Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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 Queenstown can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
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 Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101Queenstown $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $131. 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Queenstown $56
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Queenstown $112
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Queenstown $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Private Transfer Airport PTY to/from Panama City: $17
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $18
- Private Airport Transfer PTY to Panama City or Playa Blanca: $18
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- VIP Transfer Panama: Playa Bonita, Panama City & Pacific Riviera: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Private Airport Transfer: $23
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels: $25
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $1,016
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $901
- Queenstown/Wanaka Airport Transfer: $210
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $177
- Private Transfer from Queenstown Central to Wanaka: $177
- From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $165
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $78
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Private Queenstown Airport to Hotel Transfers: $73
- QUEENSTOWN Best Private Airport Transfer:1 Way from/to Hotel: $51
- Queenstown International Airport To and From City Center Transfer: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $36Queenstown $62
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 Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Street Food Tour Panama City (28+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $113
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!: $150
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $294
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Queenstown $22
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $16
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $24
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Casco Viejo Golden Hour Rooftop Sunset Social Experience: $26
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
- Bike tour in Old City and Cinta costera with local markets: $35
- 5 hour tour in Panama City: $35
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$30
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- 25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $186
- 30-Minute Jet Boat Adventure Queenstown with Music: $65
- 5 Day South Island New Zealand Private Tour from Queenstown: $2,767
- Arrowtown & Queenstown Kiwi Special Tour, Local discovery tour.: $59
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Bike Tour with Shuttle: $69
- Boutique Winery Half-Day Tour & Vineyard Platter-Style Lunch: $158
- Coach Farm Tour and Milford Sound Nature Cruise from Queenstown: $233
- Coronet Peak Snow Sightseeing Tour: $203
- Coronet Peak Snow Touch Experience from Queenstown: $60
- Cromwell: Lake Dunstan Discovery Day Tour by eBike with Shuttle: $114
- Cruise Milford Small Group Day Tour from Queenstown: $222
- Dart River Jet Boat and Wilderness Experience: $196
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Queenstown $8.96
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Marlborough Wine Tour: Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Guide: $24
- Gibbston Valley Wine Tour: Self-Guided Drive or Bike Audio Guide: $30
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Bike & Wine Tour: Arrowtown to Valley of the Vines: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
- Classic Wine Tour: $135
- Arrowtown Wine Tour: $141
- Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings: $150
- Queenstown 6 hour Boutique Wine Tour: 4 Wineries & Lunch: $151
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Queenstown?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Queenstown, 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.