A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santorini vs. David for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Santorini or David?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or David, 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: Santorini or David?

Santorini

Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.

David

In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, and The Best Budget Tours to Panama.


Which place is cheaper, David or Santorini?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, while the average daily cost in David is €34. 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 Santorini and David in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini 118
    David 11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini 236
    David 22
Compare Hotels in Santorini and David

Looking for a hotel in Santorini or David? 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.

Hotels in Santorini


Hotels in David


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: Santorini Hotel Prices and David Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini 35
    David 10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Santorini Transfers for Groups: 24/7 We are at your service: $21
  • Private Transfer from Santorini Port to Santorini Airport (JTR): $21
  • Santorini, Private Transfer with Luxury Airconditioned Vehicle: $23
  • Private Santorini Airport Transfer with Meet and Greet: $24
  • VIP taxi transfer: $24
  • Private Express One Way Taxi Transfer up to 2: $24
  • Santorini One Way Private transfer: $24
  • Private Arrival Transfer From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $24
  • Shared Transfer: $24
  • Santorini Private Transfer between Airport or Port and Santorini: $26
  • Santorini to Santorini Airport (JTR) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
  • Santorini Airport (JTR) to Santorini - Arrival Private Transfer: $26

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or David?

Prices for flights to both David and Santorini 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Santorini 96
    David 15

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini

For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Greek Night live Music & Dinner Show in Santorini: $72
  • Santorini Caldera Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Wine: $95
  • Santorini Family Farm Food & Wine Tour with Cooking Class: $101
  • Santorini Cooking Lesson with Chef and a Bottle of Wine: $107
  • Award-Winning Santorini Cooking Class with Greek Chef: $129
  • Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $131
  • Cooking Class with Private Chef - prepare & enjoy local menu: $131
  • Santorini Flavors, a Cooking Class in a Dreamy Setting: $131
  • Santorini Sunset Sailing Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $131
  • Sunset Sea Kayak with Light Dinner with Pick-up Option: $143
  • Luxury Santorini Sunset Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $143
  • Miss Anna Santorini Cooking Class: $155

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini 35
    David 3.78

Tours and Activities in Santorini

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.

  • Caldera, Villages and Sunsets Experience in Santorini: $2.32
  • Skip the Line Lost Atlantis Experience Ticket: $17
  • Guided Art Tour Contemporary Art Meets a Quiet Santorini Village: $18
  • Kayak Rental Adventure in Watersports Santorini: $24
  • Santorini Volcanic Sunset Cruise: $35
  • Fira to Oia Best Taxi-Style Tour!: $36
  • Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $36
  • Sunset Cruise Santorini Volcano: $36
  • E-Ticket to Akrotiri with Audio Tour on your Phone: $42
  • Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $42
  • Santorini Tour of Caldera with Glass bottom Boat: $44
  • Santorini Tour Of Caldera with Glass Bottom Boat: $44

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini 25
    David -

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Beer Tasting and Pairing Experience at Ftelos Brewery: $30
  • Santorini Ftelos Brewery Guided Tour and Beer Tasting Experience: $42
  • Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting option: $65
  • Santorini Private Sightseeing Tour with Optional Wine Tasting: $66
  • Visit to a Wine Museum and Wine Tasting in Santorini: $92
  • Santorini Wine & Village Experience–Megalochori &Wine Tasting(4h): $95
  • Premium Wine Tasting with Caldera Views: $106
  • Santorini Wine Tasting and Wine Museum: $125
  • Santorini Wine Tasting & Premium Lunch at Award-Winning Winery: $131
  • Santorini Wine Tour with sunset in Oia: $131
  • Santorini wine tasting and Traditional Cave Settlement Tour: $136
  • Santorini Private Highlights Tour & Wine Tasting with local guide: $173


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and David, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is David much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santorini is in Europe and David 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 David would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in David 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in David.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santorini Expensive? and Is David Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Santorini or David?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of David. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and David, 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.