Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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 San Carlos de Bariloche can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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.
San Carlos de Bariloche
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
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 Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86San Carlos de Bariloche $7.40
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.40. 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 San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35San Carlos de Bariloche $2.68
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70San Carlos de Bariloche $5.36
Compare Hotels in Panama City and San Carlos de Bariloche
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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 San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11San Carlos de Bariloche $2.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (Tocumen Airport To/From Panamá): $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $23
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $25
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Transfers to and from San Martín de los Andes: $295
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to San Martín de los Andes: $237
- Transfers to and from El Bolsón: $196
- Private Transfer from Pampa Linda to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $182
- Private Transfer from Cascada Los Alerces to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $164
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Villa Traful: $164
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Hotel Tronador: $164
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Cascada Los Alerces: $163
- Bariloche Airport Round Trip PrivateTransfer: $147
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Lago Correntoso: $136
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Villa La Angostura: $136
- Transfers to and from Villa La Angostura: $134
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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 $21San Carlos de Bariloche $2.78
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:
- 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
Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
-
Pastries$0.01
-
Empanadas$0.03
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66San Carlos de Bariloche $3.05
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 San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $60
- Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $110
- Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $130
- Bariloche: 4-Hour Cerro Catedral Base Tour: $15
- Bariloche: Blest Port and Cantaros Waterfall Tour : $170
- Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $42
- Bariloche: Half Day Small Circuit Tour - Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $28
- Bariloche: Private Enchanted Valley Tour with Lunch: $495
- Classic Bariloche: Half-Day Sightseeing Excursion: $26
- From Bariloche: Half-Day Circuito Chico Sightseeing Tour: $38
- From Bariloche: Victoria Island & the Arrayanes Forest Tour: $128
- From Rio Manso Rafting Tour: $220
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18San Carlos de Bariloche $1.83
Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:
-
Beer$0.01
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.
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 San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of San Carlos de Bariloche. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.