Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Santorini?
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 Santorini or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini 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: Santorini or Panama City?
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.
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 Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Santorini Prices
Greece PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantorini €250Panama City €86
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, 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 Santorini and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantorini €118Panama City €30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantorini €236Panama City €60
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Santorini 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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santorini €35Panama City €9.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini: $6,138
- Private Transfers from/to Santorini Port (Athinios) to/from Oia: $108
- Santorini Private Roundtrip Transfer from/to Airport,Port & Hotel: $72
- Santorini Private Airport Transfer : $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 2 Days 1 Night Tour in Panama : Hotel and Transfers: $278
- Transfer Airport or Hotel To Playa Venao Panama or vice versa: $260
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $213
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
- Private Transfer from Panama City Hotels to Colón Cruise Port: $158
- Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket & Transfer: $155
- Arrival Transfer Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Panama by Sprinter: $152
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $150
- Roundtrip Private Transfer Panama Airport (PTY) - Playa Blanca : $142
- Private Transfer Hotel or Airport to Resorts in Playa Blanca. One way: $125
- Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
- Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Coronado/Gorgona - Arrival Transfer: $107
Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City 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
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Food Meals for one daySantorini €96Panama City €31
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€7.03
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.Santorini €35Panama City €56
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
- Ferry Tickets between Santorini and Crete Heraklion: $121
- Magical Santorini Highlights Private Tour: $120
- Private Experience in Santorini with Guide in Spanish: $269
- Private Oia and Ammoudi Sunset Experience: $203
- Private Santorini Sunset Picnic Experience: $203
- Santorini Caldera Cruise with Greek Meal, Open-Bar & Sunset Views: $155
- Santorini Classic Highlights and Sightseeing Private Tour: $177
- Santorini Private Tour for Wine Enthusiasts: $215
- Santorini Shopping Therapy: Style & Tradition Tour: $215
- Santorini Unlocked: Private Tour with Local Guide & Driver: $203
- Santorini's Story. Insta and TikTok Experience. Private tour : $203
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 daySantorini €25Panama City €15
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting option: $90
- Private Wine Tasting-Wine Museum- Snacks: 2, 3 or 4 Wineries: $194
- Private Wine Tour in Santorini - Greece: $203
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Panama City, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santorini is in Europe 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 Panama City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Panama City 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 Panama City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santorini Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santorini or Panama City?
Santorini has a larger population, and is about 47% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Santorini 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.