Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo?
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 Tamarindo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Tamarindo?
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.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Panama, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
-
Panama City Prices
Panama PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101Tamarindo $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $161. 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 Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Tamarindo $56
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Tamarindo $112
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Tamarindo? 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 Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Tamarindo $77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Airport PTY to/from Panama City: $17
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $18
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- VIP Transfer Panama: Playa Bonita, Panama City & Pacific Riviera: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Tocumen Airport to Hotel Transfer in Panama City: $22
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer: Liberia Airport to Reserva Conchal with Free Drinks: $260
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Las Catalinas: $250
- Round Trip Transfer From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $250
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Las Catalinas, Costa Rica: $235
- Private Round-Trip Transfer: Liberia Airport to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $230
- Private Round-Trip Transfer:Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo with Free Drinks: $230
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Casa Chameleon At Las Catalinas: $225
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To JW Marriott Guanacaste: $205
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Playa Conchal & Playa Flamingo: $185
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Westin Resort Costa Rica: $185
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hacienda Pinilla Guanacaste: $185
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Westin Resort, Conchal, Costa Rica: $185
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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 $36Tamarindo $62
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
Sandwich$8.26
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 Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show - All Inclusive Experience: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Tamarindo : Traditional Cooking Class: $95
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $99
- Discover Tamarindo's Blue Zone: Healthy Cooking Class: $154
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Tamarindo $19
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- BEC Immersive Museum: Panama Through Your Senses Admission Ticket: $15
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $15
- Panama Old Town Tour: Learn about our History and Culture: $22
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Museum of Illusions Panama Admission Ticket: $26
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $26
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- 1 Full Private Tour to Arenal Volcano + Baldi Hot Springs: $183
- 1 Hour Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $70
- 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $85
- 2 Hours ATV Off Road Tour in Conchal & Brasilito Guanacaste: $85
- 2 Hours Private Jet Ski Tour in Brasilito Flamingo or Conchal: $275
- 2 Hours Pura Vida ATV Adventure from Tamarindo to Playa Conchal: $180
- 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
- 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
- 3 Hours Flamingo Beach ATV Tour: $105
- 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
- 5 Tours in 1 – The Ultimate Volcano Adventure!: $169
- 5 in 1 Nature Volcano and Flavors Tour: $204
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Tamarindo $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tamarindo Bar Crawl – #1 Nightlife Experience: $20
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.