Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Playa del Carmen?
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 Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Playa del Carmen or Panama City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Playa del Carmen Prices
Mexico PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPlaya del Carmen $94Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Playa del Carmen is $94, 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 Playa del Carmen and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPlaya del Carmen $38Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPlaya del Carmen $76Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Playa del Carmen and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Playa del Carmen 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: Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Playa del Carmen $23Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Private Van Transfer to Merida: $389
- Private Van Transfer to Valladolid: $348
- Private Van Transfer to Chiquilá (Holbox): $348
- Private Transfer from Playa del Carmen to Chiquila Ferry Dock: $299
- Private Transfer roundtrip to Xoximilco. from PLAYA and CANCUN: $260
- Private Transfer to Cenote at Tulum: $213
- Round Trip Private Transfer (Costa Mujeres): $210
- Cancun Airport Private Roundtrip Transfer to Riviera Maya Hotels: $195
- Private Transfer to Cenotes at Riviera Maya: $189
- Private Transfer from ATO Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $177
- Private Transfer to Xplor/Xplor fire/Xenses, roundtrip from PDC: $160
- Private Van Transfer to Cancun Airport: $151
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: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- 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 Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- 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 Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Playa del Carmen 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 dayPlaya del Carmen $39Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Christmas Eve Dinner in a magical jungle setting: $45
- Flavors of Playa del Carmen, Mexican Food Tour: $67
- Playa Del Carmen Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $75
- Cooking Class in 9 Recipes & Drinks: $77
- Food Tour Through Markets with 7 Tastings: $82
- local walking food tour Inlakech Playa del Carmen: $82
- Cooking Class in 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $85
- Riviera Maya Luxury Sunset Sailing plus Light Dinner and Open Bar: $89
- Mayan Ceremony in Tulum. Temazcal, Dinner and pick up included.: $92
- Mexican Cooking Class 1 or 3 Courses Tequila and Mezcal Tasting: $105
- Mexican Cooking Class: $113
- Mayan Cooking Class: Chicken Pibil in Secret Cenote: $114
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:
- Panama City Market Food Tour & Lunch | Paradox Experience: $50
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- 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.Playa del Carmen $16Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Cenotes & Kaan Luum Lagoon Adventure from Playa del Carmen: $142
- 3 Hour Tour ATV Single with Underground River from Tulum: $135
- 3-in-1 Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Maya Village Riviera Maya: $99
- 3D Museum of Wonders Admission Ticket: $41
- 4 Casa Tortugas Cenotes Tour from Playa del Carmen: $142
- 5X1: Tulum and Coba Ruins, Cenote & Mayan Village Full Day Tour: $82
- AQUA WONDER (Half-Day Aquatic Tour in Tulum with Snorkeling and Meals): $129
- ATV (Shared) & Cenote Jungle Adventure from Riviera Maya: $130
- ATV Adventure with Ziplines & Cenote from Playa del Carmen: $57
- ATV Extreme and Snorkel Adventure from the Riviera Maya: $149
- ATV Shared & Ziplines Adventure in Tulum Jungle from Riviera Maya: $140
- ATV Tour in Playa del Carmen with Zip Lines: $71
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $18
- Panama City Sunset Bike Tour (Cinta Costera & Casco Viejo): $22
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- 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
- 5-hour tour in Panama by a Local Guide: $29
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- Bike Tour Panamá City and the Old Town: $34
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPlaya del Carmen $20Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Playa del Carmen:
- Playa del Carmen Local Brewery and Tacos Experience: $58
When comparing the travel costs between Playa del Carmen and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Playa del Carmen is in North America and Panama City is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Playa del Carmen Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Playa del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Playa del Carmen 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.