Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Montanita?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Montanita or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Montanita 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: Montanita or Panama City?
Montanita
Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.
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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontanita $96Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Montanita is $96, 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 Montanita and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontanita $41Panama City $35
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontanita $82Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Montanita and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Montanita 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: Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montanita $39Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Private Transfer to Coronado: $269
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $265
- Round trip transfer in private Car from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $240
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Private Transfer from PTY to Playa Blanca resorts: $206
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Skip the Line: Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket with Transfer: $155
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $136
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $127
Is it cheaper to fly into Montanita or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Montanita 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 dayMontanita $28Panama City $21
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
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 Evening Food Tour: $60
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montanita $31Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- City Tour y Canal de Panamá: $35
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $165
- 5-Hour Tour in Agua Clara New Locks: $100
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontanita $7.86Panama City $18
When comparing the travel costs between Montanita and Panama City, we can see that Montanita is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Montanita is in South America and Panama City is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Montanita Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
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.