Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Shanghai?
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 Shanghai or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Shanghai and Panama City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Shanghai or Panama City?
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest and most modern city in China. With a population of over 23 million, it is the economic and financial hub of the country. It also continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in China with regular changes to the city's layout and skyline. It is not uncommon for buildings to be torn down, rebuilt and then torn down and rebuilt again. The city also has skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world. It has an ever changing downtown and street scape. In Shanghai, the general mantra remains "out with the old, in with the new".
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 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Shanghai Prices
China PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShanghai $141Panama City $102
The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $141, 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 Shanghai and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShanghai $88Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShanghai $176Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Shanghai 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: Shanghai Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Shanghai $4.19Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Shanghai:
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Taxi Ride$3.89
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Two Subway Tickets$0.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:
- Shanghai to Suzhou Private Transfer with English Speaking Driver: $259
- 1 Day-Pass for Disneyland Shanghai and Private Transfer Package: $245
- Shanghai Pudong Int’l Airport Private Arrival Transfer to Yiwu City Area: $226
- Shanghai Legoland One Day Tour with Round Trip Transfer: $198
- Shanghai to Xi'an Bullet Train Ticket with Hongqiao Station Transfer: $177
- Ningbo City Private Arrival Transfer from Shanghai Pudong International Airport: $177
- Shanghai Airport (PVG) Arrival Transfer (PVG Airport to central Shanghai): $176
- Shanghai to Beijing Bullet Train Ticket with Hongqiao Station Transfer: $174
- Shanghai to Suzhou and Tongli Water Town Self-Guide Tour Private Round Transfer: $171
- Shanghai to Suzhou and Zhouzhuang Self-Guide Trip with Private Transfer: $171
- Shanghai to Hangzhou Private Transfer with Stop at Wuzhen: $166
- Shanghai to Hangzhou Private Transfer with Stop at Xitang Water Town: $157
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 Shanghai or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Shanghai 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 dayShanghai $40Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Shanghai are as follows:
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Dumpling Breakfast$1.49
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Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory$22
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Ajisen Lunch for Two$7.77
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Cantelope$1.79
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Dumplings and Soup$2.24
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Duck Dinner$4.48
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Pastries$3.14
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Barbeque Dinner$9.56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.
- City Center Authentic Local Food Tour-Tip Based: $3.42
- Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Dim Sum by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Authentic Shanghai Food Tour with Chi Gua Va: $35
- Small Group Shanghai After Dark Food Tour with 9 tastings: $38
- Shanghai Jade Buddha Temple and Local Food Tour: $49
- Old Shanghai Signature Food Tour with 14+ Tasters by FoodaQuest: $55
- Shanghai After Dark Food Tour with 9 Authentic Tastings: $61
- 2-Hour Shanghai Street Food Tour: Dumplings, Tea & Old City Bites: $65
- Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
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.Shanghai $9.12Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Shanghai are as follows:
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30 Minute River Cruise for Two$30
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Zoo for Two$15
Tours and Activities in Shanghai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Shanghai are as follows:
- 1 Day Shanghai Private Tour: $180
- 1 Day Shanghai Retail Innovation Tour: $169
- 1 Day Suzhou Private Tour (Departure from Shanghai): $240
- 1-Day Private Shanghai City Tour to See Its Past, Present and Future: $229
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Museum,Yu Garden, the Bund and Nanjing Road: $190
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Museum,Yu Garden,the Bund & Huangpu River Cruise: $213
- 1-Day Private Tour to Shanghai Zhujiajiao Water Town,Nanjing Road and the Bund: $221
- 1-Day Private Tour to Suzhou from Shanghai: $272
- 1-Day Private Tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town,the Bund and World Financial Center: $256
- 1-Day Shanghai Tour to Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Yu Garden and Jade Buddha Temple: $224
- 13 day private tour : Splendid China+ important highlights: $4,106
- 2-Day Zhujiajiao Water Town, Shanghai and Suzhou Private Tour: $300
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 dayShanghai $7.95Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai
Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Shanghai Pub Crawl (Guided Bar Hopping) with Shots Included: $23
- Shanghai Bar Crawl: TCM Cocktails & Local Craft Beer: $89
- Cheers, Beers and No Fears: Shanghai Bar Crawl: $100
- TCM and Divination Chinese Style Pub Crawl Bar Hopping Night: $169
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shanghai and Panama City, we can see that Shanghai is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Shanghai is in Asia 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 Shanghai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shanghai 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 Shanghai Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shanghai or Panama City?
Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Shanghai 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.