Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao 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 Tao?
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 Tao can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Koh Tao?
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 Tao
With a name that literally means, "Turtle Island," Koh Tao, Thailand is the type of vacation spot divers dream of. There is the faintest current and a buffet of dive sites and shops.
This tiny island hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, but take not that there are no garbage disposal facilities. Everything that can't be burnt needs to be taken from the island. Avoid plastic bags, and don't dump your trash in the open landscape (then again, why would you?) because there are no departments for road clean up. Water and electricity on the island are scarce, so use them wisely.
Keep in mind that monsoon season from November to January so you may be faced with constant rain for days at a time in those months.
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 Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $102Koh Tao $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $102, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $48. 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 Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Koh Tao $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Koh Tao? 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 Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Koh Tao $9.49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport to Beach Resorts: $175
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $143
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $143
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $102
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Linton Bay Marina: $90
- Transfer Colon Cruise Port - Panama Airport: $90
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
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Motorbike Rental$5.67
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Tao
Also for Koh Tao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Convenient Catamaran and Bus Transfer from Koh Tao to Krabi: $61
- Koh Tao to Krabi High Speed Catamaran with Bus Transfer: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao 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 Tao $17
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:
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show - All Inclusive Experience: $70
- Panama City by Night: Rooftop Skyline, Dinner & Folklore Show: $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
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Sit Down Lunch (for One)$5.97
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Breakfast$4.48
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.58
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
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Pancake$2.09
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American Breakfast (for Two)$8.36
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Koh Tao Small-Group Half-Day Cooking Class with Sea View: $61
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao: $65
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $249
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $267
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Koh Tao $29
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour ": $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 3 1/2 Hour Experience of Lake Gatun in Panama: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of Panama Canal & Old Town & More: $150
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5 hour tour in Panama City: $35
- 5-Hour Tour of Panama City, Panama from Tocumen Airport: $130
- 5-hour tour in Panama by a Local Guide: $39
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
- 5hrs Panama City and Canal Tour + Amenities: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Kayak Rental (One Hour)$7.46
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Snorkel Rental$2.98
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$2.98
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $29
- Basic Diver ( One Day Experience): $119
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $52
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $29
- Ko Tao: Ko Nangyuan & Hidden Bays Snorkeling Tour with Lunch: $29
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $33
- Koh Tao 3 Dive Catamaran Diving Experience with MV Chaba: $110
- Koh Tao 5-Stop Snorkeling and Sunset Big Boat Tour with Lunch: $39
- Koh Tao Afternoon Snorkeling Experience with 5 Stops: $31
- Koh Tao Small-Group Snorkeling Tour with Lunch and Pickup Option: $45
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan: $41
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat: $26
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Koh Tao $7.81
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Tao
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:
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Beer$1.94
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Bottle of Wine$11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Koh Tao, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Koh Tao 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 Tao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Tao 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 Tao.
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 Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Koh Tao?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 300 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Koh Tao, 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.