Which place is cheaper, La Paz 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 La Paz?
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 La Paz can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or La Paz?
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.
La Paz
La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, has a breathtaking setting. The city is the highest national capital in the world, with an altitude ranging from about 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level in El Alto, where the airport is located, to 3,100 m (10,170 ft) in the lower residential area. The dynamic and chaotic city was built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. La Paz is now a fusion of architectural styles, cultures and beliefs, welcoming everyday new boutique hotels, modern shops, delicious restaurants and reinventing standing establishments. However, generally speaking, Bolivia remains more a backpacker hit than a mainstream tourist destination.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Luxury Tours to Bolivia, and The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesLa Paz Prices
Bolivia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101La Paz $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $56. 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 La Paz in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35La Paz $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70La Paz $32
Compare Hotels in Panama City and La Paz
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or La Paz? 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 La Paz Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11La Paz $9.45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty : $12
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfers from Airport to Panama City: $40
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to hotels in Gamboa or Viceversa: $30
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels : $25
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or to the Marina: $32
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port : $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in La Paz
Some typical examples of transportation costs in La Paz are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Also for La Paz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from La Paz to Uyuni.: $295
- La Paz Private Airport Transfer Service: $90
- Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City : $77
- Private Transfer From Hotel to Airport in La Paz City : $68
- Private Transfer From your Hotel to Bus Station in La Paz City : $68
- Private Transfer From Bus Station to Hotel in La Paz City : $68
- Private Transfer from your Hotel to Airport in La Paz City : $54
- Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City : $54
- Private Transfer From Hotel to Bus Station in La Paz City : $52
- Airport Transfer In_night: $47
- Private Departure Transfer: La Paz Hotels to El Alto International Airport: $37
- Private Transfer from El Alto Airport to La Paz, Bolivia Hotels: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or La Paz?
Prices for flights to both La Paz 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 $36La Paz $29
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $75
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Cooking Class in Panama City with 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
- Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263
Typical Food Prices in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Fruit$0.72
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- La Paz : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $77
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66La Paz $16
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Gatun Lake Panamá Wildlife Adventure Guided Experience: $159
- Horseback riding and Agri-Tour in Colon Private tour: $75
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Panama Viejo and Casco Antiguo Tour: $115
- Panama a quick and memorable tour: $68
- San Blas Islands, 4-Island Tour All-Inclusive Welcome Cocktail: $149
- #1 Walking Tour of Casco Viejo Panama with Lunch included : $70
- “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
- “Panama at Your Rhythm: Private Tour with Canal, Old Town and More”: $67
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260
Tours and Activities in La Paz
For La Paz, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- From Private Tour to Tiwanaku Ruins and Puma Punku.: $173
- Bike Tour to the Death Road: $85
- Chacaltaya 5,435m & Valle De Luna. 2 For 1 Special Tour.: $38
- Cholet Tour - Andean Architecture and Culture - El Alto: $26
- City Tour plus Cable Car La Paz: $10
- City Tour with Drone!: $204
- City Walking Tour in La Paz: $8.00
- Copacabana & Isla del Sol. 2Days1Night. SPANISH GUIDE. PRIVATE TOUR. MIN 2 PPL: $174
- Cusco Bus Ticket from La Paz City 7:30 a.m. : $60
- Customizable Private City Tour - La Paz: $45
- Death Road Biking - DOUBLE SUSPENSION BIKE (SHARED TOUR): $100
- Death Road Biking Tour: $78
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18La Paz $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and La Paz, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is La Paz much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and La Paz is in South 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 La Paz would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Paz 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 La Paz.
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 La Paz Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or La Paz?
La Paz has a larger population, and is about 99% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and La Paz, 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.