Which place is cheaper, Panama City or San Ignacio?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Ignacio or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Ignacio 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: San Ignacio or Panama City?
San Ignacio
So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.
You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.
This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!
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 Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Ignacio $72Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in San Ignacio is $72, 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 San Ignacio and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Ignacio $19Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Ignacio $38Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in San Ignacio and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in San Ignacio 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: San Ignacio Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Ignacio $3.11Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:
- From Van Transfer To Flores Peten in Guatemala: $20
- San Ignacio Hotel to Belize City Transfer: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- PTY Airport Transfer Service To Panama City: $28
- PTY Tocumen Airport Private Transfer One Way or Round Trip!: $41
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $29
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $39
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $78
- Panama Airport Transfer from Tocumen PTY to Playa Blanca: $170
- Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $65
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket & Transfer: $155
Is it cheaper to fly into San Ignacio or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and San Ignacio 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 daySan Ignacio $21Panama City $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.
- Xunantunich & Food Tour with local chocolate tasting experience: $160
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:
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $72
- Private Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Ignacio $100Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in San Ignacio
Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Excursions in Cayo with Waterfalls Experience: $174
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic: $125
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour from San Ignacio : $125
- Actun Tunichil Muknal with Local Tour guide & Belizean Lunch: $120
- Barton Creek Tour: $98
- Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $90
- Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch: $125
- Cave Tubing Adventure at Nohoch Che'en and Jaguar Paw : $115
- Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San Ignacio: $144
- Cave Tubing with local tour Guide and Belizean Lunch: $90
- From Xunantunich Mayan Tour & Optional Combos: $75
- Full day, 7 Miles Cave Kayaking adventure in Belize: $135
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Discover Panama’s Heartbeat: In-App Audio Tour: $11
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $25
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $25
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $27
- Bike tour to Old Town with locals: $27
- Walking tour in Casco Viejo with locals: $27
- Panama Casco Viejo: Walking Tour Must See Treasures!!!: $29
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- POIN Swing Experience: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Ignacio $17Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Ignacio and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is San Ignacio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Ignacio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Ignacio Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Ignacio or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Ignacio. When comparing the sizes of San Ignacio 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.