Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Santo Domingo?
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 Santo Domingo 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 Santo Domingo and Panama City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Santo Domingo or Panama City?
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is a vibrant city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and modernity. Known for being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, Santo Domingo offers a wealth of experiences that cater to every type of traveler.
Traveling to Santo Domingo on a budget is entirely achievable with some strategic planning. Accommodations range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses. The Zona Colonial, the historic district, offers several affordable lodging options that provide easy access to major attractions. Hostels offer comfortable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers, too. Eating on a budget is also feasible in Santo Domingo. Local eateries, known as "comedores," serve traditional Dominican dishes at reasonable prices.
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 Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Santo Domingo Prices
Dominican Republic PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanto Domingo $103Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Santo Domingo is $103, 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 Santo Domingo and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanto Domingo $42Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanto Domingo $84Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Santo Domingo and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Santo Domingo 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: Santo Domingo Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santo Domingo $4.78Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santo Domingo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santo Domingo:
- Private Transfer Santo Domingo SDQ to Samana/Miches/Terrenas: $299
- Private round trip transfer from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana: $280
- Santo Domingo airport to Puerto Plata transfer: $270
- Bahía de las Águilas w/ Private Transfer: $250
- Private transfer From Las Americas Airport (SDQ) To Samana: $250
- Private transfer Santo Domingo Airport to, Sosua, Cabarete,: $240
- Private transfer from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana & Viceversa (one way): $235
- Transfer from the Americas Inter. Airport to Punta Cana: $235
- Santo Domingo Airport to Uvero Alto Exclusive Transfer: $197
- Transfer from Santo Domingo SDQ /JBQ Airport to Punta Cana Hotels: $192
- Santo Domingo transfer to downtown (private roundtrip): $191
- SDQ Airport Private Transfer to Punta Cana Bavaro and Uvero Alto: $189
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $18
- Private Airport Transfer PTY to Panama City or Playa Blanca: $18
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $27
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Santo Domingo or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Santo Domingo 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 daySanto Domingo $56Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santo Domingo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santo Domingo.
- Cooking Class in Santo Domingo:6 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $42
- Food Tour & Paradise Beach Day with Drinks: $140
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:
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show - All Inclusive Experience: $70
- Panama City by Night: Rooftop Skyline, Dinner & Folklore Show: $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
- The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santo Domingo $15Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Santo Domingo
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Santo Domingo are as follows:
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Snorkeling Tour$43
Tours and Activities in Santo Domingo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santo Domingo are as follows:
- 6 Hours Private Cultural Tour in Santo Domingo: $190
- Cabarete Caves & Nature Adventure: $128
- Cultural VIP Private Tour From Santo Domingo: $150
- Cumayasa Private Buggies Tour from Santo Domingo: $135
- Dominican Food, Rum, and Beer Tasting Experience: $35
- Experience the Three Eyes Park and Columbus Lighthouse: $45
- From Catalina Island Day Tour: $85
- From Full day Historical Tour with Lunch: $75
- Full Dominican Adventure: Zipline, ATV Buggie, Horseback & Safari: $266
- Full-Day Adventure Tour of Culture through Santo Domingo: $125
- Full-Day Santo Domingo Tour with Pick Up in Punta Cana: $90
- Half Day Santo Domingo Tour: Three Eyes Park to Colon Lighthouse: $80
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $15
- Panama Chocolate Factory Experience and Tasting: $19
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $24
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $26
- Rum & Chocolate Pairing: The Casa Baru Experience Casco Viejo: $28
- Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City : Custom Walking Tour with A Guide (Private Tour): $34
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanto Domingo $7.86Panama City $18
When comparing the travel costs between Santo Domingo and Panama City, we can see that Santo Domingo is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Santo Domingo is in Caribbean Islands and Panama City is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santo Domingo Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santo Domingo or Panama City?
Santo Domingo has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Santo Domingo 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.