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

Should you visit Boracay or Yakushima?

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

Should I visit Boracay or Yakushima? 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: Boracay or Yakushima?

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.

Yakushima

Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.

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


Which place is cheaper, Yakushima or Boracay?

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 Boracay is $66, while the average daily cost in Yakushima is $141. 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 Boracay and Yakushima in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Boracay $23
    Yakushima $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Boracay $46
    Yakushima $122
Compare Hotels in Boracay and Yakushima

Looking for a hotel in Boracay or Yakushima? 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 Boracay


Hotels in Yakushima


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: Yakushima Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Boracay $28
    Yakushima $51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boracay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boracay:

  • Shared Transfer from/to MPH for Domestic Passports: $21
  • Caticlan: Shared Airport Transfer From/To Boracay: $23
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Arrival Private Transfer : $24
  • Boracay to Caticlan Airport (MPH) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
  • Boracay to Caticlan Airport (MPH) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
  • Caticlan: 1-Way or Roundtrip Airport Transfer to Boracay: $27
  • Airport Transfer to Boracay or vice versa: $29
  • Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
  • Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $34
  • Two-way Shared Transfer from/to Airport to Hotel: $34
  • Boracay Adventures Transfer Services Via Caticlan: $35
  • Private Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Boracay or Yakushima?

Prices for flights to both Yakushima and Boracay 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
    Boracay $25
    Yakushima $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Boracay $15
    Yakushima $21

Tours and Activities in Boracay

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

  • Crystal Kayak Photo-op Experience: $6.27
  • Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $8.95
  • Banana Boat Adventure: $10
  • Boracay Private Land Tour: $13
  • Flying Donut Water Tubing Experience: $14
  • All-Terrain Vehicle or Buggy Car Experience: $15
  • Boracay UFO Adventure: $16
  • Sunset Cruise with Water Activities: $16
  • Boracay Sunset Cruise: $16
  • Boracay Island Rhythm Sunset Cruise: $17
  • Bandwagon Ride Experience: $17
  • Sunset Cruise Boat Party by Haqqy Life: $18

Tours and Activities in Yakushima

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yakushima are as follows:

  • Private Guided Tour: $336

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Boracay $16
    Yakushima $6.61


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