A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manaus vs. Panama City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Manaus or Panama City?

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

Should I visit Manaus 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: Manaus or Panama City?

Manaus

Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself 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 Contiki Tours to Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Manaus?

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 Manaus is $66, 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 Manaus and Panama City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manaus $41
    Panama City $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manaus $82
    Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Manaus and Panama City

Looking for a hotel in Manaus 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.

Hotels in Manaus


Hotels in Panama City


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: Manaus Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manaus $7.63
    Panama City $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manaus

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

  • Privado Transfer Aeroporto to Hotel Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge: $171
  • Private Transfer Group 24h Hotel to Airport in Manaus: $112
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $109
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $71
  • Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Eduardo Gomes International Airport: $64
  • Manaus private Airport transfer: $60
  • Manaus Airport(MAO) to Manaus hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
  • Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) -Departure Private Transfer: $55
  • Transfer from Manaus Airport to Manaus City: $45
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
  • Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
  • Serviço de Transfer Privado 24h Aeroporto - Hotel em Manaus: $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City

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

  • Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty : $12
  • Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
  • Transfers from Airport to Panama City: $40
  • Transfer from Tocumen Airport to hotels in Gamboa or Viceversa: $30
  • Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels : $25
  • Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Colon Cruise Port: $160
  • Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
  • Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
  • Transfer from Panama Airport to Colon Cruise Terminal: $110
  • Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or to the Marina: $32
  • Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
  • Transfer Panama City to Amador Cruise Port : $30

Is it cheaper to fly into Manaus or Panama City?

Prices for flights to both Panama City and Manaus 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
    Manaus $21
    Panama City $36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus

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

  • Folklore Amazonian Dinner Show: $42
  • Food Tour: $60

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 Dinner and Folkloric Show Ticket with Pickup: $60
  • Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
  • Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
  • E-Tickets Emotions Dinner Theater Live Show Admission: $75
  • Afro-Panamanian Cooking Class with Meal: $75
  • Street Food Tour with 24 Tastings: $75
  • Cooking Class in Panama City with 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $95
  • 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
  • Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $95
  • Folkloric Dance & Typical Dinner at Sabroso Panamá: $110
  • The Real Panamanian Private Food Tour through Panama City: $205
  • Street Food Tour in Panama with a Local Guide: $263

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manaus -
    Panama City $66

Tours and Activities in Manaus

For Manaus, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Adventure: 4-hour hike in the Amazon rainforest: $150
  • Amazon Experience: Indigenous culture and nature phenomenon: $78
  • Amazon Experience: meet a native village and swim with porpoises: $77
  • Amazon Jungle Experience with Overnight: $300
  • Amazon Jungle: 3- or 4-Day Tour at Ipanema River Guest House: $180
  • Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour: $55
  • Amazon Private Safari by Tuhiri Eco Tour - Leaving Manaus: $199
  • Amazon Rainforest Tour, Trails, Jungle, Caves and Waterfalls: $165
  • Amazon River Safari Boat Tour- Full Day Group Tour: $70
  • Amazonas: 2, 3, or 4-Day Tour: $220
  • City Tour Plus Amazon River Tour: $100
  • City Tour in Manaus at Teatro Amazonas and Praça da Matriz: $55

Tours and Activities in Panama City

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

  • Gatun Lake Panamá Wildlife Adventure Guided Experience: $159
  • Horseback riding and Agri-Tour in Colon Private tour: $75
  • Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
  • Panama Viejo and Casco Antiguo Tour: $115
  • Panama a quick and memorable tour: $68
  • San Blas Islands, 4-Island Tour All-Inclusive Welcome Cocktail: $149
  • #1 Walking Tour of Casco Viejo Panama with Lunch included : $70
  • “Bike Tour Casco Viejo and Panama City Discover the Essence: $40
  • “Panama at Your Rhythm: Private Tour with Canal, Old Town and More”: $67
  • "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
  • 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
  • 2 Days 1 Night San Blas Adventure in Pamana: $260

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manaus $2.72
    Panama City $18


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

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


Which is Bigger, Manaus or Panama City?

Manaus has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Manaus 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.