Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Penang?
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 Penang or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Penang and Panama City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Penang or Panama City?
Penang
Just off the northwestern coast of Malaysia is the charming and diverse island state of Penang. As the link between the ancient kingdoms of Asia and Europe's colonial empire, this area is enriched with Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences. This exciting culture is centered in George Town, the main city of the state.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Malaysia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Malaysia, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Penang Prices
Malaysia PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPenang $150Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Penang is $150, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $101. 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 Penang and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPenang $57Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPenang $114Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Penang and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Penang or Panama City? 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: Penang Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Penang $15Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Penang
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Penang:
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Local Bus$1.49
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Island Ferry$0.59
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Bus From Airport to George Town$0.67
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Taxi From Airport to George Town$11
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Motorbike Rental (One Day)$7.43
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Bicycle Rental (One Day)$2.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Penang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Penang:
- Private Transfer : Penang Hotel/Port to Kuala Lumpur Hotel: $177
- Chauffeur: Penang Island to Singapore Van Transfer: $148
- Penang City to Kuala Lumpur City One-way Transfer: $140
- Penang City Hotels to Kuala Lumpur Airport One-way Transfer: $140
- Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal, Penang to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $120
- Swettenham Cruise Port to Penang Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $113
- Penang City to Kuala Lumpur City 1-way Transfer: $107
- Penang to Kuala Lumpur 1-way Transfer: $107
- Private Half Day Tour to Penang Island with Transfer Included: $80
- Penang Airport Transfer ( 24/7): $59
- Swettenham Pier Cruise Port to Penang Island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $57
- Private Transfer: Penang International Airport to or from Hotel: $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $29
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Coronado/Gorgona - Round-Trip Transfer: $211
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $33
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Panama Casco Viejo Stopover: Private Tour, Coffee & Transfer: $164
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Penang or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Penang 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 dayPenang $67Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Penang:
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Snack$1.98
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Dinner at The Suffolk House (for 2)$85
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Lunch at Sakae Sushi (for 2)$72
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Lassy Juice$1.73
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Dinner for 2$3.71
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Street Stall Food$0.69
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.70
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Italian Lunch (for Two)$12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Penang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Penang.
- Penang Food Tour : A Feast That Taste Like History : 17+ Tasting: $48
- Good Morning Penang Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Penang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Private Half-Day Hawker Trails Food Tour in George Town: $51
- Penang Food Tour - Georgetown: $62
- 3-Hour Heritage on a Plate Dinner Hop in George Town Penang: $65
- Eat Like A Local: Penang Street Food Tour: $65
- Authentic Local Food Tour with Scenic Walk: $89
- Authentic Indian Penang Cooking Class: $92
- Penang Cooking Class:Dive into Malaysian Cuisine with PenangChiak: $94
- Private Half Day Penang Tasty Local Street Food Tour: $99
- Malay Culinary Journey Cooking Class for the Adventurous Foodie: $102
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$8.24
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
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- Street Food Tour Panama City (28+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Penang $58Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Penang
Here are a few typical costs in Penang for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Butterfly Gardens$7.68
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$7.43
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Fort Cornwallis Entrance$0.50
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Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Entrance$2.48
Tours and Activities in Penang
Here are a few actual costs in Penang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Hour of Penang Street Food Walkabout Tour The Heritage Site: $49
- 4-Hour Private Heritage Tour in George Town: $71
- 8 Hours of Penang Tour: $60
- Back of the Bike Street Food Experience – Real Penang!: $119
- Balik Pulau Bicycle Tour: $33
- Best of Historical George Town Half Day Tour: $80
- Bukit Merah Orang Utan and Penang City Private Tour: $140
- Chinese Clan Secrets and History Guided Walking Tour in Penang: $57
- Colors of George Town Walking Tour: $161
- Culture History and Local Life Penang Half Day Experience: $51
- Culture, Faith and Trade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of George Town: $5.00
- Customizable Penang Private Tour (8hrs usage): $65
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Experience of Salsa in Panama: $25
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Casco Viejo Golden Hour Rooftop Sunset Social Experience: $26
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- 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
- Panama City Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPenang $18Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Penang:
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Beer$1.98
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Penang and Panama City, we can see that Penang is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Penang is in Asia and Panama City is in Central 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 Penang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Penang 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 Penang Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Penang or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Penang. When comparing the sizes of Penang and Panama City, 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.