Which place is cheaper, New York City 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 New York City?
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 New York City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or New York City?
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.
New York City
The most populated city in the United States, New York City, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River and encompasses both the island of Manhattan as well as the surrounding land on Long Island, most of which is known as Brooklyn. It's a cultural, culinary, theatrical, and art center that has much to offer domestic and international travelers alike. The city covers an area of 305 square miles and has a population of about 8.2 million people in the city proper with 18.7 million in the metropolitan area.
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 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesNew York City Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $102New York City $363
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $102, while the average daily cost in New York City is $363. 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 New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35New York City $175
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70New York City $350
Compare Hotels in Panama City and New York City
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or New York City? 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 New York City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11New York City $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP transfers from the Airport to your Hotel in Panama: $32
- VIP Private Transfer: Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Panama City Hotels: $44
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty: $30
- Transfers to Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf, Rio hato: $45
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or Back: $35
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port: $35
- Transfer Colon Cruise Port - Panama Airport: $90
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
Typical Local Transportation Prices in New York City
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New York City are as follows:
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Subway$4.50
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Taxi Ride$8.00
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Subway$2.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New York City
Also for New York City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Empire State Building NYC Tour, Pre-booked Tickets, Transfer: $300
- New York’s Airport (JFK) to Providence Arrival Private Transfer: $300
- Central Park Zoo Skip-the-line Tickets & Private Transfers: $291
- Newark To Manhattan Private Transfer in SUV, Limousine or Van: $290
- New York J.F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Baltimore City - Arrival Private Transfer: $288
- Private Transfer from or to New York to EWR Airport or vice versa: $280
- Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - LaGuardia Airport - Lincoln MKT: $275
- Luxury Group Airport Transfers and Event Shuttles: $275
- Private SUV New York City Airport Departure Transfer: $275
- Newark Intl Airport (EWR) to Cape Liberty Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $269
- New York City Airport Arrival Transfer by Sprinter LGA JFK EWR: $260
- New York City Airport Departure Transfer by Sprinter LGA JFK EWR: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City 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 $36New York City $87
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 New York City
For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Gelato$7.50
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Snacks for Two at Yankees Game$34
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Coffee$6.53
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Smoothie$6.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New York City
For New York City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Greenwich Village Food Tour: $39
- NYC Haunted History and Ghost Tour with Pizza: $39
- New York Pizza and Rats Tour: $44
- Private Pizza Experience (5 tastings) in Manhattan: $45
- Bensonhurst Food Tour: $45
- Lower Manhattan's Ultimate Pizza Crawl experience (5 tastings): $46
- Brooklyn's must-try Pizza Crawl experience (5 top rated slices!): $46
- Central Park Cafe: Scenic Lunch & Dinner Experience in NYC: $50
- Lower East Side Food Tour: Iconic Eats & NYC History Walking Tour: $51
- Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO Food Tour: Local Eats & Iconic Views: $59
- Homemade Pizza Party in NYC: $63
- New York City's Best Pizza tour - You be the judge!: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66New York City $180
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 New York City
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New York City's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Comedy Show Tickets$56
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City Map$8.00
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Broadway Musical$111
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Broadway Show Program$10
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Magazine$6.99
Tours and Activities in New York City
For New York City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- #1 Rated NYC Chinatown Food and History Walking Tour with FNYT: $99
- & Juliet on Broadway Ticket: $90
- "International Express" 7 Train Ultimate Authentic NYC Experience: $55
- "The Met" Metropolitan Museum of Art Exclusive Guided Tour: $133
- "The Met" Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour Semi-Private 8ppl Max: $133
- 1 Day Tour to Philadelphia and Hershey's Chocolate World: $250
- 1 Hour Live Interactive Driving Virtual Tour of Manhattan: $200
- 1 Hour Private Guided Tour: $50
- 1 or 2 hour Central Park Pedicab Tour.: $49
- 1-Day New York City Tour: Liberty Cruise & One World Observatory: $168
- 1-Day New York Highlight Tour: $130
- 1-Day New York In-Depth Tour: $130
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Things to do in New York City with Kids, Things to Do in Central Park in NYC, and The Best Museums in New York City.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18New York City $29
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
- Brooklyn Distillery Tour: $22
- New York Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- NYC Pub Crawl Tour: $30
- Top Shelf Distillery Tour: $33
- Wicked City Burlesque Show Admission: $33
- Cheers to Chinatown Tour and Bar Crawl: $40
- NYC Pub Crawl: Midtown/Times Square VIP Access & Prof Photos: $45
- Brooklyn Literary Pub Crawl: $49
- Best of NYC Drag - Drag Bar Crawl with Drink: $49
- Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl: $49
- Greenwich Village Piano Bar Crawl: $50
- Broadway Prohibition Pub Crawl: $64
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and New York City, we can see that New York City 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 New York City 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 New York City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New York City 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 New York City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or New York City?
New York City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and New York City, 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.