Which place is cheaper, Punta Arenas or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 Punta Arenas can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Punta Arenas is in the far south of Chile and has a long history of maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep farming. It's the most populated city on the Strait of Magellan and has all the facilities you might need as a traveler, including banks, markets, drugstores and equipment shops. With a population of about 130,000, the city is a comfortable place to spend time. It serves as a base for Antarctic expeditions, although many expeditions also start in Ushuaia, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Punta Arenas? 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.
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for Punta Arenas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Punta Arenas 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Punta Arenas:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta Arenas.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Punta Arenas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Punta Arenas, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Punta Arenas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas.
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 Punta Arenas Expensive?.
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Punta Arenas. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Punta Arenas, 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.