Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Negril?
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 Negril or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Negril and Panama City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Negril or Panama City?
Negril
Negril is a town in western Jamaica known for its miles of white sand beaches and cliffs. It is certainly one of the more laid back towns on the island yet still attracts a lot of tourists. The hotels are as close to the water as you can get, and the sand gets whiter and whiter the further away from populated areas you get. The water is unbelievably clear and warm in Negril!
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 Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Negril Prices
Jamaica PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNegril $153Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Negril is $153, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $101. 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 Negril and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNegril $104Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNegril $208Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Negril and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Negril 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: Negril Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Negril $8.54Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Negril
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Negril:
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Taxi From Airport$13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Negril
Also for Negril, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Fun Holiday Beach Resort Montego Bay Airport Transfer: $205
- Private Transfer to Mystic Mountain Jamaica From Negril Hotels: $200
- Private Airport Transfer Montego Bay and Negril: $200
- Grand Palladium Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Rountrip): $200
- Private, Round-Trip Negril Airport Transfer: $200
- Private Transfers-Negril and Runaway Bay hotels(Round Trip): $180
- Luxury Grand Palladium Transfer: $144
- Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer Negril Hotels: $141
- Private Customizable Transfer from Sangster Intl Airport - Negril: $140
- Airport MBJ Round Trip Transfer to Negril Airbnb Homes, Resorts: $133
- Convenient Airport Transfer To Hotels in Negril: $130
- Private Airport transfer to/from all hotels in Negril round trip: $130
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 PTY to Playa Blanca resorts: $223
- Private Transfer from Panama City or PTY Airport to Beach Resort: $220
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Coronado/Gorgona - Round-Trip Transfer: $210
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $210
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport to Beach Resorts: $175
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
- Private Panama Casco Viejo Tour: Coffee & Transfer: $164
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $158
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $148
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $148
- Transfer Hotel/Airport to Resorts in Playa - return or return: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Negril or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Negril 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 dayNegril $38Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Negril
For Negril, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cultural Food Tour & Seven Mile Beach At Negril’s Margaritaville: $150
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$8.26
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 Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- Panama City Local Markets Food Tour & Lunch by Paradox Experience: $60
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Negril $26Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Negril
For Negril, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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2 Hr Horseback Ride$43
Tours and Activities in Negril
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Negril.
- ATV's, Shopping, Seven Mile Beach,Catamaran Cruise to Ricks Cafe: $130
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour [Transportation services]: $125
- Appleton and Y.S Falls Tour from Negril Hotels: $261
- Bamboo Rafting and Rick Cafe Negril Private Tour: $161
- Bambuza ATV, Zipline and Horseback Adventure from Negril: $190
- Blue Hole Mineral Springs, Rick's Café, and Shopping Combo Tour: $75
- Boat tour: $123
- Dune Buggies Experience and Mayfield falls: $276
- Dunn's River Falls Tour from Lucea: $172
- Dunn's River Falls and Luminous Lagoon Guided Tour from Grand Palladium: $190
- Dunns River Falls and Blue Hole Combo Lucea Tour: $165
- Explore Montego Bay Jamaica to Blue Hole/Secret Falls River Tour: $150
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
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
- 3 1/2 Hour Experience of Lake Gatun in Panama: $95
- 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 hour tour in Panama City: $35
- 5-Hour Tour of Panama City, Panama from Tocumen Airport: $130
- 5-hour tour in Panama by a Local Guide: $39
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNegril $9.92Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Negril
Also in Negril, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Negril One Love Bus Bar Crawl: $26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Negril and Panama City, we can see that Negril is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Negril is in Caribbean Islands 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 Negril would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Negril 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 Negril Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Negril or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Negril. When comparing the sizes of Negril 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.