Which place is cheaper, Panama City or Playa del Carmen?
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 Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Playa del Carmen 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: Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Playa del Carmen Prices
Mexico PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPlaya del Carmen $89Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Playa del Carmen is $89, 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 Playa del Carmen and Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPlaya del Carmen $36Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPlaya del Carmen $72Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Playa del Carmen and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Playa del Carmen 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: Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices and Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Playa del Carmen $22Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Private Van Transfer to Mahahual: $476
- Private Van Transfer to Bacalar: $476
- Private Van Transfer to Merida: $340
- Cancún: Cozumel 2-Tank Diving Tour with Lunch & Transfers: $327
- Private Van Transfer to Valladolid: $306
- Private Van Transfer to Chiquilá (Holbox): $306
- Private Van Transfer to El Cuyo: $300
- Private Transfer from Playa del Carmen to Chiquila Ferry Dock: $299
- Private Transfer roundtrip to Xoximilco. from PLAYA and CANCUN: $260
- Private Transfer to Chiquila one-wey, from Cancún and Playa: $260
- Private Transfer From Chetumal to Mahahual With a 2 Hour Stop: $240
- Cielo y Cielito With Transfer, Catamaran, 5 hours Open Bar and Lunch: $217
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City and Playa del Carmen 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 dayPlaya del Carmen $37Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Cenotes by Bike and Mayan Cooking Class Half-Day Guided Tour: $56
- Flavors of Playa del Carmen, Mexican Food Tour: $63
- Playa Del Carmen Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $75
- Playa del Carmen Walking Food Tour: $79
- Yucatecan Cooking Class & Unlimited Margaritas – Playa del Carmen: $85
- Playa del Camen Vegan Mexican Food Tour: $85
- Temazcal Mayan Ceremony and Dinner in Mayan Village: $89
- Mayan Cooking Class: Chicken Pibil in Secret Cenote: $95
- PDC Traditional Mexican Cooking Experience: $109
- Riviera Maya Luxury Sunset Sailing plus Light Dinner and Open Bar: $109
- Mexican Cooking Class: $120
- Isa’s Authentic Mexican Cooking Class: $120
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Playa del Carmen $15Panama City $66
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Mayan Jungle Adventure: $180
- Buggy Ride through Playa del Carmen Tour: $139
- Catamaran Cruise in Riviera Maya With Snorkeling & Beach Club: $85
- Cozumel Buggy Tour: $155
- Park Xenses Tour Play with your Senses from Playa del Carmen: $126
- Romantic tour in Akumal: $115
- The Best Ruins Tour : Coba Sunset Cultural / Extreme : $140
- "Tulum Adventures: Between Jungle, Cenotes and Mayan Mysteries": $110
- 3 in 1 Private Tour Tulum Cenote and Snorkeling in the reef: $210
- 4 ADVENTURES 1 DAY Tulum Coba Cenote and Playa del Carmen : $16
- 4 amazing places for 1 price and 1 full day tour Tulum, Coba, Cenote and PDC: $40
- 4 to 7 Day Beach Cruiser Rental (Up to 7 Days, includes Ulock): $45
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPlaya del Carmen $19Panama City $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Playa del Carmen:
- Madness tour bar crawl Playa del carmen open bar: $99
- Tour to the Brewery with Tasting and Fifth Avenue: $100
When comparing the travel costs between Playa del Carmen and Panama City, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Playa del Carmen is in North America and Panama City is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Playa del Carmen Expensive? and Is Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Playa del Carmen or Panama City?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Playa del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Playa del Carmen 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.