Which place is cheaper, Boston 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 Boston?
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 Boston can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Boston?
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.
Boston
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
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 Photography Tours in United States of America, and The Best Camping Tours in United States of America.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesBoston Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101Boston $291
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in Boston is $291. 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 Boston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Boston $166
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Boston $332
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Boston
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Boston? 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 Boston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Boston $37
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Boston
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Boston are as follows:
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Taxi$35
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Subway Daily Pass$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boston:
- Luxury Private Limousine Transfer in Boston – 24/7 Service: $300
- Private Transfer from Boston Airport to Providence RI: $294
- Boston Logan Airport Chauffeur, Boston Airport private Transfer: $220
- Private arrival OR departure transfer in Boston (hotel OR airport pick-up): $193
- Private Transfer in Boston (BOS) Airport/Home/Hotel/Work: $190
- Private Transfer from Newport Cruise Port to Boston city hotels: $188
- Private Transfer from Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Newport Port: $188
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Flynn Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $184
- Luxury Logan Airport Transfer Service: $175
- Limo Private Transfer Boston to Logan International Airport: $160
- BOS Airport to Downtown Boston Private Transfer: $160
- Private Transfer Boston Airport BOS to Boston by Business or Luxury Vehicle: $148
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Boston?
Prices for flights to both Boston 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 $36Boston $86
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$8.24
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Boston.
- Self-Guided "The North End Pizza, Cannoli and Picnic" Tour: $5.50
- Morning Walks with Salem Food Tours: $34
- Freedom Trail History and Food Tour: $39
- Boston Food Tour: Pizza & North End Italian Classics: $69
- Boston’s North End Food Tour: Italian Flavors and Heritage Walk: $70
- Harvard Square French Fry and Pairings Food Tour: $73
- 2-Hour North End Food Tour with Chowder & Pizza: $74
- North End & Little Italy Food Tour with Local Dishes: $74
- Pizza Beer and Paul Revere Tour: $75
- City Cruises Harbor Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise: $79
- Boston Seafood Tour: Behind the Scenes at the Historic Fish Pier: $81
- Boston North End Food Tour with Authentic Local Flavors & Dishes: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Boston $33
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Boston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Boston are as follows:
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Two Tickets to Celtics Game$101
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Duck Tour$32
Tours and Activities in Boston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boston are as follows:
- "Witch Trials" Walking Tour in Salem: $30
- 1 If By Land Walking Tours: $45
- 1 or 2 Day HOP-ON & HOP-OFF Narrated Trolley Tour of Boston: $48
- 1692 Salem Day Tour: $35
- 1692 Salem Night Walking Tour: $35
- 2 Hour Boston Historical and Heritage Walking Tour: $5.00
- 2 Hour Boston Segway Tour: $99
- 2-Hour Beacon Hill True Crime Expert Guided Tour: $35
- 2026 Halloween Cruises - Sinners, Saints, Witches, Zombies: $58
- A Ghost Hunting Tour Specters and Apparitions in Salem: $36
- A Journey Through Time: a walking/driving tour of Boston: $680
- A Private Self Guided Walking Tour in Beacon Hill: $8.49
For more ideas for your next trip, check out Free Things to Do in Boston, Must-See Monuments and Memorials In Boston, and The Best Things To Do in Boston with Kids.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Boston $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Boston
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Boston:
- Amazing Bar Crawl: Boston Back Bay Beat: $15
- Boston Ghosts Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Boston Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl of Historic Pubs and Taverns: $35
- Salem Booze and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl by US Ghost Adventures: $36
- History Pub Crawl Tour Along the Freedom Trail: $50
- DIY Candle Making Class at a Local Brewery: $55
- Boston Freedom Trail History Pub Crawl Small-Group Tour: $60
- Sushi Making Class at a Local Distillery in Boston: $75
- Sushi Making Class at a Local Brewery in Boston: $75
- DIY Candle Making Class at a Local Brewery in Boston: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Boston, we can see that Boston 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 Boston 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 Boston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boston 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 Boston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Boston?
Boston has a larger population, and is about 44% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Boston, 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.