Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Sydney?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sydney or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sydney 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: Sydney or Panama City?
Sydney
Sydney, known as the harbour city, is the most famous and frequently visited city in Australia. It is at the economical and cultural heart of the country, and is one of the most beautiful and livable cities in the world. It's situated on the water with stunning views of the famous harbour throughout the city. It's most famous landmarks include the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is also very close wonderful beaches, parks, and nature.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, and The Best Adventure Tours to Panama.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySydney $278Panama City $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Sydney is $278, 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 Sydney and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSydney $104Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSydney $208Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Sydney and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Sydney 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: Sydney Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sydney $15Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sydney
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Sydney:
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Taxi Ride$13
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Taxi to Airport$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sydney
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sydney:
- Airport Transfer From Sydney Airport to Hotels and Home: $295
- Tandem Skydive with Optional Transfers: $251
- Premium Private Transfer FROM Sydney Airport to Sydney CBD/Downtown 1-11 people: $241
- Premium Private Transfer FROM Sydney Airport to Sydney CBD/Downtown 1-13 people: $217
- Sydney Airport (SYD): Private Transfer to Sydney hotels: $207
- Airport transfers and shuttle bus - home/hotels: $198
- From Sydney Hotels - Hotel Transfer to Airport: $195
- Airport Transfer From Sydney Airport to Hotels and Home: $165
- Sydney Airport Departure Transfer (Sydney Central Business District to Airport): $164
- Limoroo, Airport Transfers and Luxe Door to Door Service. : $151
- Private Transfer FROM Sydney Airport to Sydney CBD 1 to 5 people: $134
- Private Transfer FROM Sydney Airport to Sydney CBD for 1 to 2 pax: $120
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- PTY Airport Transfer Service To Panama City: $50
- PTY Tocumen Airport Private Transfer One Way or Round Trip!: $45
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $38
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $77
- Panama City Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Embera Indian Village Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $290
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $65
- Half-Day City & Canal Tour w/ Airport Transfer: $215
- Historic District and Canal Tour with Transfer: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Sydney or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Sydney 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 daySydney $45Panama City $21
Typical Food Prices in Sydney
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Sydney:
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Tea$2.64
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Lunch Special$9.91
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Food/Drink Coogie Beach$9.91
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Meat Pies$3.30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sydney
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sydney.
- VIVID Dinner Cruise with Complimentary Drink on Arrival: $36
- Vivid Sydney Harbor Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $46
- Christmas in July Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $57
- Twilight Dinner Cruise (1.5 hour): $59
- Twilight Dinner Cruise on Coral Trekker: $59
- Harbor Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $59
- Sydney Harbour: Tall Ship Vivid Dinner Cruise: $59
- Kids Cooking Classes: $64
- Small Group Refugee Chef Dinner Banquet at Bohemian Cafe: $64
- Sydney Harbour Sunset Premium Dinner Cruise 2 Hours: $66
- Sydney Harbour: Latin Fiesta Dinner Cruise: $69
- Latino Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $70
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:
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- Night Out Experience (360 Panoramic Views + Dinner Show): $80
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sydney $32Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Sydney
Here are a few typical costs in Sydney for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Theatre Show$30
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Sydney Tower Visit (for 2)$30
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Blue Mountain Tour/Featherdale Park (for 2)$126
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Powerhouse Museum$9.94
Tours and Activities in Sydney
Here are a few actual costs in Sydney for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Small-Group Sydney's Northern Beaches and Ku-ring-gai National Park Bus Tour: $231
- 1 Day Thredbo Snow Tour From Sydney: $100
- 1 Day/3 Day/7 Day Vintage Classic Car Driving Experience-Aus wide: $234
- 2 Hours Running Tour in Sydney: $99
- 2 Hours Sydney Harbour's True Crime Cruise Tour: $37
- 3 Hours Abba Tribute Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $66
- 3 Hr Whale Watching Discovery Cruise in Sydney: $73
- 3-Hour Private Bike Tour with a Local Sydney Guide: $228
- 3.5 Hours Explore Bondi Beach and Sydney Sightseeing Tour: $195
- 45-Minute Sydney Harbour Adventure Jet Boat Ride: $66
- Afternoon Discovery Cruise on Coral Trekker: $46
- Allianz Stadium Guided Walking Tour: $17
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Bar tour in El Cangrejo with Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- Walking Tour Metropolitan Park Panama City : $25
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Poin Glass Observation Deck Ticket with VR Tour: $27
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old City with locals: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySydney $15Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Sydney
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Sydney:
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Wine$11
Sample the Local Flavors in Sydney
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sydney:
- Haunted Pub Tour with Local Guide: $21
- Sydney's Haunted Pub Tour with a Licensed Guide: $26
- Night Out Pub Crawl with Local Guide: $30
- Big Night Out Pub Crawl: $30
- Private Wine Tour and Tasting: $56
- Urban Winery Wine Tasting Tour with Cheese Platter: $56
- Balmain Pub Walking Tour: $77
- Luxury Hunter Valley Wildlife & Wine Tasting Tour from Sydney: $84
- Sydney Beer and Brewery Tour: $103
- Brewery, Winery, and Distillery Tasting Tour: $112
- Northern Beaches Brewery Tour and Tasting: $122
- Hunter Valley Wine Tasting + Lunch Guided Day Tour : $133
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sydney and Panama City, we can see that Sydney is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sydney is in Pacific 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 Sydney would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sydney 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 Sydney Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sydney or Panama City?
Sydney has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Sydney 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.