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 $131Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $131, 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 $53Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $106Panama 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 $25Panama 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$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Tulum Airport: One-Way or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $302
- Private Transfer From Tulum to Chetumal With a 2 Hour Stop: $285
- Tulum to Cancun Airport Private Departure Transfer with Beer: $275
- Private Roundtrip Transfer from Tulum Airport to Tulum Hotels: $270
- Luxury SUV Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport: $255
- Luxury Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $250
- Private Transfer Tulum to Mérida with Flexible Stops: $247
- Tulum to Chetumal - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $239
- Private Luxury Transfer Tulum to Cancun Airport: $220
- Tulum to Cancun Airport Private Transfer Service by Mercedes Benz: $208
- Tulum Archaeological Zone: Cenote, Lunch & Transfer: $203
- Private Transfer From Tulum to Cancun With a 2 Hour Stop: $200
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Airport PTY to/from Panama City: $17
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $18
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport: $19
- Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City: $19
- VIP Transfer Panama: Playa Bonita, Panama City & Pacific Riviera: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Tocumen Airport to Hotel Transfer in Panama City: $22
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $27
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 $53Panama City $36
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $85
- Yucatecan cooking class in Nixtamal, Recado, and Pibil: $87
- Mexican Cooking from Scratch in a Local Home in Tulum: $92
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $128
- Temazcal Mayan Ritual, Cenote, Yucatecan Dinner from Tulum: $149
- 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$8.26
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
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show - All Inclusive Experience: $70
- E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Live Show Admission: $75
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tulum $28Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- 5 Cenotes Half Day Experience Riviera Maya Cliff Jumping: $40
- 5x1 Deluxe Tour Tulum, Coba, Cenote Transportation from Tulum: $114
- ATV Cenote and Zipline Adventure from Tulum: $129
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines and Cenote Swim: $151
- ATV cenote tour Tulum – Mayan Jungle ATV & Cavern Experience: $78
- Adrenaline ATV Cenote and Zip Lines Experience at Tulum: $24
- Adrenaline Tulum Atv tour with ziplines and Cenote adventure: $39
- Adventure at Chichen Itza! Cenote and Valladolid from Tulum City: $98
- Akumal Bay: Swim with Sea Turtles and Cenote Private Tour: $180
- Akumal Private Tour: Turtles, Coral Reef, Cenote, Beach, Lunch: $203
- Akumal: Cenote and Swimming with Turtles Half-Day Tour from Tulum: $98
- Authentic Mexican Tacos Flavors and 5th Av Tour: $129
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- BEC Immersive Museum: Panama Through Your Senses Admission Ticket: $15
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Private Historic Tour of the Old Town: $15
- Panama Old Town Tour: Learn about our History and Culture: $22
- Sunset Bike Tour/ Cinta Costera Casco Viejo by Paradox Experience: $22
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Casco Viejo Walking Tour: History, Culture & Local Tasting: $25
- Museum of Illusions Panama Admission Ticket: $26
- Panama City Must-see Attractions Walking Tour with a Guide: $26
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Panama City Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $30
- Get to know the city on board CitySightseeing Panama (24 Hours): $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $23Panama 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.