Which place is cheaper, Seattle or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City or Seattle?
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 Seattle can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Seattle?
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.
Seattle
Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major city in the United States. The entire metropolitan area has about 3.6 million residents, making it the 15th largest metro area in the US. The natural beauty, growing economy, and educational base give Seattle a youthful vibe that keep the city young and energetic.
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 Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86Seattle $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Seattle is $205. 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 Seattle in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Seattle $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Seattle $240
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Seattle
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Seattle? 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 Seattle Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Seattle $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Private transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seattle
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Seattle:
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Lightrail from Airport (for 2)$5.50
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Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2)$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seattle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seattle:
- Smith Cove Terminal: Private Transfer to Seattle hotels: $310
- Seattle Tacoma Airport(SEA): Transfer to Smith Cove Terminal: $310
- Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA): Private Transfer to Seattle: $267
- Airport Transfer From Seattle Airport to Hotels and Home: $265
- Seattle, WA: Seaplane transfer to Vancouver, BC: $265
- Private Transfer Seattle or Cruise Port to Seattle Airport SEA by Minibus or SUV: $198
- Private Transfer Seattle Airport SEA to Seattle center or port by Minibus or SUV: $195
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Seattle Airport (SEA) -Seattle Downtown: $195
- From Seattle Hotels - Hotel Transfer to Airport: $175
- From Seattle Airport - Transfer to Hotel & Homes: $175
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Seattle Airport (SEA) -Seattle Downtown: $171
- Seattle Tacoma Airport to Summit at Snoqualmie Arrival Transfer: $153
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Seattle?
Prices for flights to both Seattle 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 $21Seattle $51
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
Typical Food Prices in Seattle
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seattle are as follows:
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Expresso & cookie at Pier 70$7.00
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Cashews at Pike Place Market$6.00
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6 Mini Donuts at Pike Place Market$3.25
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Chinese Lunch in International District (for 2)$21
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Breakfast at Lowel's in Pike Place Market (for 2)$32
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Breakfast at French Cafe (for 2)$37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seattle
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seattle.
- Bite-Sized Seattle History & Food Tour: $15
- Secret Food Tours Seattle: $65
- Seattle Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
- Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market- 2 Hours: $67
- Eat Around the World Seattle Food Tour: $69
- International District Food Tour: $69
- Street Food Tour of South Lake Union: $75
- Secret Food Tours: Seattle Pike Place Market: $85
- Private Pike Place Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Local: $88
- Pike Place Market Food Tour: $99
- Small Group Cooking Class: $138
- Private Seattle Cooking Class with a Chef in Her Home: $198
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Seattle $16
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
- Walking Tour Metropolitan Park Panama City : $25
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $27
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old City with locals: $31
Tours and Activities in Seattle
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seattle are as follows:
- 2 Hour Guided Boat Tour in Gig Harbor and Narrows Bridges: $60
- 3 Hour Seattle City Tour: $90
- 2 Hour Seattle City Snapshots Tour: $85
- 2 Hour Sound Tour: $98
- 2-Hour Seattle Sailing Harbor Tour: $45
- 3 Hours Electric Bike Tour of Seattle's Waterways, Nature and Neighborhoods: $87
- 5-hour Seattle and Suburbs Attractions Tour: $185
- Alki Lighthouse Sea Kayak Tour: $140
- Bald Eagles Nesting Area Tour at Skagit River: $135
- Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour: $29
- Best of Seattle Small Group Walking Tour W/ Space Needle: $244
- Boeing Factory Tour with Guided Transport from Seattle: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Seattle $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Seattle
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Seattle:
- Seattle Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $32
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $38
- Where the Hops Grow! Yakima Brewery Tour : $40
- Woodinville's Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Woodinville Wine Country: Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Woodinville Wine Country: Artisan Hill Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Brewery and Restaurant Tour of Historic Seattle Neighborhood: $109
- Bon Vivant Woodinville Wine Tasting Tour : $120
- From Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tasting: $262
- Snoqualmie Falls + Wine Tasting: All-Inclusive Small-Group Tour: $263
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Seattle, we can see that Seattle 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 Seattle 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 Seattle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seattle 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 Seattle Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Seattle?
Seattle has a larger population, and is about 39% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Seattle, 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.