Which place is cheaper, Austin or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Panama City or Austin?
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 Austin can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Austin?
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.
Austin
Located in the Texas Hill Country, Austin is the capital city of the state. It is a relatively small city with a compact downtown area and many sprawling suburbs stretching out along the interstate. Austin prides itself on its eclectic culture and alternative vibe which is epitomized by the city's unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird." The University of Texas at Austin is also located downtown. The school's large student population helps give the city a youthful feel with a lively nightlife and no shortage of activities on weekends. The city is also the self proclaimed live music capital of the country. As such, it has many music venues and bars, most of which are clustered around the 6th Street area downtown. There are also many free outdoor concerts, particularly during the summer months.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Walking Tours in United States of America, and The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86Austin $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Austin is $142. 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 Austin in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Austin $56
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Austin $112
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Austin
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Austin? 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 Austin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Austin $47
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Austin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Austin:
- Austin Airport Group Pickup / Transfer up to 1 hour away.: $150
- Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) to Austin City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $96
- Private Transfer Between Airport and Hotels: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Austin?
Prices for flights to both Austin 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
-
Food Meals for one dayPanama City $21Austin $35
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
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 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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Austin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Austin.
- Famous Texas BBQ & Food Tour in Austin: $89
- Famous Texas BBQ & Food Tour in Austin: $89
- Austin South Congress Walking Food Tour for Small Groups: $95
- Secret Food Tour: $98
- Austin Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $99
- Secret Food Tour of South Congress: $108
- The Brunch Bus: Food Tour with a Live Band on Board the Bus!: $125
- Private Guided Food Tour of Austin Neighborhoods: $150
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Austin $28
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Austin
Here are a few typical costs in Austin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Austin Duck Tour$31
Tours and Activities in Austin
Here are a few actual costs in Austin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Austin Glass Bottom Kayak Tour with Olympian: $50
- Afternoon in Austin Segway Tour: $99
- Austin Art & Architecture Bicycle Tour: $56
- Austin Biker Gang E-Bike Tour: $90
- Austin Boat Tour with Full Sun Shading Available: $84
- Austin Breakfast Taco Tour: $85
- Austin E-Bike Brunch Tour : $118
- Austin E-Bike Foodie Tour : $128
- Austin Electric Bike Tour: Let it Ride: $70
- Austin Family Explorer Private Magical Urban Adventure Tour: $232
- Austin Family Explorer: A Magical Urban Adventure: $455
- Austin Good Vibes E-Bike Tours with Rooster: $68
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Austin $28
Sample the Local Flavors in Austin
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Austin:
- Austin Bar Hunt: Sixth Street Spree: Austin Bar Crawl: $12
- Austin Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
- Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $30
- Downtown Austin Live Music Pub Crawl: $35
- Downtown Live Music Pub Crawl: $35
- Austin Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $44
- From Texas Hill Country Brewery & Distillery Shuttle: $65
- Private Austin Brewery Tour by Pedicab with All-Inclusive Beer Flight Option: $70
- 4-Hour Austin Signature Brewery Tour: $100
- The Brew Bus: Austin Brewery Tour with Live Band: $125
- Half-Day Private Texas Hill Country Wine Tour from Austin: $143
- Brewery 5K Fun Run, BBQ, and Texas History Museum in Austin : $175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Austin, we can see that Austin is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Austin is in North 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 Austin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Austin 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 Panama City Expensive? and Is Austin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Austin?
Austin has a larger population, and is about 66% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Austin, 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.