Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Porto?
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 Porto or Panama City?
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 Porto and Panama City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Porto or Panama City?
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Porto Prices
Portugal PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPorto €160Panama City €86
The average daily cost (per person) in Porto is €160, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €86. 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 Porto and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPorto €72Panama City €30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPorto €144Panama City €60
Compare Hotels in Porto and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Porto 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: Porto Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Porto €21Panama City €9.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer between Porto and Algarve with 1 stop: $558
- Private Transfer to Lisbon from Tarouca: $293
- Private Transfer to Porto from Tarouca: $135
- Funchal to Porto Moniz: Volcanic Pools Day Transfer: $70
- Service Transfer Airport to Porto or Vila Nova de Gaia: $64
- Madeira: Porto da Cruz to Machico Hiking Tour with Transfer: $39
- Transfer Oporto - Aeroport / Up to 4 passengers: $30
- Porto Airport Transfer: $24
- Madeira: Vereda do Larano Trail One-Way Transfer Service: $23
- Porto Airport: Transfer to/from Valenca Do Minho Station: $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 2 Days 1 Night Tour in Panama : Hotel and Transfers: $278
- Transfer Airport or Hotel To Playa Venao Panama or vice versa: $260
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $213
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Private Transfer from Panama City Hotels to Colón Cruise Port: $158
- Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket & Transfer: $155
- Arrival Transfer Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Panama by Sprinter: $152
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $150
- Roundtrip Private Transfer Panama Airport (PTY) - Playa Blanca : $142
- Private Transfer Hotel or Airport to Resorts in Playa Blanca. One way: $125
- Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $107
Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Porto 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 dayPorto €63Panama City €31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Porto Food & Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option: $94
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€7.03
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 Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $75
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Cooking Class in Panama City with 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
- Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
- Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Porto €25Panama City €56
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
- 3 Hour Tuk tuk Tour in Porto: $215
- 3-Hour Porto Highlights on a Electric Bike Guided Tour: $52
- Aveiro and Costa Nova Half Day Tour from Porto with Boat Ride: $55
- Braga & Guimarães Small Group Tour: Lunch & All Tickets Included: $167
- Breathtaking Nature in Gerês Park - Private tour from Porto: $130
- Daytime Sailing Adventure near Lagos and Luz!: $167
- Douro Sunset Sailboat Experience in Porto: $70
- Douro Valley : 2 wineries, Tastings, Lunch & Scenic River Cruise: $161
- Douro Valley Tour: 2 Vineyard Visits, River Cruise, Winery Lunch: $113
- Douro Valley and Régua Panoramic Cruise with Lunch from Porto: $92
- Douro Valley: Historical Sites, Wine Experience, Lunch & Cruise: $106
- Douro: luxury & private tour with picnic lunch at Quinta da Roêda: $293
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Gatun Lake Panamá Wildlife Adventure Guided Experience: $159
- Horseback riding and Agri-Tour in Colon Private tour: $75
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Panama Viejo and Casco Antiguo Tour: $115
- Panama a quick and memorable tour: $68
- San Blas Islands, 4-Island Tour All-Inclusive Welcome Cocktail: $149
- #1 Walking Tour of Casco Viejo Panama with Lunch included : $70
- “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
- “Panama at Your Rhythm: Private Tour with Canal, Old Town and More”: $67
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPorto €19Panama City €15
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
- Luxury Yacht Cruise with Wine Tasting & Snacks: $54
- Port Wine Tour | 3 Cellars | 7 Tastings | 12 Participants Maximum: $60
- Port Wine Lodges Tour Including 7 Port Wine Tastings (English): $62
- Authentic Food and Wine Tour in Porto by Food Lover Tour: $81
- Douro Valley Tour: Wine Tasting, Cruise and Lunch from Porto : $96
- Douro Valley Wine Tour: 3 Vineyard Visits, Wine Tastings, Lunch: $113
- Complete Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch, Wine Tastings and River Cruise: $118
- Douro Valley Half-Day Wine Tour with Winery and Lunch From Porto: $131
- Authentic Small Group Douro Wine Tour with Lunch & River Cruise: $131
- Small Group Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch and Cruise: $149
- Douro Valley Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting, Lunch and Boat: $150
- Douro Valley Tour - 3 Wine tastings, Lunch & river Cruise: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porto and Panama City, we can see that Porto is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Porto is in Europe 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto 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 Porto Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Porto or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 64% larger than the population of Porto. When comparing the sizes of Porto 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.