Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Melaka?
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 Melaka or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Melaka 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: Melaka or Panama City?
Melaka
Melaka (or Malacca) is a large city on the western coast of Malaysia about half way between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. This historical city grew up as a result of trading in the region due to its position on the namesake Straights of Malacca, a natural waterway formed from the peninsula of Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Melaka Prices
Malaysia PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelaka $34Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Melaka is $34, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $102. 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 Melaka and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelaka $9.79Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelaka $20Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Melaka and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Melaka 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: Melaka Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melaka $2.15Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melaka
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Melaka are as follows:
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Taxi$4.90
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Bus Ride$0.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melaka
Also for Melaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- ~Chauffeur: Malacca to Kuantan Transfer [MPV]: $287
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Johor Bahru city: $247
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Desaru Transfer [Car]: $240
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Shah Alam City: $236
- Private Transfer from Malacca Cruise Port to Subang Jaya city: $236
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Singapore Car Transfer: $220
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Mersing Transfer [Car]: $214
- Private Transfer : Taman Negara Kuala Tahan to Cameron Highlands: $170
- Chauffeur: Malacca to Desaru Transfer [Van]: $88
- Malacca Hotel to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $73
- Private Transfer from Malacca Port to Kuala Lumpur Airport (KUL): $65
- Malacca City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport 1-way Transfer: $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca resorts: $222
- Private Transfer from PTY to Playa Blanca resorts: $222
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Coronado/Gorgona - Round-Trip Transfer: $209
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $157
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $147
- Transfer Hotel/Airport to Resorts in Playa - return or return: $125
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $105
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Linton Bay Marina: $90
- Premium Private Transfer : Airport to Hotel Panama city: $85
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
Is it cheaper to fly into Melaka or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Melaka 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 dayMelaka $21Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Melaka
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Melaka:
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$7.34
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Dinner at the Market (for Two)$3.18
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Asam Pedas (Fish Curry)$1.47
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Taiwanese Noodle Soup$1.22
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Sitdown Dinner (for Two)$7.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Rempah Routes Melaka Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Melaka Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Small Group Melaka After Dark Food Tour: $75
- Private Traditional Peranakan & Malay Cooking Class in Melaka: $95
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$8.27
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 City Market Food Tour & Lunch by Paradox Experience: $50
- Panamanian Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melaka $4.15Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Melaka
For Melaka, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Maritime Museum Entrance$0.73
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Taming Sari Revolving Tower Entrance$4.90
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$11
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Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum Entrance$2.45
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Melaka Zoo Entrance$1.71
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Low Cost Kite$0.73
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Malacca Duck Tour$9.79
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Melaka River Cruise (One Hour)$2.45
Tours and Activities in Melaka
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Melaka.
- *13 Hrs Best of Melaka Full Day Flexible Van Tour w' Tour Guide: $84
- Essential Self-Guided Tour of it's UNESCO Heritage Centre: $15
- From Kuala Lumpur Full Day A'Famosa Theme Park Experience: $40
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malacca City To Kuala Lumpur City En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca Hotels To Kuala Lumpur Hotels En-route Putrajaya Tour: $49
- Malacca Instagram Tour: Top Spots (Private & All-Inclusive): $328
- Malacca Shore Excursion with Tour Guide & Baba Nyonya Lunch: $182
- Malacca To Kuala Lumpur EN-ROUTE Putrajaya City Tour: $61
- Malaysia: A'famosa Melaka Ticket: $18
- Malaysia: Melaka Upside Down House Entry Ticket: $7.21
- Melaka UNESCO City Guided Walking Tour: $5.01
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
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
- 4 Hours Private Tour in Panama City Highlights: $70
- 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 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City: $100
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelaka $8.49Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melaka and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Melaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melaka 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 Melaka would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Melaka 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 Melaka.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Melaka Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melaka or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Melaka. When comparing the sizes of Melaka 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.