Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Roatan?
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 Roatan 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 Roatan 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: Roatan or Panama City?
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
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 Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $42Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $102. 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 Roatan and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $10Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $20Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Roatan 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: Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $17Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Private Transfer from Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan Hotels: $153
- Discover Scuba Diving in Roatan at Upachaya with Private Transfer: $150
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $122
- Roatan Zipline, Monkey, Macaws & Sloths Eco Park, Snorkeling, Transfer: $120
- Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan -Round-Trip Transfer: $113
- Roatan Private Transfers: Airport, Cruise Port or Hotel: $110
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $95
- West Bay Beach Day Pass & Private Transfer – Roatán: $89
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $80
- Roatan West Bay Beach Break with Roundtrip Transfer: $75
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $15
- Private Transfer Airport PTY to/from Panama City: $17
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- VIP Transfer Panama: Playa Bonita, Panama City & Pacific Riviera: $20
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Safe & Comfortable Panama Airport Transfer by Travel Hop Panamá: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Roatan 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 dayRoatan $15Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $245
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$8.27
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
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $25Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- 1 Stop Snorkel Adventure with Beach Break: $45
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 3-Hours Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $66
- 4 Hours Private Tour with Snorkeling and West Bay Beach Break: $80
- ATV & community adventure, Mangrove tour, food tasting and Beach: $145
- ATV Jungle Adventure and Beach Retreat in Roatan: $99
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $99
- Atv Island Tour: $140
- Canopy Adventure in Roatán: $60
- Costumed tours in paradise: $65
- Cruise Friendly Sloths, Monkeys JungleZipline Adventure in Roatán: $100
- Cruise Ship Family Chocolate Factory, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach, Transportation: $59
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
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $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
- Private Walking Tour of Casco Antiguo: $30
- 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
- Half-Day Casco Viejo The Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour: $35
- Bike tour in Old City and Cinta costera with local markets: $35
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.52Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
- Roatan ATV Adventure, Island Tour and Craft Brewery Experience: $99
- Roatan Horseback Ride, Island Tour and Brewery Tasting: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Panama City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Panama City than you might in Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan 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.