Which city is cheaper, Panama City or San Pedro La Laguna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Pedro La Laguna vs. Panama City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit San Pedro La Laguna or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Pedro La Laguna 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: San Pedro La Laguna or Panama City?
San Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture 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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro La Laguna $36Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro La Laguna is $36, 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for San Pedro La Laguna and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro La Laguna $8.23Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro La Laguna $16Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro La Laguna 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.San Pedro La Laguna $13Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $40
- Transfer to Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks): $11
- Transfer to Monkey Island and Embera Village: $130
- Transfer to Dreams Playa Bonita: $18
- Transfer to Carti, San Blas from Panama City: $80
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panamá City to Panamá Tocumen Airport: $28
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama City to Panama Tocumen Airport: $44
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa: $27
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport or Panama City to Playa Blanca: $63
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport or Panama City to Colon Cruise Terminal: $54
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to Tocumen Airport: $27
- Transfer from Panama City to Tocumen Airport: $19
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro La Laguna or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and San Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna $11Panama City $21
Typical Food prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.06
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Cake$1.29
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$2.96
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$8.28
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
- Food Tour - Panama Gastronomy: $102
- Casco Antiguo Sunset Walking Tour with Dinner: $170
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
- Whale Watching + Beach + Seafood Dinner - BEST VALUE IN PANAMA: $205
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro La Laguna $21Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.93
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$6.94
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Camping, Short hike & Watch the sunrise on the top of Indian Nose (Private tour): $85
- Chichicastenango Market Day Tour: $60
- Get fun with an Adventure Tour - Zip Line (Canopy): $51
- Horseback Riding Tour: $51
- Indian Nose Hiking Adventure (custom and private tour): $51
- Lake Atitlan Village Tour - from Panajachel: $205
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- 2 Nights in San Blas Islands! Beach & Community Tour includes La casa de papel: $326
- 2-day San Blas Islands in Shared Cabin with Tour, Meals and Transport Included: $209
- 2D/1N Private Cabin (min 2 Guests) in San Blas INCLUDING Day Tour + Transport: $231
- 5-Day Tour to Bocas del Toro from Panama City: $974
- 5-Hour City Tour & The Panama Canal Including Ticket: $81
- 5-Hour Tour of Panama City, Panama from Tocumen Airport: $123
- A Volcano adventure: Hiking, Waterfall and more: $275
- Adventure and relaxing at the Caribbean: $165
- AfroLatino Travel - AfroPanama in Focus City Day Tour: $138
- All Inclusive Full-Day Taboga Island Catamaran Tour from Panama City, Panama: $89
- All inclusive San Blas 4 Islands Day Tour No hidden fees: $176
- Amazing Bayano Cave experience: $650
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro La Laguna $5.58Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Panama City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Panama City:
- Panama Bar Crawl (private): $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro La Laguna and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna.
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Budget Your Trip
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