Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Phuket?
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 Phuket or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Panama City, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Phuket or Panama City?
Phuket
Phuket Island is the holiday gem of southern Thailand. Known for its beaches and resorts, the island brings in a massive amount of travelers from all over the world, year round. Although the beaches are beautiful, Phuket has also become more westernized and tourist-oriented in recent decades, leaving many travelers to venture elsewhere to find that amazing beach with a more authentic Thai vibe. However, Phuket Island is quite large, and hidden gems can still be found.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Phuket Prices
Thailand PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhuket $134Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Phuket is $134, 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 Phuket and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhuket $62Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhuket $124Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Phuket and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Phuket 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: Phuket Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phuket $12Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Phuket:
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Longtail Taxi (for Two)$9.12
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Taxi from Airport to Phuket Town$7.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phuket
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phuket:
- Krabi to Island Transfer & Private Phi Phi Tour: $401
- Phuket’s Must-Do Tours with Return Private Airport Transfers: $243
- Phuket Jet Ski Adventure and Island Hopping with Transfers: $229
- Phuket airport to Krabi Private transfer: $202
- Phuket Airport to Koh Lanta any hotel Private transfer: $184
- Phuket any hotel to Koh lanta Private transfer: $179
- Flying Hanuman Ziplining Experience in Phuket with Return Transfer: $167
- ATV Bike 1 hr + Zipline Adventure 35 platforms with meal and Free Transfer: $155
- ATV Bike 1 hr + ziplines 30 platforms with Roundtrip Transfer: $155
- Flying Hanuman Ziplines 42 platforms with Transfer RoundTrips: $154
- Private Transfer from Krabi to Phuket, Khao Lak and More: $144
- Phi Phi Khai and Bamboo Island Sunrise with Transfer from Phuket: $142
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: $28
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- PTY Tours & Airport transfers - Giants V.I.P Tours: $22
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $208
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $33
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $65
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Phuket 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 dayPhuket $42Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phuket:
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Casual Dinner (for Two)$8.79
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.17
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Sit Down Dinner (for Two)$13
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Thai Noodles$2.74
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Bananas$0.76
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Pizza (for Two)$9.12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phuket
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phuket.
- One Day Experience Cooking at Phuket Patong Thailand: $28
- Kanta Phuket Peranakan Cooking Class Experience: $31
- Catamaran Sunset Cruise in Phuket with Dinner at Promthep Cape: $41
- Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour Option in Bang Tao Phuket: $47
- Phuket City Tour with Sunset and Thai Cooking: $48
- Phuket 10+ Tastings Food Tour & Charming Old Town: $52
- Phuket Express Thai Cooking Course with Authentic Recipes: $52
- Authentic Thai Cooking Class by Suuko Wellness Spa: $55
- Express Thai Cooking Class in Phuket: $56
- Vegetarian Organic Thai Cooking Class and Market Tour in Phuket: $57
- Discounted Ticket to Phuket Siam Niramit Show with Dinner: $58
- Phuket Coral Island and Sunset Dinner by Luxury Catamaran: $58
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 Food Tour Local Markets Immersion (Tasting tour + Lunch): $50
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $55
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phuket $47Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Phuket
Here are a few typical costs in Phuket for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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One Day Boat Tour$27
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Scuba Diving (Two Dives)$76
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Thai Oil Massage$19
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Surfboard Rental$9.12
Tours and Activities in Phuket
Here are a few actual costs in Phuket for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Hour Quad Bike ATV Ride – Ultimate Adventure: $59
- 12 Islands Overnight Tour: $200
- 2 Day Tour to James Bond Islands, Krabi and Phi Phi: $179
- 2 Days 1 Night Surin Islands Snorkeling Tour from Phuket: $230
- 2 Hours ATV Riding in Phuket (Popular Tour): $89
- 2x Snorkelling Phi Phi, Maiton, Maya Bay, khai islands tour: $71
- 3 Fun Dives King Cruiser Wreck and Koh DokMai for Certified diver: $167
- 3 Khai Islands Snorkeling Tour by Speed Boat: $43
- 3 Khai Islands Tour- Snorkel, Swim & Relax (Half or Full Day): $33
- 3-Dive Discover Scuba Diving Tour in Phuket for Beginners: $153
- 3-Island Speedboat Tour: Racha Noi, Racha Yai & Maiton: $111
- 4 Element Day with Zipline Adventure Expedition: $77
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Panama City Sunset Bike Tour (Cinta Costera & Casco Viejo): $22
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Panama City Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
- Panama Viejo Ruins & Museum Tour – Guided Exploration: $35
- Craft Your Own Rum: The Casa Barú Experience Casco Viejo: $35
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhuket $7.08Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Phuket
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Phuket from other travelers:
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Cocktails (for Two)$6.08
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Beer$2.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Phuket
Also in Phuket, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Rooftop, Bars, GoGo & 3 Clubs with Shots: $22
- Chalong Bay Rum Distillery Experience and Lunch: $52
- Phuket Real City Tour with Rum Cocktail Distillery: $86
- Phuket Rum Distillery Cocktail Workshop And Wat Chalong Temple: $172
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phuket and Panama City, we can see that Phuket is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Phuket 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 Phuket would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phuket 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 Phuket Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phuket or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Phuket. When comparing the sizes of Phuket 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.