Which place is cheaper, Las Vegas or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City or Las Vegas?
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 Las Vegas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Las Vegas?
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.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas has long been the gambling capital of the United States. Known as "Sin City," it is a hot spot for bachelor and bachelorette parties, but in recent years it has seen a dramatic increase in weddings and business conferences. It is the largest city in the state of Nevada and one of the most visited and well known cities in the country. It is located in the Mojave Desert in South Nevada and has a very arid climate with very hot and dry summers. The average high in July is 104 degrees Fahrenheit, but as many people like to say "its a dry heat." Winters are cooler and pleasant with highs around 60 degrees Fahrenheits. Snow is very rare but the surrounding mountains are often topped with snow during the winter months.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Coach Bus Tours in United States of America, and The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86Las Vegas $310
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Las Vegas is $310. 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 Las Vegas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Las Vegas $158
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Las Vegas $316
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Las Vegas
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Las Vegas? 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 Las Vegas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Las Vegas $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Private transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Las Vegas
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Las Vegas are as follows:
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24 Hr Bus Pass$15
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24 hrs Deuce Bus$7.00
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Taxi from Airport to the Strip$36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Las Vegas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Las Vegas:
- Los Angeles: Private Transfer to/from Las Vegas: $2,000
- West Grand Canyon Helicopter Ticket with Transfer: $509
- Las Vegas to Los Angeles Transfer in SUV: $440
- Las Vegas Airport: Party Bus 1-Way Transfer: $269
- Las Vegas McCarran Airport (LAS): Transfer to Las Vegas: $240
- Las Vegas Airport LAS Round-Trip Private Transfer in SUV: $213
- Departure Private Transfer: Las Vegas to Las Vegas Airport LAS in Business Car: $203
- Arrival Private Transfer: Las Vegas Airport LAS to Las Vegas in Business Car: $202
- From Nellis Dunes ATV Tour with Shuttle Transfer: $200
- Manila ATV Mountain Trail Adventure(with Transfers***): $175
- Private Transfer in Las Vegas with Personal Driver: $175
- Round trip Private Transfer Las Vegas airport by eco friendly premium cars: $168
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Las Vegas?
Prices for flights to both Las Vegas 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 $21Las Vegas $80
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Typical Food Prices in Las Vegas
Some typical examples of dining costs in Las Vegas are as follows:
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Coffee$5.00
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Deep Fried Twinkie$1.07
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Chocolate Dip Banana$1.07
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Gelato$5.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Las Vegas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Las Vegas.
- Half-Day Private Manila Food Tour: True Philippine Experience: $40
- Chuck Wagon Dinner and Show at the Firelight Barn in Henderson: $49
- Guest Artists Chuck Wagon Dinner Show in Henderson: $49
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience : $65
- Manila A Walking Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink: $70
- Makati Street Food tour Experience with Mari: $73
- Manila Filipino Cooking Class: Meryenda Favorites: $75
- Las Vegas Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $80
- Market Tour and Provincial Filipino Cooking Class in the Countryside: $88
- Downtown Las Vegas Food Tour: $89
- Private Filipino cooking class in a local Manila Home: $90
- Marriage Can Be Murder Dinner Show in Las Vegas: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Las Vegas $78
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Bar tour in El Cangrejo with Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- Walking Tour Metropolitan Park Panama City : $25
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $27
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old City with locals: $31
Typical Entertainment Prices in Las Vegas
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Las Vegas are as follows:
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Wedding Chapel$139
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Atomic Testing Museum (two people)$12
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Gondola Ride (4 person)$64
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Monorail Ride$5.00
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NY NY Rollercoaster$14
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Circus Circus Adventure Dome Day Pass$26
Tours and Activities in Las Vegas
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Las Vegas are as follows:
- 4 Gun Vegas Desert Shooting Adventure with Lunch from Las Vegas: $199
- Horseback Riding Tour in Las Vegas: $85
- Manila Street Food Walking Experience ( Shared ) : $70
- Nellis Desert Exploration Jeep Tour Off Road You Drive We Guide: $283
- Vegas Strip and Red Rock Canyon Guided Trike or Slingshot Tour : $189
- 1 Day Small Group Tour of Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend : $239
- 1 Day Tour at Valley of Fire and Zion Park: $209
- 1-Day Zion & Bryce Canyon National Park Bus Tour: $199
- 1-Day Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park Tour: $249
- 1.5 Hr Las Vegas Strip Limo Tour with Champagne and Photos: $549
- 1.5-Hour Express Bike Tour in Intramuros (tour using a bamboo bicycle!): $22
- 1.5-Hour Guided Raft Tour at the Base of the Hoover Dam: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Las Vegas $55
Sample the Local Flavors in Las Vegas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Las Vegas:
- Mobsters, Casinos, and Speaky Bar Crawl: $36
- Las Vegas Fremont Street Bar Crawl (party bus add-on option): $36
- Off The Beaten Path Bar Crawl: $45
- Las Vegas Bar Crawl by Party Bus with Free Drinks: $49
- Zombie Burlesque Comedy Musical Show Ticket: $50
- Zombie Burlesque at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino: $50
- Fremont Street Party Bus and Bar Crawl: $50
- Las Vegas Fremont Street Bar Crawl: $50
- Las Vegas Fremont Street Bar Crawl : $50
- Red Velvet Burlesque Show in Las Vegas: $55
- Las Vegas Country Bar Crawl by Party Bus w/ Free Drinks: $59
- Fantasy Burlesque Show at Luxor Hotel & Casino: $61
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Las Vegas, we can see that Las Vegas 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 Las Vegas 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 Las Vegas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Las Vegas 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 Las Vegas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Las Vegas?
Las Vegas has a larger population, and is about 17% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Las Vegas, 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.