A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bagan vs. Palawan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Bagan 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 Bagan and Palawan can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Bagan or Palawan?

Bagan

Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.

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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.


Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Bagan?

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 Bagan is $34, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $40. 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 Bagan and Palawan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bagan $7.36
    Palawan $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bagan $15
    Palawan $24
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Palawan

Looking for a hotel in Bagan 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.

Hotels in Bagan


Hotels in Palawan


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: Palawan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bagan $3.57
    Palawan $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:

  • From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $180

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan

Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $70
  • Coron Airport Shared Hotel Transfers: $10
  • Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $50
  • El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
  • El Nido Beginner Surf Lesson with Lunch and Round-Trip Transfers: $74
  • El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
  • El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $49
  • El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $49
  • Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
  • Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $193
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
  • Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $193

Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Palawan?

Prices for flights to both Palawan and Bagan 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
    Bagan $10
    Palawan $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bagan

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bagan.

  • Romantic Sunset Dinner At Bagan Viewing Tower: $91

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan

For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • El Nido Fishing with Local Fisherman with Sunset Dinner: $136

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bagan $57
    Palawan $4.82

Tours and Activities in Bagan

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

  • Acient Capitals of Myanmar Tour: $149
  • Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
  • Bagan Classics Private Temples Tour: $159
  • Bagan Cycling Tour ( Villages & Temples Cycling Explorer): $129
  • Bagan Fullday Sightseeing by Car and Horse-cart: $184
  • Bagan Horse Cart Ride Tour with Puppet Show: $170
  • Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
  • Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
  • Faces of Bagan Private Photography Tour: $199
  • Full Day tour In Bagan UNESCO World Heritage: $50
  • Full day Adventure Trip in Bagan with Tuk Tuk: $72
  • Full-Day Bagan Private Sightseeing Tour by E-Bike with Pickup: $110

Tours and Activities in Palawan

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

  • Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
  • Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $19
  • City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
  • Coron Island Hopping Tour Snorkel, Swim, and Relax: $23
  • Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
  • Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
  • Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
  • Puerto Princesa City Tour: $32
  • Puerto Princesa half day City tour a sightseeing excursion: $35
  • Joiners Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour: $38
  • Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Tour with Lunch: $38
  • Coron Parasailing Adventure: $43

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bagan -
    Palawan $6.89


When comparing the travel costs between Bagan and Palawan, we can see that Palawan is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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