Which place is cheaper, Paracas or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City or Paracas?
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 Paracas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Paracas?
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.
Paracas
Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Eco Tours in Peru, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86Paracas $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Paracas is $63. 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 Paracas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Paracas $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Paracas $44
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Paracas
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Paracas? 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 Paracas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Paracas $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- PTY Tocumen Airport Private Transfer One Way or Round Trip!: $45
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $127
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $38
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $65
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Historic District and Canal Tour with Transfer: $65
- One-Way or Round-Trip PTY Airport Transfer: $47
- Shopping at Albrook Mall & Round-Trip Transfer: $36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:
- Private Transfer From Paracas To Lima With 2 Stops: $175
- Direct Private Transfer From Paracas to Lima, English Speaking Driver: $163
- Lima: Private taxi transfer from Lima airport to Paracas: $129
- Private Transfer from Pisko Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $87
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $87
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $87
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $78
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $78
- Oneway Transfer from San Juan Airport, Hotel, Airbnb to Bayamon: $60
- Private Transfer From San Juan Airport (SJU) to /from San Juan: $44
- Paracas Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
- Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Paracas?
Prices for flights to both Paracas 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 $21Paracas $23
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:
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paracas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paracas.
- From Lima:Paracas,Ica and cooking class Ceviche semi-private: $139
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Paracas $25
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
- Tour de bares en El Cangrejo con Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- POIN Glass Viewpoint Experience: $27
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Panama City Bike Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
Tours and Activities in Paracas
Here are a few actual costs in Paracas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Hour Tour to the Ballestas Islands from Puerto San Martín: $49
- 2D: Tour Ica, Huacachina, Sandboarding, Ballestas Islands: $215
- 4-Hour Guided Tour Paracas National Reserve: $20
- 7-Hours Tour in Paracas National Reserve with Pickup: $38
- ATV Tour Adventure in Reserva Nacional de Paracas: $45
- Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas : $26
- Ballestas Islands Group Tour from San Martin Port: $50
- Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas: $24
- Ballestas Islands Tour: $24
- Ballestas Islands Tour - Paracas: $25
- Ballestas Islands Tour for passengers of the Puerto San Martin Cruise: $32
- Ballestas Islands Tour from Puerto San Martin Cruise: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Paracas $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Paracas, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Paracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Paracas 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 Paracas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paracas 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 Paracas.
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 Paracas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Paracas?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 340 times larger than the population of Paracas. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Paracas, 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.