Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Taupo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Taupo or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Taupo or Panama City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Taupo or Panama City?
Taupo
Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.
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 G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
-
Taupo Prices
New Zealand PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTaupo $129Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Taupo is $129, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $101. 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 Taupo and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTaupo $63Panama City $35
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTaupo $126Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Taupo and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Taupo 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: Taupo Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Taupo $25Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taupo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Taupo:
- Tongariro Crossing : 2 Day PRIVATE TRANSFER Leaving AUCKLAND: $1,101
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Playa Bonita: $75
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $47
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Blanca Round-Trip Private Transfer: $159
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $33
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Panama Casco Viejo Stopover: Private Tour, Coffee & Transfer: $164
- Panama City Private Departure Transfer: $42
- Panama One Way Transfer: Van from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $83
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Colón - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
Is it cheaper to fly into Taupo or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Taupo 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 dayTaupo $41Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
-
Sandwich$8.24
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 Ravioli Masterclass + Dinner in Panama City center: $55
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Street Food Tour Panama City (28+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Taupo $35Panama City $66
Typical Entertainment Prices in Taupo
Here are a few typical costs in Taupo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Bungy Jumping$152
-
Jet Boating$57
Tours and Activities in Taupo
Here are a few actual costs in Taupo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Chasing Waterfalls The Adventurer from Kinloch Marina: $186
- Classical Sailing - Māori Rock Carvings -Taupo Sailing Adventures: $35
- Daily Scenic Maori Rock Carving Cruise Taupo: $39
- Eco Sailing Tour to Maori Rock Carvings on Lake Taupo: $35
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Cursed Cabin: $23
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Enchanted Candy Forest: $23
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Hunting Lodge: $23
- Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Marvelous Circus: $23
- Evening Eco Sailing Adventure to Māori Rock Carvings Lake Taupō: $41
- Guided Geothermal E-Bike Tour on the Huka River Trail: $144
- Hidden Lake Kayak Tour in Taupō’s Secret Gem: $117
- Kakariki Day Time Cruise to Maori Rock Carvings: $35
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $16
- Casco Viejo a Panama's Hidden Treasures Walking Tour: $24
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Casco Viejo Golden Hour Rooftop Sunset Social Experience: $26
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $27
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Panama Viejo UNESCO Ruins Tour | The Original Panama City: $35
- Bike tour in Old City and Cinta costera with local markets: $35
- 5 hour tour in Panama City: $35
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayTaupo $13Panama City $18
Typical Alcohol Prices in Taupo
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:
-
Wine$5.08
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taupo and Panama City, we can see that Taupo is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taupo 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 Taupo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taupo 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 Taupo Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Taupo or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Taupo. When comparing the sizes of Taupo 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.