A Travel Price Comparison for Panama Panama City vs. Boquete for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Panama City or Boquete?

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 Boquete can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Panama City or Boquete?

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.

Boquete

Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.

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 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Panama.


Which place is cheaper, Boquete or Panama City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $87, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $54. 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 Boquete in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Panama City $35
    Boquete $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Panama City $70
    Boquete $46
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Boquete

Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Boquete? 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.

Hotels in Panama City


Hotels in Boquete


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 Boquete Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Panama City $11
    Boquete $5.24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City

Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer to Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks): $14
  • Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
  • Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
  • Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $17
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $19
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $19
  • Transfer Airport - City / Min 2 pax: $20
  • Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Downtown Panama City, Panama: $23
  • Private One-way Airport Transfer (Tocumen Airport To/From Panamá): $23
  • Tocumen Airport Private Transfer. Arrivals / Departures: $27
  • Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
  • Panama city to Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Private Transfer: $29

Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Boquete?

Prices for flights to both Boquete 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 day
    Panama City $21
    Boquete $18
Typical Food Prices in Panama City

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:


  • Sandwich
    $8.29

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:

  • 3-hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $55
  • Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
  • Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
  • 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
  • Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
  • The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Panama City $66
    Boquete $17

Tours and Activities in Panama City

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.

  • Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
  • Walking Tour in Panama City with Licensed Guide: $20
  • Tour de bares en El Cangrejo con Bar Hopping Panama: $20
  • Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $26
  • POIN Glass Viewpoint Experience: $27
  • POIN The Edge Experience: $27
  • POIN Swing Experience: $27
  • Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $27
  • Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
  • walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
  • Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
  • City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30

Tours and Activities in Boquete

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:

  • 2-Hour Private Mezcal and Geisha Liqueur Tasting Experience: $65
  • 3-Hour Private Tour to La Estrella Lake from Boquete on E Bike: $84
  • 3-hour Private Tour to the Peque Doraz Butterfly Garden by Ebike: $90
  • Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
  • Boquete Panoramic Tour: $200
  • Boquete Private 360° View Tour: $40
  • Dirtbike adventure in Boquete (half day): $165
  • E-Bike tour in Boquete and we culminate with a coffee experience: $90
  • Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
  • Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $90
  • Private honey tasting bike tour and butterfly garden walk: $130
  • Schumann's BOTANICAL PARK TOUR: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Panama City $18
    Boquete $4.47


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Boquete, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Boquete much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boquete would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boquete 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 Boquete.

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 Boquete Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Panama City or Boquete?

Panama City has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Boquete, 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.