Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Santa Marta?
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 Santa Marta or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Santa Marta and Panama City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Santa Marta or Panama City?
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is a city in the Magdalena Department of Colombia's Costa Norte. Over the last decade, security has steadily been replacing the shadow of the Colombia's violent past. One destination in Colombia's northeast region is now attracting more international visitors: the coastal Caribbean area of Santa Marta. Established in 1525 by the Spanish as a base of conquest, Santa Marta sits at the foot of the world's highest coastal mountain range, the towering Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is South America's oldest European-founded town and the second most important colonial city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. While many travelers complain about Santa Marta's horrible traffic and unsightly urban sprawl, the city holds a numerous amounts of great hotels, bars and restaurants and holds a few fantastic destinations nearby to which you can go during the daytime.
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 Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Santa Marta Prices
Colombia PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Marta $39Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Marta is $39, 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 Santa Marta and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Marta $14Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Marta $28Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Santa Marta and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Santa Marta 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: Santa Marta Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Marta $5.15Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Marta
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Marta:
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Gas$5.12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Marta
Also for Santa Marta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Exclusive transfer Santa Marta - Cartagena: $229
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $220
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Cartagena hotels: $220
- Calderon Beach Club Day Pass with Lunch & Transfer: $194
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $159
- Santa Marta to or from Cartagena Private Transfer: $149
- Private transfer between Santa Marta and Barranquilla (or viceversa): $130
- Private Transfer Santa Marta to Palomino (or vice versa): $117
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Airport SMR to Santa Marta Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta city to Santa Marta Cruise Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Port to Santa Marta Airport SMR: $72
- Private Transfer from Santa Marta Cruise Port to Santa Marta city: $72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty : $12
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfers from Airport to Panama City: $40
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to hotels in Gamboa or Viceversa: $30
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels : $25
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or to the Marina: $32
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port : $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Marta or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Santa Marta 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 daySanta Marta $17Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$3.07
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Santa Marta Walking Food Tour: $40
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City Half-Day : $66
- Food Tour in Santa Marta Old City: $76
- Private Santa Marta City & Food Tour: $86
- Flavors of Colombia - Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $93
- Santa Marta Street Food Tour: $93
- Fast Food Tour In Santa Marta More Than Just Food: $120
- Upscale Food Tour in A Culinary Journey: $155
- Fast Food Tour with Local Guide: $155
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:
- 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.Santa Marta $13Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Santa Marta
For Santa Marta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tayrona Playa Cristal 7 Waves Neguanje Park Tour: $47
- "Gabo Márquez" Tour - Aracataca and Cienaga: $205
- 2 Day Minca Tour with Bird Watching: $95
- 2 days 1 night tour - in Trompito, I meet indigenous community Kogui Uldezhaxa.: $208
- 2-Day Cultural Tour to Gotsezhy from Santa Marta: $198
- 3-Day Private Tour of Taorayiná Ecolodge and Nature Reserve: $200
- A Pearl In The Caribbean-walking tour in English: $16
- Adventures in Santa Marta private beaches by Paddle or kayak: $52
- Al Tayrona yacht experience: $60
- Ancestral Thought Tour: $180
- Ancestral Thought Tour (Indigenous life in Kogui people) Santa Marta: $220
- Authentic experience with the Sewiaxa Kogui community and the River 1 day.: $137
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 daySanta Marta $6.55Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Marta
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Marta from other travelers:
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Beer$0.56
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Beer$2.30
Sample the Local Flavors in Santa Marta
Also in Santa Marta, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $24
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Santa Marta, Colombia: $25
- Bar Crawl In Santa Marta: $125
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Marta and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is Santa Marta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Marta is in South America 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 Santa Marta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Marta 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 Santa Marta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Marta Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Marta or Panama City?
Santa Marta has a larger population, and is about 6% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Santa Marta 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.