Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Ao Nang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ao Nang or Puerto Princesa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ao Nang or Puerto Princesa? 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: Ao Nang or Puerto Princesa?
Ao Nang
If you're looking for a relaxing beach on the coast of Thailand, it might be time to make a trip to Ao Nang. This developed and "westernized" beach was once the place to be for backpackers, but is now quite popular with package tourist crowds, too, as prices have risen in recent decades. Here you'll find nice hotels, restaurants, and plenty of fun activities at the beach and nearby, too.
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAo Nang $116Puerto Princesa $74
The average daily cost (per person) in Ao Nang is $116, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $74. 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 Ao Nang and Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAo Nang $56Puerto Princesa $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAo Nang $112Puerto Princesa $50
Compare Hotels in Ao Nang and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Ao Nang or Puerto Princesa? 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: Ao Nang Hotel Prices and Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ao Nang $61Puerto Princesa $52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ao Nang
Also for Ao Nang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Phuket - Krabi, Aonang: $150
- Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Krabi to Phuket: $117
- Private SUV-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Bus Statation: $24
- Private Eco-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Downtown, Krabi: $19
- Private Eco-Transfer: One-way Ao Nang - Bus Station, Krabi: $19
- Phuket: Speedboat Transfer to Ao Nang or Railay via Ko Yao: $45
- One way Private transfer from Krabi airport to Ao Nang: $33
- Krabi:Speedboat Transfer to Phi Phi Islands: $45
- Krabi: Private Transfer Between Ao Nang Area and Ko Lanta: $112
- Krabi: Ao Nang To/From Phi Phi By Fast Speed Boat Transfer: $27
- Ko Lanta: Speed Boat Transfer Direct to Aonang: $56
- Aonang : Ferry Transfer from Aonang to Phuket: $34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Van Transfer; Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $15
- Transfer from Puerto Princesa Airport(PPS) to PuertoPrincesa Port: $27
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $15
- Puerto Princesa:Honda Bay Island Hopping Lunch & Transfer: $61
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $15
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.42
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $24
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $241
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Ao Nang or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa and Ao Nang 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 dayAo Nang $26Puerto Princesa $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ao Nang
For Ao Nang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Krabi: Ya's Cookery Late Afternoon Thai Cooking Class: $43
- Krabi : Authentic Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour: $45
- Krabi: Morning/Afternoon Thai Cooking Class at Ya's Cookery: $51
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class in Ao Nang, Krabi: $55
- Krabi 7 Island Sunset by Luxury Vintage Boat With BBQ Dinner: $141
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $27
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $28
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $33
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $35
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $61
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $83
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $84
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $121
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ao Nang $12Puerto Princesa $6.92
Tours and Activities in Ao Nang
For Ao Nang, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- ATV adventure 1hour drive: $43
- ATV adventure 30 mins drive: $30
- ATV adventure and achery (1้hour ): $36
- ATV adventure and shooting range: $63
- Ao Nang Kayak Adventure: Explore the Stunning Flooded Forest: $27
- Hong Islands Tour by Speedboat or Longtail Boat: $39
- Kayak Tour in Krabi Mangrove Forest with Lunch: $30
- From Phi Phi Islands Day Tour by Boat with Lunch: $51
- From Private Gondola Cruise with Lunch and Picnic: $66
- From Krabi: 4 Islands Sunset Tour+Plankton by Speedboat: $50
- From Krabi: James Bond Island One-Day Tour by Speedboat: $136
- James Bond Island: Sightseeing Tour by Longtail Boat & Kayak: $47
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 5-Hours Farmstay Experience: $65
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Combi Tour : Underground River + Firefly Watching: $83
- El Nido Day Tour: $84
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $199
- Enchanted Philippines: 10 days of adventure.: $2,696
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $42
- Group Underground River Tour, from Puerto Princesa w/ Lunch: $60
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $56
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAo Nang $16Puerto Princesa $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Ao Nang
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Ao Nang:
- Guided Bar Crawl with Shots and a T-Shirt: $19
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ao Nang and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Ao Nang is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Princesa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Princesa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Princesa 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 Ao Nang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ao Nang than you might in Puerto Princesa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ao Nang Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ao Nang or Puerto Princesa?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ao Nang. When comparing the sizes of Ao Nang and Puerto Princesa, 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.