?.