Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Oranjestad?
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 Oranjestad or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Oranjestad 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: Oranjestad or Panama City?
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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Oranjestad Prices
Aruba PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOranjestad $337Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Oranjestad is $337, 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 Oranjestad and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOranjestad $188Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOranjestad $376Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Oranjestad and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Oranjestad 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: Oranjestad Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oranjestad $35Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Oranjestad
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Oranjestad:
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Round-trip Bus Ticket$2.22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oranjestad
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oranjestad:
- Aruba Oranjestad Queen Airport (AUA): Transfer to island: $130
- Private Round-Trip Transfer from Aruba Airport to Hotel: $68
- Reina Beatrix Airport: Round-Trip Shared Transfer: $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $209
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $157
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón - Arrival Private Transfer: $76
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca - Private Transfer: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into Oranjestad or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Oranjestad 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 dayOranjestad $109Panama City $36
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$8.24
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:
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $44
- Panama City Market Food Tour & Lunch by Paradox Experience: $50
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oranjestad $91Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Oranjestad
Here are a few typical costs in Oranjestad for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Full Day Bike Rental$25
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Horseback Riding Tour$70
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Golf$124
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Kayak & Snorkeling Tour$98
Tours and Activities in Oranjestad
Here are a few actual costs in Oranjestad for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Aruba Highlights Guided Tour: $49
- Aruba Cave Pool and Beach Tours: $600
- Aruba Downtown Historic And Cultural Walking Tour: $75
- Aruba: 4-Hour ATV Adventure: $155
- Aruba: Arikok Park Rancho Loco Natural Pool Horseback Tour: $160
- Aruba: Beach Hopping Snorkeling Tour: $57
- Aruba: Guided Countryside Exploration Tour: $45
- Aruba: Natural Pool, Caves & Baby Beach Jeep Adventure: $89
- Aruba: North Coast EZ Raider Adventure: $95
- Aruba: Northcoast UTV Afternoon Adventure: $110
- Aruba: Private Customizable Tour with Guide: $420
- Aruba: Private Island Highlights Tour: $150
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $18
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Experience of Salsa in Panama: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- City Tour guiado en Panamá con Canal y Casco Antiguo: $35
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- Panama City : Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOranjestad $31Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oranjestad and Panama City, we can see that Oranjestad is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oranjestad 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 Oranjestad would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oranjestad 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 Oranjestad Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oranjestad or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Oranjestad. When comparing the sizes of Oranjestad 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.