Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Mar del Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 Mar del Plata and Panama City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Mar del Plata is found only 404 km southeast of the city of Buenos Aires, on the Atlantic coast. Today Mar Del Plata is Argentina‘s most well known beach resort. It has successfully married the two worlds of beach and city into a fun, cosmopolitan urban center with the presence of highly developed tourist infrastructure. Founded in 1874, Mar del Plata was at first mainly an industrial and commercial center before becoming a vacation destination for Argentinians. For a peaceful trip and intimate oceanfront promenades, avoid visiting Mar del Plata during summer time, as the gorgeous arced coastline will be crawling with visitors. But the city is more than just beaches. It also offers some culture, lively nightlife, and great food.
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 Luxury Tours to Argentina, The Best Budget Tours to Argentina, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mar del Plata is $8.78, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $86. 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 Mar del Plata and Panama City in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Mar del Plata 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.
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Mar del Plata 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mar del Plata and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Mar del Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mar del Plata is in South America 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 Mar del Plata would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mar del Plata Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Mar del Plata has a larger population, and is about 36% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Mar del Plata 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.