Which place is cheaper, Koh Pha Ngan 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 Koh Pha Ngan?
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 Koh Pha Ngan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Koh Pha Ngan?
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.
Koh Pha Ngan
Ko Phangan (or Pha Ngan) is best known for its full moon parties, attracting backpackers and budget travelers the world over for all-night parties on the beach. The clear, blue water, beautiful beaches, and tropical atmosphere bring the tourists to the island, and the low prices, diverse activities, and abundant amenities keep them here.
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 Budget Tours to Thailand, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesKoh Pha Ngan Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101Koh Pha Ngan $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in Koh Pha Ngan is $59. 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 Koh Pha Ngan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Koh Pha Ngan $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Koh Pha Ngan $52
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Koh Pha Ngan
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Koh Pha Ngan? 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 Koh Pha Ngan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Koh Pha Ngan $14
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
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- PTY Tours & Airport transfers - Giants V.I.P Tours: $22
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $208
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $33
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $65
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón - Arrival Private Transfer: $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Pha Ngan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Koh Pha Ngan are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$9.12
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Ferry Ride$15
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Gas for Scooter$3.34
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Koh Pha Ngan?
Prices for flights to both Koh Pha Ngan 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 $36Koh Pha Ngan $20
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$8.25
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
Typical Food Prices in Koh Pha Ngan
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Koh Pha Ngan:
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Noodle Lunch (for One)$1.22
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Sit Down Dinner (for Two)$12
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Smoothies (for Two)$1.22
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Ice Cream$0.61
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Juice$1.82
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3 Spring Rolls$0.91
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2 Pancakes$1.82
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Koh Pha Ngan $19
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
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- Panama Viejo Ruins & Museum Tour – Guided Exploration: $35
- Panama City Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Craft Your Own Rum: The Casa Barú Experience Casco Viejo: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Koh Pha Ngan $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Pha Ngan
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Koh Pha Ngan are as follows:
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Drinks at Irish Pub (for Two)$7.91
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Koh Pha Ngan, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Koh Pha Ngan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Koh Pha Ngan is in Asia, 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 Koh Pha Ngan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Pha Ngan 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 Koh Pha Ngan.
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 Koh Pha Ngan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Koh Pha Ngan?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Koh Pha Ngan. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Koh Pha Ngan, 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.