Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Bandung?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Bandung or Puerto Princesa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Bandung 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: Bandung or Puerto Princesa?
Bandung
Bandung is the capital city of West Java, and the third largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta and Surabaya. Nicknamed Parijs van Java (Paris of Java) by the Dutch for its resemblance to Paris and European atmosphere back in colonial times, Bandung also earned another nickname as Kota Kembang, literally meaning the Flower City since Bandung used to have a lot of flowers. Nowadays, Bandung has become a very popular weekend escape for Jakartans, who crowd the city on weekends and national holidays. It's known for colonial and art deco architecture, a lively, university-town feel and relatively cool tropical weather. Bandung is also a shopping destination, with fashion outlets clustered along Jalan Setiabudi and Jalan Riau in the Dago district. The city also make a good base for day trips to the surrounding countryside - high volcanic peaks, hot springs, and tea plantations are all within reach.
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 Budget Tours to Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Bandung Prices
Indonesia PricesPuerto Princesa Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBandung $48Puerto Princesa $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Bandung is $48, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $86. 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 Bandung and Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBandung $20Puerto Princesa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBandung $40Puerto Princesa $48
Compare Hotels in Bandung and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Bandung 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: Bandung Hotel Prices and Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bandung $5.54Puerto Princesa $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bandung
Also for Bandung, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Kec. Batununggal Kel. Kacapiring 40271 to Bandung Airport (BDO): $37
- Private Transfer from Sunyaragi to Kertajati Airport (KJT): $184
- Private Transfer from Sukatani Purwakarta Regency to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $128
- Private Transfer from Sukatani Cikarang to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $58
- Private Transfer from Sukatani Bekasi to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $58
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi, Sukamakmur, Bogor to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $80
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Sukamakmur Bogor to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $66
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Garut Regency to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $196
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Cianjur Regency to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $119
- Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Bekasi to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $66
- Private Transfer from Sukarasa bandung to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $119
- Private Transfer from Sukarasa Kuningan Regency to Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP): $196
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $15
- Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $119
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.29
- 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: $237
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Bandung or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa and Bandung 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 dayBandung $24Puerto Princesa $34
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 Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $33
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $35
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $40
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $55
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $60
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $82
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $89
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bandung $5.45Puerto Princesa $6.77
Tours and Activities in Bandung
For Bandung, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 7 Hour Private Bandung City Tour : $148
- Bandung Crater Adventure Hotspring and Mud Bath: $70
- Bandung One Day Tour Package: $160
- Bandung Tour All In, White Crater, Volcano Mountain, Hot Spring : $52
- Bandung Tour Volcano, Hotsprings, Mud, Tea, Lunch all Included: $60
- Bandung Volcano Sightseeing and Hot Spring Private Tour: $43
- Batukaras Countryside & Canyon Tour: $74
- Bogor ,west Java Tour: $50
- Full-Day Tour to Bandung White Crater,Lake and Tea Plantation: $87
- Indonesia: Dago Dreampark Bandung Tickets: $9.93
- Innova Reborn Tour driver car rental in Bandung: $62
- Kawah Putih tour - Day trip Ticket etc all including : $57
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- El Nido Day Tour: $82
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $41
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $49
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $35
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $55
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBandung $3.32Puerto Princesa $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bandung and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Bandung much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bandung would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bandung 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 Puerto Princesa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Princesa than you might in Bandung.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bandung Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bandung or Puerto Princesa?
Bandung has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Bandung 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.