Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche 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.
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Should you visit Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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 San Carlos de Bariloche can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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.
San Carlos de Bariloche
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking 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 Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.
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Panama City Prices
Panama PricesSan Carlos de Bariloche Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $101San Carlos de Bariloche $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $101, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $86. 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 San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35San Carlos de Bariloche $70
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70San Carlos de Bariloche $140
Compare Hotels in Panama City and San Carlos de Bariloche
Looking for a hotel in Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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 and San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11San Carlos de Bariloche $2.77
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
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from airport to hotels in Panama City: $15
- Private Transfer from Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- Private Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $16
- One Way Private transfer Panama City PTY Airport to City: $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Panamá to Tocumen Airport : $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Panamá: $19
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $20
- Transfer Airport - City / Min 2 pax: $20
- Private transfer Panama City - Fort Amador Cruise Terminal: $20
- Panama Private Airport/Port/Hotel Transfer Service: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Private Transfer from Bariloche Airport to Villa La Angostura: $271
- Private Transfer from Pampa Linda to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $200
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Villa Traful: $180
- Private Transfer from Hotel Tronador to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $179
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Hotel Tronador: $179
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Cascada Los Alerces: $179
- Bariloche Airport BRC to Cerro Catedral RoundTrip Transfer: $167
- Adventure in Piedras Blancas: Sledding Day with Transfers : $150
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Lago Correntoso: $150
- Private Transfer Bariloche or Villa La Angostura to Bariloche Airport by Minibus: $149
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Villa La Angostura: $149
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Ruca Malen: $149
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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
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Food Meals for one dayPanama City $36San Carlos de Bariloche $6.11
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$8.24
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Carlos de Bariloche
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Carlos de Bariloche.
- Bariloche: Snowmobile ride with dinner 4 steps: $537
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66San Carlos de Bariloche $33
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 San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- 2-Day Bariloche Experience with Optional Airfare: $430
- 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $90
- Adventure to Cerro Tronador and Black Ventisquero from Bariloche: $140
- Bariloche Chocolate Tour: Patagonian Flavors on Foot: $52
- Bariloche Craft Beer Sensory Experience: $285
- Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $204
- Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $135
- Bariloche Tour Route of the 7 Lakes to San Martin de los Andes : $80
- Bariloche: Beer Tour through 3 breweries: $240
- Bariloche: Boat Tour to Victoria Island and Arrayanes Forest: $120
- Bariloche: Cerro Catedral Tour: $36
- Bariloche: Cerro Catedral guided tour: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18San Carlos de Bariloche $8.76
Sample the Local Flavors in San Carlos de Bariloche
Also in San Carlos de Bariloche, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bariloche: Patagonian Experience wine tasting: $95
- Bariloche: Wine Tasting Winehouse Experience: $110
- Patagonian WineHouse in Bariloche: Cheese and Wine Tasting: $125
- Bariloche: Bar Crawl. Patagonian Bar Crawl: $160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America and San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.
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 San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of San Carlos de Bariloche. When comparing the sizes of Panama City and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.