Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Pamplona?
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 Pamplona or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pamplona or Panama City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Pamplona or Panama City?
Pamplona
Pamplona is a city in northern Spain located on the snow-capped foothills of the Pyrenees Range. With the backdrop of mountains, the city is surrounded by a setting ideal for skiing, mountaineering, hiking, wildlife and breathtaking scenery. Yet Pamplona itself is a place full of lively culture and stunning architecture. With a long history, the place is embedded in tradition and perhaps most famous for its annual "running of the bulls" celebrated in July, also known as the San Fermin festival.
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 Spain, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Pamplona Prices
Spain PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPamplona €161Panama City €89
The average daily cost (per person) in Pamplona is €161, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €89. 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 Pamplona and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPamplona €67Panama City €31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPamplona €134Panama City €62
Compare Hotels in Pamplona and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Pamplona 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: Pamplona Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pamplona €24Panama City €9.33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pamplona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pamplona:
- Private Transfer from Logroño city to Pamplona: $282
- Private Transfer from Pamplona city to San Sebastian: $282
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $14
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Transfer to or from the airport / Min 2 pax: $20
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Private Transfer Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Panama City: $21
- PTY Tours & Airport transfers - Giants V.I.P Tours: $22
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Downtown Panama City, Panama: $23
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels: $25
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Pamplona or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Pamplona 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 dayPamplona €72Panama City €31
Typical Food Prices in Pamplona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pamplona are as follows:
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Lunch for 2€10
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Ice Cream€4.50
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Coffee€1.30
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€7.21
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 Food Tour Local Markets Immersion (Tasting tour + Lunch): $50
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pamplona €34Panama City €57
Tours and Activities in Pamplona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pamplona are as follows:
- Baztan Valley and Zugarramurdi Caves tour: $97
- Cobblestones Tour Immersive Medieval Tour English: $30
- Cobblestones Tour Immersive Walking Tour in English: $30
- Hemingway's Pamplona Smartphone Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- La Rioja wines and Laguardia tour from Logroño: $105
- La Rioja wines and Laguardia tour from Pamplona: $111
- MEDIEVAL Immersive Knight-Led Walking Experience: $35
- Pamplona - Private Historic Walking Tour: $473
- Pamplona Cathedral Guided Tour History Curiosities and Art: $11
- Pamplona Essential : The Ultimate Walking Tour: $96
- Pamplona Highlights Walking Tour with Coffee and Churros Break: $46
- Pamplona Mysteries and Legends Tour: $44
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Panama City Sunset Bike Tour (Cinta Costera & Casco Viejo): $22
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Panama City Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Panama Viejo Ruins & Museum Tour – Guided Exploration: $35
- Craft Your Own Rum: The Casa Barú Experience Casco Viejo: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPamplona €31Panama City €16
Sample the Local Flavors in Pamplona
Also in Pamplona, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half Day Rioja Wine Tour: $256
- Wine tour: winery and traditional lunch from La Rioja: $292
- Rioja wine tour: two wineries from La Rioja or Pamplona: $309
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pamplona and Panama City, we can see that Pamplona is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pamplona 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 Pamplona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pamplona 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 Pamplona Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pamplona or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Pamplona. When comparing the sizes of Pamplona 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.