Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Panama City or Saint Thomas?
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 Saint Thomas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Saint Thomas?
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.
Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
-
Panama City Prices
Panama PricesSaint Thomas Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $102Saint Thomas $258
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $102, while the average daily cost in Saint Thomas is $258. 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 Saint Thomas in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Saint Thomas $131
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Saint Thomas $262
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Saint Thomas
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Saint Thomas? 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 Saint Thomas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Saint Thomas $37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport to Beach Resorts: $175
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $143
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $143
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $102
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Linton Bay Marina: $90
- Transfer Colon Cruise Port - Panama Airport: $90
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saint Thomas
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
-
Scooter Rental$65
-
Taxi Ride$5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Thomas
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- St.Thomas Airport (STT) to St.Thomas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $211
- St.Thomas Airport(STT) to St.Thomas - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $211
- Private Airport Transfer in Luxury Vehicle- St. Thomas, USVI: $189
- Vi Top Taxi - St. Thomas Airport Transfer to Wyndham Margaritaville: $180
- Vi Top Taxi and Tours Airport Transfer to the Ritz Carlton: $180
- Private Arrival Transfer from Cyril E King Airport to Redhook Bay: $175
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI- St. Thomas - Airport Transfer to Red Hook Ferry: $174
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI-St. Thomas Airport Transfer to Wyndham Margaritaville: $174
- PARADISE TAXI & TOURS USVI-St. Thomas- Airport Transfer to Ritz Carlton Elysian: $174
- Paradise Taxi & Tours USVI-St Thomas- Airport Transfer Sapphire / Crystal Cove: $174
- Prince Taxi St.Thomas Airport transfer to and from Redhook Ferry: $160
- Private Airport Transfer to or from St. John Ferry: $159
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Saint Thomas?
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas 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
-
Food Meals for one dayPanama City $36Saint Thomas $94
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Thomas
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- St. James Snorkel & Pizza Pi Lunch: $90
- St. Thomas Cultural Cooking Class: $109
- Sunset & Harbor Lights Dinner Sail from the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove: $119
- Afternoon Snorkel, Pizza & Sunset Tour departing from St. Thomas & St. John: $120
- Local Experience, St. John U.S. Virgin Islands Food Tour: $125
- St. John PiZZA Pi Snorkel Sail with Beach Stop, Lunch & Open Bar - Westin: $129
- Flavors of St Thomas Walking Food Tour: $145
- Pizza Pi Shuttle (Official) - Jet Ski Trip St Thomas: $269
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Saint Thomas $60
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
Tours and Activities in Saint Thomas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Tour in the Virgin Islands from Westin St. John: $169
- 1-Hour Guided Jet Ski Tour in St. Thomas from Frenchman's Reef: $159
- 3 Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour: $139
- Aerial Sightseeing Adventure!: $250
- Book Your Private Two and a Half Hour Island Tour today!: $150
- CWORI Dive Center: 1 Tank Guided Dive Tour at Coki Beach: $89
- CWORI Dive Center: Try Scuba Diving Experience at Coki Beach: $109
- Children's Treasure Hunt Walking Tour: $25
- Cocktail Sunset Cruise from Sapphire Beach Resort: $110
- Coral World Ocean Park General Admission Ticket: $29
- Cruise Ship Port Shuttle to St John Ferry: $34
- Cruise Ship Shuttle to Ferry going to St. John: $45
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Saint Thomas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Thomas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
- Da Conch Crawl- Walking Tour and Bar Crawl Downtown St. Thomas: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas 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 Saint Thomas is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Saint Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas 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 Saint Thomas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Saint Thomas?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Saint Thomas. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Saint Thomas, 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.