Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Abu Dhabi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Abu Dhabi or Palawan?
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 Abu Dhabi and Palawan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Abu Dhabi or Palawan?
Abu Dhabi
It doesn't get more "lifestyles of the rich and famous" than a vacation to Abu Dhabi. The federal capital and center of government for the United Arab Emirates is arguably the most modern city in the world.
Abu Dhabi has a population of 1.5 million and provides a home to several oil companies and embassies, but this place is definitely a playground for the world's fanciest tourists. This city has several large projects underway including Yas Island's Formula 1 track and Ferrari theme park.
Note: homosexuality is still outlawed in the UAE with harsh punishments including deportation, fines, jail time or even a death sentence.
Palawan
Palawan is an archipelagic province of the Philippines, named for its largest island which measures about 450 kilometers (or 280 miles) long. The island is known as an ecological frontier with plenty of beaches and resorts as well as opportunities to see a diverse array of wildlife and their habitats on land and sea.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best Tours for Seniors to United Arab Emirates, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAbu Dhabi $164Palawan $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Abu Dhabi is $164, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $36. 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 Abu Dhabi and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAbu Dhabi $98Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAbu Dhabi $196Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Abu Dhabi or Palawan? 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: Abu Dhabi Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Abu Dhabi $20Palawan $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Abu Dhabi
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Abu Dhabi are as follows:
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Car Rental$31
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Taxi to Airport$14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Abu Dhabi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Abu Dhabi:
- Warner Bros World Ticket's -Abu Dhabi Without Transfer: $220
- Warner Bros General Admission with Transfers: $150
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Abu Dhabi HTL-APT(AUH): $52
- Transfer in private minivan from Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH)- Abu Dhabi City: $67
- Skydive in Abu Dhabi | Tandem Skydive with transfer: $817
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) - Abu Dhabi City: $133
- Private transfer: Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH): $41
- Private transfer: Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) to Abu Dhabi: $40
- Private direct transfer from Abu Dhabi to Dubai: $124
- Private Transfer: Abu Dhabi to Dubai Airport DXB in Luxury Van: $212
- Private Transfer: Abu Dhabi Airport AUH to Dubai in Luxury Van: $202
- Private Transfer: Abu Dhabi Airport AUH to Dubai in Business Car: $190
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
Is it cheaper to fly into Abu Dhabi or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Abu Dhabi 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 dayAbu Dhabi $45Palawan $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Abu Dhabi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Abu Dhabi.
- Dubai: Dhow Cruise Marina Multi Cusine Dinner & Tanura Show: $35
- Dubai Marina luxury Dhow Cruise Dinner (catamaran): $42
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari BBQ Dinner Live Shows Pick & Drop More: $45
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner & Live Shows: $49
- Desert Safari, Quad Bike, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $50
- Desert Tour with BBQ Dinner and Hotel Transfer: $51
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari With Live Shows And BBQ Buffet Dinner: $60
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner and all Camp Activities : $72
- Desert Safari Abu Dhabi w/ Sand Boarding, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $75
- Abu Dhabi Evening Desert Safari & Dinner Under the Stars: $77
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari (Dune Bashing, BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride & Sand Skii): $80
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari 4x4, BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride: $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Abu Dhabi $39Palawan $5.24
Tours and Activities in Abu Dhabi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Abu Dhabi are as follows:
- Abu Dhabi Full Day City Tour : $100
- Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum Entrance Ticket: $41
- Abu Dhabi Tour-Sheik Zayed Mosque, Emirates Palace With Louvre Musuem: $115
- Falcon Hospital Tour with Transportation : $101
- Private Full-Day Tour in Abu Dhabi: $234
- Ticket to Louvre Museum, Abu Dhabi: $19
- 4 Hour Cultural Tour of Abu Dhabi - Private Tour: $160
- 8 Hour Ticket/Pass For Yas Water World In Dubai.: $103
- Abu Dhabi 'Hidden Gems' by City Break - walking tours made fun!: $32
- Abu Dhabi 4G & 5G Data Roaming for Tourist: $11
- Abu Dhabi : Private Custom Walking Tour with A Guide: $43
- Abu Dhabi City Tour: $186
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $16
- Flyfish ride and Clear Kayak Experience in Coron: $17
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Coron Town Tour: $20
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
- El Nido Tour D Full Day w/ Beach Lunch: $28
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Coron Island Tour B: $34
- firefly watching tour : $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAbu Dhabi $13Palawan $7.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Abu Dhabi and Palawan, we can see that Abu Dhabi is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Abu Dhabi is in Middle East and Palawan is in Asia, 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 Palawan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Palawan 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 Abu Dhabi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Abu Dhabi than you might in Palawan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Abu Dhabi Expensive? and Is Palawan Expensive?.
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.