Which place is cheaper, Boquete 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 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.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesBoquete Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $102Boquete $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $102, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $67. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Boquete $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Boquete $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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Boquete $5.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport (PTY): $18
- Private Airport Transfer PTY to Panama City or Playa Blanca: $18
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Downtown Panama City, Panama: $23
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Private Airport transfers from Tocumen Panama City: $28
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boquete
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boquete:
- Private transfer from Boquete to Bocas del Toro: $200
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
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Food Meals for one dayPanama City $36Boquete $32
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
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Panama City by Night: Rooftop Skyline, Dinner & Folklore Show: $85
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Boquete $17
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- BEC Immersive Museum: Panama Through Your Senses Admission Ticket: $15
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Panama Chocolate Factory Experience and Tasting: $19
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Experience of Salsa in Panama: $25
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $26
- Rum & Chocolate Pairing: The Casa Baru Experience Casco Viejo: $28
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
Tours and Activities in Boquete
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:
- Ancestral Coffee Experience in Boquete: $55
- Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
- Boquete Panoramic Tour: $200
- Boquete Rock climbing tour: $80
- Chasing Waterfalls Adventure in Boquete: $100
- Coffee Tasting Experience-Los Molinos Hotel-Panama's Top Product: $25
- Dirtbike adventure in Boquete (half day): $200
- Epic Cloud Forest Horseback Riding Adventure in Boquete: $55
- Family experience in boiler Thermal wells and limestone: $65
- Fun Adventure at Finca CreaDora Cafe and Animals and Hiking: $35
- Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
- Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Boquete $4.46
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.
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.