Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Panama City or Pucon?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Panama City and Pucon can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Pucon?
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.
Pucon
A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.
Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City, The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Chile.
-
Panama City Prices
Panama PricesPucon Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101Pucon $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $127. 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 Panama City and Pucon in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Pucon $43
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Pucon $86
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Pucon
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or Pucon? 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: Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Pucon $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 2 Days 1 Night Tour in Panama : Hotel and Transfers: $278
- Airport To City Hotel transfer: $50
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to City by Luxury SUV: $84
- Arrival Private Transfer Panama PTY Airport to Panama City by SUV: $75
- Arrival Transfer Panama Tocumen Airport PTY to Panama by Sprinter: $152
- Luxury SUV Private Transfer Panama City to Panama PTY Airport: $84
- One Way Private transfer Panama City PTY Airport to City: $19
- Panamá Tocumen Airport Hotel or airbnb Transfer: $25
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Decameron - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $213
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Private Transfer: $34
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita/Gamboa - Round-Trip Transfer: $67
- Guided Panama Canal & City Tour with Transfers: $70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:
- Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $267
- Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $98
- Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport (ZCO): $84
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Pucon?
Prices for flights to both Pucon and Panama City 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 dayPanama City $36Pucon $65
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.Panama City $66Pucon $37
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Archaeological Site. Admission ticket to Panama La Vieja: $15
- Spanish Experience in Panama City: $25
- Panama Casco Viejo: Walking Tour Must See Treasures!!!: $25
- Panama: Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $26
- Panama : Must-See Sites Walking Tour With A Guide: $27
- Get to know the city aboard CitySightseeing Panama: $29
- Panama City Tour and Panama Canal – Miraflores Locks Experience: $30
- Causeway and Old Town Night Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Panama City: $32
Tours and Activities in Pucon
Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Geometric Thermal Tour with Pickup and Tickets: $120
- Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $124
- Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $125
- Tour in Self-drive Electric Hot Tub Boat Nestled in nature!: $78
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Pucon $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Pucon, we can see that Pucon is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and Pucon is in South 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 Pucon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pucon 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 Panama City Expensive? and Is Pucon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Pucon?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and Pucon, 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.