Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Naples?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Naples or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Naples 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: Naples or Panama City?
Naples
Naples is the most populous city in southern Italy. The city sits against the Bay of Naples, and is in close proximity to Mount Vesuvius, which is most famous for its eruption in 79 AD which destroyed the communities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Naples has a wonderfully sunny, Mediterranean climate, some great beaches, and beautiful architecture. The historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and because city officials have established strict building codes there is almost no condo style development along the coast. This helps Naples to maintain its authentic and historic atmosphere.
Many people love Naples for its history and authenticity, while others complain that it is noisy, crowded, and dirty. You can visibly see that the poverty in Southern Italy is higher than in the northern part of the country. Traffic is also chaotic, but what some travelers consider flaws, others see as benefits. Nobody can deny that Naples is truly an authentic Italian city. It has some of the country's best food and wine, the weather is ideal, and the prices are far cheaper than the northern regions. It has a large number of attractions in the form of museums and galleries, and there are some of the world's best ruins in nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Italy, The Best 2-Week Tours in Italy, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNaples €129Panama City €80
The average daily cost (per person) in Naples is €129, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €80. 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 Naples and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNaples €66Panama City €33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNaples €132Panama City €66
Compare Hotels in Naples and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Naples 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: Naples Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Naples €21Panama City €9.94
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Naples
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Naples:
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Subway Ticket€1.20
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Alibus From Airport€3.00
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Short Taxi Ride€7.34
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Train to Pompeii€3.20
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Taxi€15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Naples
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Naples:
- Sorrento: Enjoy Pompeii and Vesuvius with private transfer: $592
- From Private Transfer to Positano with Pompeii Stop: $537
- From Bari Private Transfer with WiFi: $484
- From Private Transfer to Positano with Pompeii Stop: $431
- From Transfer to Positano with Pompeii Guided Tour: $422
- From Transfer to Amalfi-Ravello with Tour of Pompeii: $422
- From One-Way Transfer to Sorrento with Pompeii Tour: $380
- Private Transfer Naples to Amalfi coast or vice cersa: $355
- Van Transfer from Naples Apt to Sorrento/Amalfi/Positano: $323
- Return Transfer from Naples Cruise Port to Pompeii: $301
- Transfer from Naples to Caserta with a stop Royal Palace: $297
- Transfer from Naples to Sorrento or Sorrento to Naples: $295
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- PTY Airport Transfer Service To Panama City: $50
- PTY Tocumen Airport Private Transfer One Way or Round Trip!: $45
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $38
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $77
- Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $65
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Historic District and Canal Tour with Transfer: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Naples or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Naples 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 dayNaples €40Panama City €19
Typical Food Prices in Naples
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Naples:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)€28
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Three Course Dinner (for Two)€49
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Napoli Pizza€7.24
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Dinner€25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Naples
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Naples.
- Napoli: Traditional Tiramisu Cooking Class with Limoncello: $37
- Naples Street Food Tour with a Native & Top Rated Expert: $41
- Naples Street Food Tour With Local Expert: $46
- Tasty Naples Street Food Tour of MustEat Gourmet Specialties and MustSee Sites: $46
- Eating Naples Street Food Tour with Guided Tasting and Sightseeing: $46
- Enjoy an Authentic Pizza-Making Workshop with Drinks: $46
- Authentic Pizza Class with Drinks Included in the Center of Naples: $47
- Small Group Naples Pizza Making Class with Drink Included: $48
- Be my Guest at Dinner ! Taste and experience an authentic Neapolitan dinner !: $49
- No Diet Club - Unique Food Tour in Napoli: $53
- Food Tour with Davide: $54
- The Neapolitan culinary art Street Food Tour: $57
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€7.69
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Naples €30Panama City €61
Typical Entertainment Prices in Naples
Here are a few typical costs in Naples for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Museo Archeologico Nazionale Entrance€9.00
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Castelnuovo Museum Entrance€5.00
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Entrance to Pompeii€11
Tours and Activities in Naples
Here are a few actual costs in Naples for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Herculaneum Private Walking Tour: $164
- Napoli Sight Eating Walk: Food and Sight Tour: $45
- Pompeii and Vesuvius Day Trip from Naples with skip the line: $120
- Positano & Sorrento Private Day Tour: $273
- Private Tour a Pompeii e Sorrento from Napoli: $218
- Sea and Land Small Group Capri Island Tour from Naples Main Port: $163
- Sorrento, Positano & Amalfi Day Tour from Naples : $164
- Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello tour from Naples : $131
- 2 Hours Private Guided Tour to Naples Archeological Museum: $109
- 2-Hour Guided Naples Walking Tour: $280
- 2-Hour Private Guided Tour of Herculaneum: $273
- 2-hour guided tour of the island by boat from Procida: $38
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Bar tour in El Cangrejo with Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- Walking Tour Metropolitan Park Panama City : $25
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $27
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old City with locals: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNaples €21Panama City €17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Naples
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Naples:
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Beer€4.10
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Beer€4.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Naples
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Naples:
- Napoli Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $15
- Guided Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $16
- Vesuvius wine tasting with company tour: $29
- Private WINE Tasting in Napoli with BOOKS: $44
- Mount Vesuvius: Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting and Lunch: $52
- Regional food and wine tasting: $54
- Guided, FUN Wine Tasting in Napoli: $63
- Full-Day Bike Guided Tour in Napoli with Wine Tasting: $64
- Guided, FUN Wine Tasting in Naples City Center: $65
- Vesuvius Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch Included: $76
- Mount Vesuvius 4-Hour Volcano Tour with Wine Tasting: $80
- Vesuvius Half-Day Trip with Lunch and Wine Tasting: $96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Naples and Panama City, we can see that Naples is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Naples 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 Naples would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Naples 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 Naples Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Naples or Panama City?
Naples has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Naples 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.