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

Should you visit Arrowtown or Boracay?

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 Arrowtown and Boracay can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Arrowtown or Boracay?

Arrowtown

Historically, Arrowtown is an old gold mining town that is located on the South Island of New Zealand. The town was established during the Otago gold rush of 1862. It is very close to Queenstown, which is a very popular destination among travelers, and it is definitely worth visiting if you are in the Otago region of New Zealand. It is a very tiny town, with a population of just over 2,000 people. The town has a lot of character and history and is a perfect place to go if you wish to get out of the touristy areas like Queenstown.

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 Contiki Tours to New Zealand, The Best G Adventures 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 Arrowtown?

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 Arrowtown is $136, 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 Arrowtown and Boracay in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arrowtown $67
    Boracay $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arrowtown $134
    Boracay $46
Compare Hotels in Arrowtown and Boracay

Looking for a hotel in Arrowtown 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 Arrowtown


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Arrowtown Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arrowtown $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
  • Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
  • Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $34
  • Caticlan: Shared Airport Transfer From/To Boracay: $23
  • Caticlan: 1-Way or Roundtrip Airport Transfer to Boracay: $27
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $53
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Arrival Private Transfer : $24
  • Two-way Shared Transfer from/to Airport to Hotel: $34

Is it cheaper to fly into Arrowtown or Boracay?

Prices for flights to both Boracay and Arrowtown 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
    Arrowtown $52
    Boracay $25

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arrowtown $15
    Boracay $15

Tours and Activities in Arrowtown

For Arrowtown, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Queenstown: Arrowtown To Queenstown Biking Adventure: $55
  • From Queenstown: 'Valley of the Vines' Wine and Bike Tour: $87

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
    Arrowtown $13
    Boracay $16


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arrowtown and Boracay, we can see that Arrowtown is more expensive. And not only is Boracay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Arrowtown 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 Arrowtown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arrowtown 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 Arrowtown Expensive? and Is Boracay Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Arrowtown or Boracay?

Boracay has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Arrowtown. When comparing the sizes of Arrowtown and Boracay, 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.