Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Panama City?
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 Panama City or Arequipa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Panama City and Arequipa can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Arequipa?
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.
Arequipa
Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Panama, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesArequipa Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $102Arequipa $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $102, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $62. 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 Panama City and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Arequipa $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Arequipa $50
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Arequipa? 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 and Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Arequipa $6.57
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: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Coronado/Gorgona - Round-Trip Transfer: $209
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $209
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $158
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $33
- 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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.48
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Bus Ride$0.47
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Taxi Ride$1.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Private Transfer between Arequipa and Puno: $300
- 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with optional transfer to Puno: $135
- 2 Days Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $115
- Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
- Colca Canyon 2 days from Arequipa with final transfer to Puno: $85
- Colca Canyon full day tour with transfer to Puno: $80
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $79
- Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
- Arequipa Bus Station Departure Transfer: $37
- Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
- Arequipa Airport Departure Transfer: $22
- Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Panama City 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 dayPanama City $36Arequipa $26
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$8.27
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:
- Panamanian Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:
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Coke$0.44
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Lunch$3.11
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Ice Cream$1.18
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Fruit$0.89
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Ice Cream$1.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
- Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $35
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $36
- Almuerzo Arequipa Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $47
- Arequipa Nights Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $47
- Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $63
- Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour: $79
- Arequipa : Food Tour and History (3 Restaurants and Market): $80
- Arequipa Food Tour Experience: $115
- Food Tour Gastronomic Guided: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Arequipa $20
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- 5-hour tour in Panama by a Local Guide: $29
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- Private Walking Tour of Casco Antiguo: $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- Bike tour in Old City and Cinta costera with local markets: $35
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa
Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Monastery Entry$2.96
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Salsa Class$2.96
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Movie Ticket$3.23
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Hot Springs$2.96
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Day - Colca Canyon and Condor Tour from Arequipa, Peru - Group Service: $288
- 2 Day Tour to Colca Canyon: $43
- 2 Days Climbing Volcano Chachani Tour, Conquer Your First 6,070m: $200
- 2 Days Colca Living Experience Nature Culture and Tradition: $173
- 2 days 1 night Colca Canyon tour ending in Puno: $145
- 2 days and 1 night tour in the Colca Canyon: $205
- 2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon: $120
- 3 Hour Congata Rover Biking Ride Tour in Arequipa: $45
- 3-hour guided tour in Arequipa: $65
- 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $30
- Afternoon : Arequipa Walking tour: $55
- Afternoon : Arequipa city tour with Santa Catalina Monastery: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Arequipa $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
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Beer$2.66
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Arequipa, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Arequipa is in South 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 Arequipa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arequipa 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 Panama City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Panama City than you might in Arequipa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Panama City Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Arequipa, 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.