Which place is cheaper, Panama City or London?
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 London or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between London and Panama City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: London or Panama City?
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is a thriving multicultural metropolis. Steeped in iconic landmarks, world-class museums and royal parks, London is energetic, majestic, ambitious and one of the world's greatest cities. London is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, an amazing place to eat and one of those cities that is constantly changing with new and exciting things sprouting up almost every day. History and tradition greet you at every turn in the UK's capital. London is also a city with an edgy underbelly, delighting in neon pink dive bars, cheeky graffiti and mind-blowing street food. When you need a break from the action, pop into a pub or relax in one of the city's many parks. Blow through the city on a double-decker bus, and take a pinch-me-I'm-in-London walk through the West End. As one of the most visited cities in the world, London is busy, vibrant and very tourist friendly. The only problem with London is that it's very expensive; it can eat away at your budget if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are also tons of free or cheap things to do in London that can fill your time.
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 Coach Bus Tours in United Kingdom, The Best Adventure Tours to United Kingdom, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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London Prices
UK PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLondon £217Panama City £76
The average daily cost (per person) in London is £217, while the average daily cost in Panama City is £76. 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 London and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLondon £125Panama City £26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLondon £250Panama City £52
Compare Hotels in London and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in London 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: London Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.London £26Panama City £7.96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in London:
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Taxi Ride£15
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Heathrow Express£18
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Luggage Storage£8.00
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London Map£1.29
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Oyster Card£36
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Train to Gatwick Airport (2)£22
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Oyster Card£27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in London
Also for London, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Southampton Port Transfer with Stonehenge stop-over included: $815
- Southampton: LHR to Southampton Executive SUV Transfer: $700
- Private Transfer London Heathrow Airport to Southampton Port: $619
- Private Transfer From Southampton Cruise Terminal to London: $606
- Private Transfer Heathrow to Southampton Cruise Terminal: $606
- Airport - hotel - airport transfers for Heathrow groups.: $532
- Cambridge: LHR to Cambridge Executive SUV Transfer: $525
- Transfer to/ from Dover Cruise port to Central London: $504
- Transfer to/from London Gatwick Airport to Dover Cruise Port: $487
- Southampton To London Heathrow Airport Transfers: $471
- Heathrow to Southampton Private Cruise Transfer Luxury MPV: $471
- London Hotels and Airports: Private Transfer to Southampton: $471
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 London or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and London 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 dayLondon £59Panama City £27
Typical Food Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to London:
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Lunch at Starbucks£13
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Tea£6.00
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Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason£39
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Morning Tea£6.35
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Pastry£5.00
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Sushi Dinner for One£18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in London
For London, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Borough Market Food Tour - Self Guided: $6.97
- London Food Tour of Soho & Covent Garden: $19
- Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $43
- Ultimate London Cheese Crawl : Guided Food Tour: $48
- Pizza Making Masterclass: $61
- The English Food You Don't Expect Food Tour of London: $68
- French Cuisine Dinner & Comedy Show Experience, Covent Garden: $87
- Authentic Japanese Cooking Class in North London Home: $93
- Devour Borough Market & Leadenhall Food Tour with Wine: $106
- London Foodie Adventure with Sherpa Food Tour: $109
- Japanese Izakaya Dinner & Comedy Show Experience, Covent Garden: $116
- London Dinner Cruise on the Thames River: $119
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£6.15
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.London £33Panama City £49
Typical Entertainment Prices in London
For London, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Two Tickets to a Concert£83
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London Symphony Orchestra£34
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London Pass£47
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Comedy Show£8.00
Tours and Activities in London
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for London.
- 2 Hours Rock and Roll Historical Walking Tour in London: $67
- 2 hour British Museum Highlights Private Guided Tour: $259
- 2 hour Walking Tour in Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage in London: $27
- 2-Hour Private London Photoshoot - Full Experience: $273
- 3 Hour Private Downton Abbey London Locations Walking Tour: $259
- 3 Hours Historic Pub Experience in London: $80
- 3 Locks Brewing Company Tour and Tasting Experience in Camden: $34
- 3 hour Self Guided Canoe Adventures on the Thames: $75
- 3-Hour Historic Pub Experience in London: $80
- 3-Hour Private London Photography Tour of famous Landmarks: $172
- 3-Hour Private Tour of East London Graffiti & Street Art: $245
- 4 Hours Classic London Tour in a Private Vehicle: $245
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 dayLondon £15Panama City £14
Sample the Local Flavors in London
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in London:
- An Epic Bar Crawl in London United Kingdom: $15
- 1 Big Night Out Weekday Pub Crawl: $26
- London Pub Crawl: $29
- Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery Tour and Cocktail: $30
- London PUB CRAWL Shots Pints & Good Times: $34
- The Great East London Pub Crawl!: $34
- Pub Crawl of Central London: $35
- Sipsmith Distillery Tour and Complimentary Tasting: $41
- North London Craft Brewery Tour: $67
- London Sightseeing Gusbourne Sparkling Wine Tasting & Cheese: $67
- London Historical Pub Tour with Pilgrims and Pirates: $80
- Pub Crawl and Sing along London Experience: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between London and Panama City, we can see that London is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since London 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 London would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in London 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 London Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, London or Panama City?
London has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of London 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.