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 Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) 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 €87
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €87. 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 €9.20
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
- Luxury Small-Group Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Open bar & Transfer: $165
- Santorini Small-Group Catamaran Sailing Trip(BBQ,drinks, transfer): $153
- Santorini Catamaran Cruise: with Lunch, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $142
- Premium Small-Group Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Open Bar, Transfer: $142
- Luxury Santorini Catamaran Cruise: Lunch, BBQ, Drinks, Transfers: $136
- Santorini Private transfer up to 8 persons: $130
- Santorini Sunset Luxury Sailing Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, drinks, transfer: $130
- Santorini Luxury Sailing Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Drinks and Transfer: $130
- Roundtrip Transfers to Black Sand Beach from Your Santorini Hotel: $130
- Private Transfers from/to Santorini Port (Athinios) to/from Oia: $106
- Roundtrip transfer to Santo Winery from your hotel: $104
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama 2 days / 1 night : hotel, transfers and city tour: $278
- Private Transfer from PTY to Playa Blanca resorts: $223
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca resorts: $223
- Private Transfer from Panama City or PTY Airport to Beach Resort: $220
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $210
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Coronado/Gorgona - Round-Trip Transfer: $210
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport to Beach Resorts: $175
- San Blas Day Trip (Transfers & Lunch included): $175
- Miraflores Visitor Center Ticket & Transfer: $155
- Panama Tocumen Airport(PTY) to Colón Round-Trip Private Transfer: $153
- Private Transfer from Panama Airport (PTY) to Colón Resorts: $147
- Private Transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón resorts: $147
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
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 Family Farm Food & Wine Tour with Cooking Class: $100
- Santorini Cooking Lesson with Chef and a Bottle of Wine: $106
- Santorini Volcano Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $118
- Cooking Class with Private Chef - prepare & enjoy local menu: $130
- Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $130
- Luxury Santorini Sunset Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $142
- Santorini Food Tour: Fira Half-Day Small-Group Tour with Tastings: $147
- Small Group Cooking Lesson & Wine Tasting at Award-Winning Winery: $165
- Miss Anna Santorini BAKING Cooking Class: $177
- Clandestine Dinner by Petra Kouzina: $177
- Santorini : Cooking Class & Easy Hike: $183
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€7.11
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 Food Tour Local Markets Immersion (Tasting tour + Lunch): $50
- Unique Ravioli Fusion Cooking Class with lunch in Panama City: $55
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $65
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
- Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
- Street Food Tour Panama (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $90
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santorini €35Panama City €57
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
- "Discover Santorini on Wheels with private local tour guide!": $71
- (3h) Santorini Highlights Private Tour-Oia,Imerovigli & Blue Dome: $80
- *{6 Hours Luxury Shared Island Tour in Santorini}*: $106
- 10 Years Santorini ATV/Quad Experience Tour- FREE Transportation: $153
- 2-Day Santorini Bus Tour with Volcanic Cruise: $118
- 2-hour Private Wooden E-Bike Tour in Emporio Castle, Santorini: $83
- 3 Hours Private Santorini Tour: $147
- 4-Hour Private Custom Santorini Tour: $206
- 4h private tour of Santorini's sights: $236
- 5 Hour Cruise-Friendly Hassle-Free Tour Skipping Sky Tram Lines: $77
- 5 Hour Mini-Group Santorini Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers: $86
- 5 Hour Semi Private Catamaran Tour in Santorini with Lunch: $159
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour ": $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Nights in San Blas - Shared Cabin + Meals + Boat Tour: $179
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Walking Tour in Casco Antiguo Panama City: $45
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of Panama Canal & Old Town & More: $150
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantorini €25Panama City €16
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Art and Wine Tour in a Historic Santorini Winery: $41
- Santorini Ftelos Brewery Guided Tour and Beer Tasting Experience: $41
- Top Sights of Santorini with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Oia: $61
- Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting option: $65
- Half Day Simply Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting: $73
- Santorini Wine Tasting Museum: $81
- Skip Sky Tram!! 5 Hour Hussle-Free Santorini Tour & Wine Tasting: $84
- 5 Hour Tour & Wine Tasting - Skip Sky Tram Direct Port Pickup: $98
- Premium Wine Tasting with Caldera Views: $105
- Wine tasting and Carving lesson in Santorini: $106
- Santorini Wine Tasting and Wine Museum: $124
- Santorini Wine Tasting & Premium Lunch at Award-Winning Winery: $130
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.