Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City or San Francisco?
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 Francisco can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or San Francisco?
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 Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86San Francisco $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35San Francisco $130
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Panama City and San Francisco
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or San Francisco? 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 Francisco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11San Francisco $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Private Transfer to Coronado: $271
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $267
- Round trip transfer in private Car from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $240
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca resorts : $206
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Skip the Line: Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket with Transfer: $155
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Round-Trip Transfer in Private Minivan from-to Tocumen Airport in Playa Bonita: $140
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $137
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $137
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
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Taxi to SFO$45
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Golden Gate Bridge Toll$6.00
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Alcatraz Tour$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Francisco Airport (SFO): Transfer to Cruise Terminal: $561
- Carmel 1-Way Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport: $535
- SFO Airport Private Transfer to/from Sacramento: $414
- Napa Valley 1-Way Transfer to/from the San Francisco Airport: $400
- San Francisco Airport (SFO): Transfer to San Francisco: $346
- San Francisco (SFO) to Calistoga Resorts Round-Trip Transfer: $296
- Private Airport Transfer From SFO to Sonoma (One-way): $280
- Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to East Bay (one way): $262
- Sedan Airport Transfer from Vallejo to SFO (one way): $259
- Arrival Private Transfer SFO Airport to San Francisco City by SUV: $245
- Departure Private Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport in a SUV: $203
- San Francisco Airport (SFO) to Cruise Terminal - Arrival Private Transfer: $182
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco 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 $21San Francisco $46
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
- North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
- Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
- Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $84
- Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
- Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
- Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
- San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
- San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66San Francisco $46
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 4-Hour Gatun Lake Boat Tour and Jungle Wildlife: $99
- 5-Hour Tour to Miraflores Locks and Sloth Sanctuary: $140
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
- 2hr - SUNSET Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay: $149
- Private Walking Tour in Muir Woods and Tickets : $20
- "Summer of Love" tour in Haight-Ashbury in French: $63
- 1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: $73
- 2-Hour Double Decker City Tour of San Francisco: $73
- 2HR Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Loop GoCar Tour: $172
- 2hr - INTERACTIVE Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay: $149
- 2hr - INTERACTIVE Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay: $149
- 2hr - SUNSET Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay: $149
- 2hr PRIVATE Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay 6 Guests: $695
- 3 in 1 Tour: Muir Woods, Sausalito & Half Day Wine Country Visit: $189
- 3-Hour Private Group San Francisco Open Top Jeep Tour: $249
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18San Francisco $22
Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
- Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
- SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
- Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
- Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
- Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
- Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
- Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
- Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126
- From The Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
- The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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 San Francisco is in North 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 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco 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 San Francisco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or San Francisco?
San Francisco has a larger population, and is about 79% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and San Francisco, 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.