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.
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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.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesTamarindo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101Tamarindo $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $159. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Tamarindo $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Tamarindo $110
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Tamarindo $76
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama: Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport: $23
- Panama: Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport: $24
- Panama: Private transfer to Tocumen Airport: $24
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Shopping at Albrook Mall & Round-Trip Transfer: $36
- Premium Transfers in Panama: $36
- Private transfer from Panama to Airport: $36
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Gamboa: $40
- Private Transfer pty Tocumen to Panama City Price per Group: $42
- One-Way or Round-Trip PTY Airport Transfer: $51
- Historic District and Canal Tour with Transfer: $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Westin Conchal Hotel: $295
- Minivan Departure Transfer Tamarindo to San Jose Airport SJO: $293
- Private Round Trip Transfer: From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $280
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Las Catalinas: $250
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Las Catalinas, Costa Rica: $235
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To JW Marriott Guanacaste: $205
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Westin Resort, Conchal, Costa Rica: $185
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Reserva Conchal: $185
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Margaritaville Costa Rica: $185
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Playa Conchal & Flamingo: $180
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Margaritaville Resort, Costa Rica: $180
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $180
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
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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:
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Sandwich$8.25
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
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
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
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $99
Entertainment
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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.
- Panama Casco Viejo: Walking Tour Must See Treasures!!!: $25
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $26
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $27
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Half-Day Tour to Miraflores Locks & Casco Viejo: $32
- POIN Panama City Climb Experience: $32
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $32
- POIN Swing Experience: $32
- Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo Tour: The Real City with a Local Touch: $35
- Walking tour through the Hidden treasures of Casco Viejo: $35
- Legends and Hidden Gems of Casco Viejo Tour: $35
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- "Rio Celeste Waterfall, Cacao & Cofee tour and Sloth Adventure: $250
- 1 Full Private Tour to Arenal Volcano + Baldi Hot Springs: $183
- 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $85
- 2 Hours ATV Off Road Tour in Guanacaste Costa Rica: $85
- 2 Hours Pura Vida ATV Adventure from Tamarindo to Playa Conchal: $180
- 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
- 3 HOURS Coastal ATV Adventure from Tamarindo to Playa Negra: $270
- 3 Hour ATV Full Tour Off-Road Tour in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: $190
- 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
- 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
- 30 Minutes Private Guided Jet Ski Tour in Conchal & Brasilito: $122
- 5 Tours in 1 – The Ultimate Volcano Adventure!: $169
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Tamarindo $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Tamarindo
Also in Tamarindo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Puro Vino - Tamarindo's Wine Tour Ride: $85
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.