🇵🇦 Panama travel essentials
Everything you need to plan a trip to Panama — climate, currency, packing essentials, public holidays, voltage and plug types, and what locals actually wear.
Top cities in Panama
Public holidays in Panama
Plan around national holidays — many businesses close, transport gets busier, and prices for flights/hotels can spike.
Money & currency
The US Dollar (USD, symbol $) is the official currency. Live exchange rates are updated daily.
Cost of living & travel — Panama City
Estimated daily budgets per person across three travel tiers. Lodging assumes single occupancy or shared dorm; food covers 3 meals + a coffee/drink; transit covers metro and short rides; activities cover one paid attraction per day.
| Per person per day | 🎒 Budget | 🏨 Mid-range | 🥂 Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging | $30 | $110 | $320 |
| Food | $18 | $45 | $130 |
| Transit | $5 | $11 | $40 |
| Activities | $15 | $35 | $90 |
| Daily total | $68 | $201 | $580 |
Estimates as of 2025-2026, in USD per person. Actual spend varies with season, neighborhood, and trip style.
Plan a trip to Panama
Use one of our planning tools to figure out exactly when and how to go:
What to pack
Each city has month-by-month packing lists computed from local climate data — temperatures, rainfall, peak hazard seasons, and Panama's dress code.