Which place is cheaper, El Nido or Can Tho?
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 Can Tho or El Nido?
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 Can Tho and El Nido can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Can Tho or El Nido?
Can Tho
Can Tho is the largest city of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, and is best known for its canal network of floating markets, restaurants, bars, and hotels, Buddhist pagodas, and the beauty of the delta, which is illuminated in the evenings.
El Nido
El Nido is a coastal destination on the Philippine island of Palawan. It consists of about 45 islands and islets all with beautiful beachfront scenery and plenty of opportunities for experiencing nature above and below the water. Some of the island's best features include limestone karst cliffs, coral reefs, lagoons, coves, and waterfalls.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines.
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Can Tho Prices
Vietnam PricesEl Nido Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCan Tho $66El Nido $47
The average daily cost (per person) in Can Tho is $66, while the average daily cost in El Nido is $47. 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 Can Tho and El Nido in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCan Tho $26El Nido $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCan Tho $52El Nido $28
Compare Hotels in Can Tho and El Nido
Looking for a hotel in Can Tho or El Nido? 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: Can Tho Hotel Prices and El Nido Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Can Tho $12El Nido $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Can Tho
Also for Can Tho, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Can Tho Airport to/from Can Tho City Center: $35
- Private Transfer: Can Tho Airport - Can Tho City Center: $35
- Private Transfer from Can Tho City to Tan Son Nhat (SGN) Airport: $123
- Private Transfer from Can Tho City to Can Tho (VCA) Airport: $51
- Private Transfer from Can Tho (VCA) Airport to Can Tho City: $135
- PRIVATE CAR: Can Tho AIRPORT <=> CanTho Hotels (one way transfer): $30
- From 3-Day Nam Du Archipelago Tour with Transfers: $278
- Private Transfer from Can Tho Airport to Hotel: $30
- Can Tho To Ho Chi Minh Private Car Transfer: $75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $55
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- Island Hopping Tour B Snake Island with transfer: $40
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $36
- To Puerto Princesa 1-Way Shared Van Transfer: $15
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Can Tho or El Nido?
Prices for flights to both El Nido and Can Tho 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 dayCan Tho $28El Nido $20
Typical Food Prices in Can Tho
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Can Tho:
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Restaurant Dinner (for Two)$4.93
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Coconut$0.27
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Mango$1.02
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Hot Pot Dinner (for Two)$6.60
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Two Vietnamese Iced Coffees$0.61
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Casual Lunch (for One)$2.65
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Can Tho
For Can Tho, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Floating Market, Canals, Garden & Cooking Class: $24
- Premium Can Tho Food Tour – “Wrap & Roll”: $29
- Boat tour on Mekong river see the sunset, small canal, Vegan dinner, street food: $29
- Biking and Cooking Class in Can Tho Rural: $32
- Explore Can Tho City tour combine Local Food tour - in afternoon: $35
- Biking and cooking class in the rural tour at Can Tho: $36
- Can Tho food tour voted by local - Vegan option is available: $38
- Street food tour back of the bike in Can Tho: $39
- Authentic Vietnamese Cooking Class in Can Tho: $39
- Walking street food tour designed by local chef: $41
- Vietnamese Cooking Class with Lunch: $48
- Cooking Class - Flavors of the Delta: $52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in El Nido
For El Nido, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- El Nido, Sibaltan: Family Dinner, Bonfire and Karaoke: $15
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Can Tho $16El Nido $5.34
Typical Entertainment Prices in Can Tho
For Can Tho, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sunset Boat Ride$1.90
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Half Day Floating Market Tour$7.96
Tours and Activities in Can Tho
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Can Tho.
- Private ecotour in floating market-nature reserved: $93
- Victoria Sunset Cruise on Hau River: $35
- 1 day-Tra Su cajuput forest tour pick up from Chau Doc or Can Tho: $155
- Bicycle Tour Through Peaceful Villages: $37
- Boat tour visit 3 pagodas, Ancient house, see sunset on mekong river: $59
- CASA Authentic Bicycle Tour: $89
- CASA Authentic Mekong Motorbike Tour: $89
- Cai Rang Floating Market - My Tho & Ben Tre - VIP Private Tour: $125
- Cai Rang Floating Market Tour & Rural Cycling: $63
- Cai Rang Floating Market Tour -Amazing Can Tho : $78
- Cai Rang Floating Market Tour with Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve: $92
- Can Tho Countryside Bike Tour with Fruit Garden Visit: $30
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Full Day Tour C with Buffet Lunch : $45
- 2 Days Private Cruise in El Nido on a 43-foot Sailing Yacht: $673
- All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Private Island Hopping Tour A with BUFFET LUNCH: $131
- Private Island Hopping Tour B: $135
- Private Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $135
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $22
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour B: $28
- El Nido Advanced Enduro Tour: $200
- El Nido Big Lagoon & Tropical Island Private Tour: $356
- El Nido Group Tour A with Beach Lunch: $45
- El Nido Group Tour B with Lunch (Full Day): $47
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCan Tho $6.26El Nido $8.31
Typical Alcohol Prices in Can Tho
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Can Tho from other travelers:
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Beer$3.03
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Can Tho and El Nido, we can see that Can Tho is more expensive. And not only is El Nido much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to El Nido would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Nido 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 Can Tho would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Can Tho than you might in El Nido.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Can Tho Expensive? and Is El Nido Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Can Tho or El Nido?
Can Tho has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of Can Tho and El Nido, 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.