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 is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It has a population of about 215,000 people and is a significant commercial center for the region. The city has a good economy and a high standard of living when compared to much of Mexico. Much of the economy is focused on eco-tourism and there are many protected marine environments in the area.
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 Budget Tours to Mexico, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Mexico.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesLa Paz Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101La Paz $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $132. 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 $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70La Paz $94
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 $20
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
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- One Way Private transfer Panama City PTY Airport to City: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport : $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfer Airport - City / Min 2 pax: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Paz:
- La Paz International Airport (LAP) to La Paz hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $159
- La Paz hotels to La Paz International Airport (LAP) - Departure Private Transfer: $80
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 $60
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Paz.
- 3 Hours of Guided La Paz Street Food Tour: $77
- 3 hrs SEAFOOD Tour in La Paz: $103
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66La Paz $11
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama Casco Viejo: Walking Tour Must See Treasures!!!: $25
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $26
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $27
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $29
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Causeway and Old Town Night Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Panama City: $32
Tours and Activities in La Paz
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Paz are as follows:
- 1 Day Espiritu Santo Island Wonders, Sea Lions and Paddleboard Adventure : $249
- 3 Hours La Paz Whale Shark First Class Snorkeling Tour: $167
- Adventure to Espiritu Santo Island: Snorkel with Sea Lions and Beach: $127
- Birding La Paz Mexico 4hrs.Tour : $160
- Birding Tour in La Paz Mexico: $177
- City Tour & Beaches from La Paz: $95
- Cultural and Culinary Tour of El Triunfo, Baja California Sur: $250
- Desert Off Road Adventure Tour in La Paz: $261
- Desert and Dunes ATV Adventure in La Paz BCS Mexico: $195
- Espíritu Santo and Balandra Beach Combo Tour: Sea Lion Snorkeling: $250
- Espiritu Santo Island Day Tour: $170
- Espiritu Santo Island Snorkel & Sea Lion Adventure: $145
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 La Paz 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 La Paz 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 La Paz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Paz 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 La Paz Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or La Paz?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of La Paz. 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.