Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City or Iquique?
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 Iquique can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Iquique?
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.
Iquique
Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86Iquique $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $96. 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 Iquique in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Iquique $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Iquique
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Iquique? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Iquique $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Private Transfer to Coronado: $269
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $265
- Round trip transfer in private Car from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $240
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Private Transfer from PTY to Playa Blanca resorts: $206
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Skip the Line: Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket with Transfer: $155
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $136
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $127
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique
Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Iquique?
Prices for flights to both Iquique 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 $21Iquique $34
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:
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Iquique $27
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- City Tour y Canal de Panamá: $35
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $165
- 5-Hour Tour in Agua Clara New Locks: $100
Tours and Activities in Iquique
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $50
- Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $60
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Iquique $20
When comparing the travel costs between Panama City and Iquique, we can see that Iquique is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Panama City is in Central America and Iquique is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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 Iquique Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Iquique?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 79% larger than the population of Iquique. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Iquique, 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.