A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Panama City vs. Sucre for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Panama City or Sucre?

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 Sucre can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Panama City or Sucre?

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.

Sucre

Sucre is famous for its gorgeous town center and delightful climate, making it for many Bolivia's most beautiful city. Also considered the symbolic heart of the nation, 'La ciudad blanca' or the white city has preserved stunning whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios and other beauties of colonial architecture. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 and is under strict controls on development. It offers many attractions including historic buildings and a renowned theatre, but you can also wander around prehistoric sites and discover indigenous culture in the surrounding towns and countryside.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best 3-Day Tours from La Paz, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, Sucre or Panama City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Sucre is $43. 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 Sucre in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Panama City $35
    Sucre $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Panama City $70
    Sucre $22
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Sucre

Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Sucre? 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.

Hotels in Panama City


Hotels in Sucre


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 Sucre Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Panama City $11
    Sucre $12

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: $269
  • Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
  • Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): Transfer to Decameron hotels: $265
  • 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 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
  • Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $136
  • Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $127

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sucre

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Sucre are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sucre

Also for Sucre, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private transfer Sucre - Uyuni, stopover in Potosí Mines: $227
  • Private MiniVan or Bus Transfer from Sucre Airport SRE to Sucre: $28
  • Departure Transfer from Sucre to Sucre Airport by MiniVan or Bus: $27
  • Private Transfer from Sucre Airport SRE to Sucre by SUV or Car: $23

Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Sucre?

Prices for flights to both Sucre 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 day
    Panama City $21
    Sucre $18
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 Sucre

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sucre:


  • Dinner
    $4.48
  • Juice
    $0.87
  • Juice
    $1.01
  • Chocolate
    $1.73
  • Cappuccino
    $4.34

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sucre

For Sucre, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Bolivian Cooking Class w/ Cocktail Making by La Boca del Sapo, Sucre: $40

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Panama City $66
    Sucre $16

Tours and Activities in Panama City

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.

  • City Tour y Canal de Panamá: $35
  • #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 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
  • 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
  • 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $165
  • 5-Hour Tour in Agua Clara New Locks: $100

Tours and Activities in Sucre

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sucre.

  • 2-Day Icla Canyon Tour from Sucre: $87
  • From Tour in English Uyuni salt flat tour 2 Days: $150
  • From Uyuni salt flat tour 2 days 1 night: $125
  • Guided Walking Tour in Sucre: $20
  • Hiking Tour in El Palmar from Sucre Bolivia: $250
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Agro-artisan Indigenous Nucleus -Full Day Tours + Lunch: $79
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Nucleo Indigena, Agroartesanal - Half Day Tours: $58
  • Private Cultural Tour in Sucre with Visit to 3 Museums: $44
  • Private Half Day Tour: Sucre Walking Tour with Hotel Pick up: $67
  • Sucre - Walking City Tour - Half Day - English Speaking guide: $64
  • Sucre City Tour With Visit to Cretaceous Park: $123
  • Sucre City Tour with a German local! Something different!: $19

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Panama City $18
    Sucre $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Sucre, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Sucre much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Sucre 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 Sucre would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sucre 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 Sucre.

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 Sucre Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Panama City or Sucre?

Panama City has a larger population, and is about 82% larger than the population of Sucre. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Sucre, 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.