A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tokyo vs. Boquete for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tokyo or Boquete?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Tokyo or Boquete? 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: Tokyo or Boquete?

Tokyo

Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is by far the most populous city in the world with a staggering 37 million people. As a worldwide hub for technology and business, it hosts millions of visitors annually. But Tokyo is not just a place for business trips. With its incredible mixture of historical temples and shrines, remarkably beautiful parks, endless shopping malls, and genuinely wonderful people, Tokyo is a terrific place to visit and to explore.

Boquete

Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Japan, The Best Bicycle Tours in Japan, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Boquete or Tokyo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tokyo is $179, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $67. 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 Tokyo and Boquete in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tokyo $75
    Boquete $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tokyo $150
    Boquete $46
Compare Hotels in Tokyo and Boquete

Looking for a hotel in Tokyo or Boquete? 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.

Hotels in Tokyo


Hotels in Boquete


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: Tokyo Hotel Prices and Boquete Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tokyo $17
    Boquete $5.24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tokyo

Also for Tokyo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Haneda Airport to Tokyo 23Wards 18-45 seater Bus One Way Transfer: $6.47
  • Haneda Airport to Tokyo One Way Transfer: $13
  • Tokyo Private Transfer From or To Haneda Airport (HND): $34
  • HND Airport Private Transfer to/from Tokyo City Center: $45
  • Tokyo Private Transfer From or To Haneda Airport (HND): $52
  • Haneda Airport: 1-Way Shared Shuttle Transfer: $54
  • Tokyo TeamLab Borderless Ticket with Optional Private Transfer: $57
  • Tokyo TeamLab Planets Ticket with Optional Private Transfer: $57
  • Tokyo Private Transfer to Tokyo Cruise Port: $58
  • Private transfer from Central Tokyo to Disney Resort: $58
  • Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea: Private Transfer To/From Tokyo Hotels: $59
  • Shared Arrival Transfer : Haneda Airport to Central Tokyo City: $62

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boquete

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boquete:

  • Private transfer from Boquete to Bocas del Toro: $165

Is it cheaper to fly into Tokyo or Boquete?

Prices for flights to both Boquete and Tokyo 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 day
    Tokyo $63
    Boquete $32
Typical Food Prices in Tokyo

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tokyo:


  • Late Night Noodles
    $5.08
  • Conveyor Belt Sushi Snack
    $5.08
  • Meal at Airport
    $6.63

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tokyo

For Tokyo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hide's Table A Unique Dinner Gathering Every Wednesday Night: $19
  • Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market: Traditional Culture & Street Food Tour: $19
  • Tokyo : Vintage, Music & Food Tour in Shimokitazawa with a Local: $23
  • Shinjuku 7-Dishes vegetarian dinner at a Japanese izakaya: $29
  • Guided Tsukiji’s Local Food Tour: $32
  • For First Time Visitor:Tsukiji Food Tour with Tokyo Travel Advice: $32
  • Authentic Homestyle Japanese Cooking Class near Tokyo with Risa: $39
  • Giant Sushi Cooking Class: Make a 1.5m Sushi Roll in Tokyo: $42
  • Private Yanaka District Walking & Food Tour: $45
  • Japanese Sushi Cooking Class: $49
  • Traditional Matcha Making Cooking Class & Tea Ceremony in Tokyo: $50
  • Tokyo Cute Sushi : Kawaii Sushi Cooking Class!: $52

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tokyo $67
    Boquete $17

Tours and Activities in Tokyo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tokyo.

  • Tokyo Shinjuku Night Walking Tour Golden Gai And Local Culture: $0.40
  • Self-Guided Tour of Tokyo's Hidden Alleys: $1.15
  • Sacred Meiji Jingu: Walking Tour with a Live Shinto Ritual: $2.00
  • Shibuya Walking Tour: Crossing, Hidden Streets & Local Culture: $2.50
  • Tsukiji Fish Market Morning Tour Most Fresh Tuna Fish: $3.24
  • Old Tokyo Vibes: Asakusa Temples & Street Food Adventure: $4.50
  • Experience Japan’s Beloved Morning Exercise – Radio Taiso”!: $5.18
  • Tokyo Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
  • Shinjuku Kabukicho Night Walking Tour: $6.47
  • Tsukiji Market Early Morning Tour: $6.47
  • Cross Roppongi Karaoke Nightclub Ticket (For Foreign): $6.76
  • Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Tokyo: $8.24

Tours and Activities in Boquete

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:

  • Ancestral Coffee Experience in Boquete: $55
  • Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
  • Boquete Panoramic Tour: $200
  • Boquete Rock climbing tour: $80
  • Chasing Waterfalls Adventure in Boquete: $100
  • Coffee Tasting Experience-Los Molinos Hotel-Panama's Top Product: $25
  • Dirtbike adventure in Boquete (half day): $200
  • Epic Cloud Forest Horseback Riding Adventure in Boquete: $55
  • Family experience in boiler Thermal wells and limestone: $65
  • Fun Adventure at Finca CreaDora Cafe and Animals and Hiking: $35
  • Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
  • Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $95

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tokyo $32
    Boquete $4.46
Typical Alcohol Prices in Tokyo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Tokyo:


  • Sake
    $3.81

Sample the Local Flavors in Tokyo

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tokyo:

  • Low-cost local pub & bar crawling: $32
  • Tokyo Pub Crawl: Unique Japanese Drinks in Shimokitazawa: $34
  • 3 Hours Pub Crawl Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $35
  • 3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Nightlife Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $46
  • Tokyo Sake Terroir Journey – Guided by Sake Brewery Professional: $91
  • Shibuya Bar Crawl Tour -3 Drinks & Local Foods-: $104
  • Shinjuku Bar Crawl Tour -3 Drinks & Local foods-: $104
  • Tokyo's Oldest Sake Brewery and jump into historic town: $110
  • Private Sake Tasting at 300 Years Old Sake Brewery in Tokyo: $123
  • Sake Brewery and Spiritual Nature Tour in Okutama Tokyo: $133
  • Private Shinjuku Nightlife Walking Tour & Golden-Gai Bar Crawl: $149
  • Japanese Sake Brewery Visit and Tasting in Kanagawa: $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tokyo and Boquete, we can see that Tokyo is more expensive. And not only is Boquete much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tokyo is in Asia and Boquete 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 Boquete would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boquete 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 Tokyo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tokyo than you might in Boquete.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tokyo Expensive? and Is Boquete Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tokyo or Boquete?

Tokyo has a larger population, and is about 1360 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Tokyo and Boquete, 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.