Which place is cheaper, Boracay or Aoraki Mount Cook?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand, 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 dayAoraki Mount Cook $112Boracay $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Aoraki Mount Cook is $112, while the average daily cost in Boracay is $56. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAoraki Mount Cook $63Boracay $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAoraki Mount Cook $126Boracay $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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aoraki Mount Cook $29Boracay $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also for Aoraki Mount Cook, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Dunedin City Hotels to Chalmers Cruise Port: $45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boracay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boracay:
- PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER TO BORACAY: $106
- Speedboat Caticlan to Boracay Transfer (Oneway): $83
- Boracay Transfer round trip with Island Hopping: $70
- Caticlan: Shared Airport Transfer From/To Boracay: $55
- Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $51
- Private Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay: $44
- Boracay Adventures Transfer Services Via Caticlan: $35
- Caticlan: Ferry Boat Airport Transfer To Boracay: $35
- Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
- Airport Transfer to Boracay or vice versa: $29
- Caticlan Airport Roundtrip Transfer: $27
- Shared Transfer from/to MPH for Domestic Passports: $21
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
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Food Meals for one dayAoraki Mount Cook $28Boracay $14
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aoraki Mount Cook $25Boracay $15
Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.
- Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $63
- Half-Day Guided Sea Kayaking Tour from Anakiwa: $69
- Mt Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (One-Way): $111
- From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $123
- Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $127
- Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo One-Way Small Group Tour: $127
- Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $159
- Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $159
- Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $169
- Day Tours from Mount Cook: $175
- (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $216
- Mt Cook Tour: Finish at Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin: $923
Tours and Activities in Boracay
Here are a few actual costs in Boracay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Boracay Land Tour via Etrike: $32
- Aklan Tibiao Antique Tour : $190
- Atv Mainland Adventure with lunch: $64
- Beyond Jungle-River Adventure & Sunset Cruise: $40
- Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $9.18
- Boracay ATV Tour and Kawa Hot Bath: $85
- Boracay Buggy Car Adventure: $105
- Boracay Cliff Jumping & Snorkeling Experience (Private): $105
- Boracay E-trike Land Tour: $20
- Boracay Eco-Hopping Tour: $87
- Boracay Helicopter Tour with Red Whale Party Yacht: $228
- Boracay Hopping Tour with Standard Boodle Fight Lunch: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAoraki Mount Cook $22Boracay $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: Pinot Noir Wine Tasting Experience: $29
- Kinross Winery: Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $29
- Kinross Winery: Wild Irishman Wine Tasting Experience: $48
- Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $48
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?.
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.