Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Tulum?
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 Tulum or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tulum and Panama City can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tulum or Panama City?
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
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 Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Tulum Prices
Mexico PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTulum $141Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $141, 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 Tulum and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTulum $57Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $114Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Tulum and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Tulum 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: Tulum Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tulum $27Panama City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Tulum Airport: One-Way or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $302
- Round-trip Private Transfer Cancun Airport to TULUM Downtown: $275
- Private Transfer Tulum-Bacalar with optional 2h in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve: $256
- Tulum to Chetumal - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $246
- Private Luxury Transfer Tulum to Cancun Airport: $220
- Tulum Hotels to Merida Rejon Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $212
- Private Transfer From Tulum to Cancun With a 2 Hour Stop: $206
- Tulum Archaeological Zone: Cenote, Lunch & Transfer: $203
- Private Transfer From Tulum To Chiquila Port: $201
- Private Transfer to Cancun Int'l Airport, from Tulum hotels: $199
- Private Transfer from Tulum Airport to Playa del Carmen: $199
- Private transfer from Cancun airpot to Tulum up to 7 persons: $191
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $28
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Gamboa: $40
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Tulum or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Tulum 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 dayTulum $57Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Yucatecan cooking class with a local chef in Tulum: $90
- Mexican Cooking from Scratch in a Local Home in Tulum: $100
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $139
- Private Authentic Mayan Cooking Class with Tulum Hotel Transfers: $280
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
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$8.25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tulum $30Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- 2 tanks Cenote Diving Adventure in Tulum for Certified Divers: $200
- ATV Jungle Adventure with Ziplines, Cenote & Tulum Pickup: $64
- ATV cenote tour Tulum – Mayan Jungle ATV & Cavern Experience: $80
- Adrenaline Tulúm Tour: ATV, Zipline, and Cenote Adventure: $30
- Adventure at Chichen Itza! Cenote and Valladolid from Tulum City: $98
- Akumal Private Tour: Turtles, Coral Reef, Cenote, Beach, Lunch: $203
- All-Inclusive Catamaran Cruise Deluxe Tour to Isla Mujeres: $99
- Authentic Gastronomic Mexican Food Experience in Downtown Tulum: $65
- Authentic Mexican Tacos Flavors and 5th Av Tour: $129
- Awesome Tour Day at Xcaret Plus + Transportation from Riviera Maya: $245
- Cancun: ATV Jungle Adventure, Cenote and Tulum Ruins Tour: $32
- Cenote Dos Ojos & Gran Cenote! Tulum Ruins Guided Tour from Tulum: $179
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- City Tour Panama City + Canal + Shopping: $40
- Half Day Tour, Old City and Miraflores Locks: $55
- Panama Canal and City Tour Experience: $67
- Panama Canal Boat Tour to Monkey Islands: $68
- Embera Tour + Waterfall + Traditional Lunch + Fruits + Dance&Fun: $75
- Cultural Tour at Embera Indigenous Village: $75
- City Tour: Miraflores Locks, Casco Viejo & Amador Causeway: $90
- Night Adventure at Soberania National Park: $95
- Monkey Tour Adventure with Gamboa Rainforest Nature Walk: $120
- Embera Adventure Waterfall and Culture on the Chagres: $120
- Kayaking tour in the Chagres River: $149
- Ecotour and Indian Village: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $24Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tulum and Panama City, we can see that Tulum is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tulum is in North America 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 Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum 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 Tulum Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tulum or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Tulum. When comparing the sizes of Tulum 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.