A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Aoraki Mount Cook vs. Boracay for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Aoraki Mount Cook or Boracay?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Aoraki Mount Cook and Boracay. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Aoraki Mount Cook or Boracay?

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

Boracay

A small island in the Philippines known for its resorts and beaches, Boracay is a little escape. Each beach has its own unique character, each with new treasures waiting to be discovered.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand, The Best 10-Day Tours in Philippines, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines.


Which place is cheaper, Boracay or Aoraki Mount Cook?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Aoraki Mount Cook is $124, while the average daily cost in Boracay is $66. 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 Aoraki Mount Cook and Boracay in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
    Boracay $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
    Boracay $46
Compare Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook and Boracay

Looking for a hotel in Aoraki Mount Cook or Boracay? 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.

Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


Hotels in Boracay


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27
    Boracay $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boracay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boracay:

  • Speedboat Caticlan to Boracay Transfer (Oneway): $81
  • Private Transfer from Boracay Port to Boracay Island Hotel: $59
  • Private Transfer from Boracay Island Hotels Boracay Cruise Port: $59
  • PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER TO BORACAY: $58
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $53
  • Private Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay: $43
  • Boracay Adventures Transfer Services Via Caticlan: $35
  • Two-way Shared Transfer from/to Airport to Hotel: $34
  • Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $34
  • Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
  • Airport Transfer to Boracay or vice versa: $29

Is it cheaper to fly into Aoraki Mount Cook or Boracay?

Prices for flights to both Boracay and Aoraki Mount Cook 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Aoraki Mount Cook $46
    Boracay $25

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23
    Boracay $15

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
  • Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
  • Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $59
  • Twizel Stargazing Experience with a Guide (Carbon Positive): $59
  • Queenstown Sightseeing Tour: Highlights of Queenstown: $89
  • Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $99
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $108
  • Mt Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (One-Way): $108
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $120
  • Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $150
  • Mt Cook & Tasman Glacier lookout Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $150

Tours and Activities in Boracay

Here are a few actual costs in Boracay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2 Hours Boracay Inland Private Tour in E-Trike: $125
  • 2-Hour Boracay Land Tour via Etrike: $32
  • Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $8.95
  • Boracay ATV Tour and Kawa Hot Bath: $85
  • Boracay Atv Mainland Adventure with lunch: $59
  • Boracay Cliff Jumping & Snorkeling Experience (Private): $105
  • Boracay E-trike Land Tour: $23
  • Boracay Eco-Hopping Tour: $85
  • Boracay Island Hopping Experience: $63
  • Boracay Island Hopping Tour with Hot Kawa Bath Experience: $30
  • Boracay Island Hopping with Lunch+ Atv Mainland Adventure: $57
  • Boracay Island Hopping+ Helmet Diving (Shared Tour): $63

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20
    Boracay $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Gibbston Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided Audio Tour: $24
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aoraki Mount Cook and Boracay, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Boracay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific and Boracay 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 Boracay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boracay 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 Aoraki Mount Cook would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aoraki Mount Cook than you might in Boracay.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive? and Is Boracay Expensive?.