Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Valletta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Valletta 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 Valletta 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: Valletta or Panama City?
Valletta
A harbor city and the capital city of the island of Malta, Valletta dates back to the 16th-century with a preserved architectural heritage that earned the city a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is best known for its museums, palaces, and churches.
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 Historical Tours in Malta, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Malta, 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 dayValletta €116Panama City €80
The average daily cost (per person) in Valletta is €116, while the average daily cost in Panama City is €80. 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 Valletta and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personValletta €65Panama City €33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomValletta €130Panama City €66
Compare Hotels in Valletta and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Valletta 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: Valletta Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Valletta €24Panama City €9.94
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Valletta
Also for Valletta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Temples Tour (Pick-up, Transfer, Tickets & Drop-off Included): $235
- From Private Malta Highlights Tour with Transfer: $151
- Private Airport Transfer from Malta to Gozo: $109
- Airport Transfers (Private Group up to 15 people): $103
- From Malta: Gozo Jeep Tour with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $88
- Private Airport Transfer in Malta: $88
- Turkish Gullet Cruise to Gozo and Comino with Lunch and Transfers: $81
- Airport transfers to all locations in Malta (Private Groups or Families): $81
- Mdina and Highlights of Malta Full Day Guided Tour Incl. Lunch and Transfers: $67
- Malta Airport Private Transfers: $66
- Malta Private Transfer from Malta Airport to any resort in Malta island: $51
- Malta Airport (MLA) Departure Transfer (Saint Julian's Hotels to Malta Airport): $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $33
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panamá Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $48
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $70
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY Airport or Panama City to Playa Blanca and Back: $77
- Transfer from PTY Airport or Panama City to Cruise Terminal: $30
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Valletta or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Valletta 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 dayValletta €32Panama City €19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Valletta
For Valletta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Valletta Food Tour - Eat like a local: $46
- Valletta Food Tour: $49
- Folklore Evening Dinner Show at a Traditional Maltese Restaurant Incl. Transfers: $67
- Maltese Traditional Dinner and Folklore Show with Transfers: $71
- Fireworks Festival Cruise Including Dinner, Drinks and Transport: $77
- The Ultimate Valletta Evening Food Tour: $81
- Fernandes Sunset Cruise including Dinner with Open Bar: $81
- Christmas Tour in Gozo (afternoon) inc. Dinner: $87
- Blue Lagoon & Sunset Quad Tour in Gozo/Dinner: $101
- From Blue Lagoon and Gozo Tour w/Quads and Dinner: $118
- The Valletta Food Tour Experience, a private tour: $150
- Private Valletta Food Tour: $175
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€7.69
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.Valletta €27Panama City €61
Tours and Activities in Valletta
For Valletta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Cities Tour: $16
- 3 Hours Private Picnic Experience in Malta: $273
- 3 cities: Private Insider Walking Tour with Licensed Guide: $161
- 30-Minute Mdina Experience Audio-Visual Show Ticket (Open Ticket): $6.55
- 4-hr day tour around Malta: $208
- 48-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Pass Bus + Harbour Cruise: $55
- 90 minutes Harbour Cruise in Valletta - ticket only: $22
- A Monumental Maltese Experience: $175
- Adventures in Malta: Thrills, History, and Natural Beauty: $322
- An Insider's Malta VIP Tour: $162
- Best of Mdina and Rabat Walking Tour: $20
- Best of Valletta Walking Tour: $20
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hour Airport Tour from Tocumen: $125
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 4-Hour Gatun Lake Boat Tour and Jungle Wildlife: $99
- 5-Hour Tour to Miraflores Locks and Sloth Sanctuary: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayValletta €16Panama City €17
Sample the Local Flavors in Valletta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Valletta:
- Valletta Pub Crawl: $22
- Malta Pub Crawl: $22
- The Brewery Experience Self-Guided Tour with Tasting & Transport: $35
- The Brewery Experience & beer tasting including transport: $35
- Malta: The Three Cities and Wine Tasting Tour: $44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Valletta and Panama City, we can see that Valletta is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Valletta is in Europe 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 Valletta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Valletta 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 Valletta Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Valletta or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Valletta. When comparing the sizes of Valletta 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.