Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Chiang Mai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chiang Mai or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Chiang Mai and Palawan. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Chiang Mai or Palawan?
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is both the cultural center of northern Thailand and a launching point for trips into the rural areas, small towns, and lush jungles of the country's northern regions. Known for great food, historic temples, arts and crafts, and a lively night market, Chiang Mai is a very popular destination for travelers. In some areas, tourists and ex-pats dominate, but it's quite easy to get away from the tourist scene and into the real culture of Thailand, as Chiang Mai (and the surrounding countryside) is quite large.
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 G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChiang Mai $45Palawan $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Chiang Mai is $45, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $36. 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 Chiang Mai and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChiang Mai $26Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChiang Mai $52Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Chiang Mai and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Chiang Mai 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.
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: Chiang Mai Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chiang Mai $3.63Palawan $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$1.09
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Moped Rental$4.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Mai
Also for Chiang Mai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zipline Adventure at Chiang Mai with Return Transfer: $191
- Try find your better than us!Airport transfer service in Chiang Mai APT-HTL(CNX): $5.30
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Chiang Mai HTL-APT(CNX): $5.30
- Skyline Jungle Luge Ticket + Share Transfer: $85
- Skyline Jungle Luge Ticket + Lunch with Private Transfer: $250
- Private Vehicle: Transfer from Airport in Chiang Mai: $21
- Private Transfer: Four Seasons Hotel to Chiang Mai Airport: $24
- Private Transfer: Chiang Mai to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX): $26
- Private Transfer: Chiang Mai Airport Arrival or Departure ride: $155
- Private Transfer from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: $152
- Private Transfer Chiang Mai Airport to Hotel in Chiang Mai by Car and Van: $37
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX): $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
Is it cheaper to fly into Chiang Mai or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Chiang Mai 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 dayChiang Mai $10Palawan $11
Typical Food Prices in Chiang Mai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Chiang Mai:
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Sit Down Dinner (for One)$5.32
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Roti Snack (Bread)$0.65
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Casual Breakfast$1.09
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.46
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Mangoes$0.82
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Coffee$1.36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Evening Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market: $11
- Cooking Morning Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market : $11
- Traditional Khantoke Dinner and Show from Chiang Mai: $19
- Khantoke Dinner with Traditional Performance: $22
- Morning Cooking Class in Organic Garden | Chiang Mai: $22
- Afternoon Cooking Class in Organic Garden in Chiang Mai: $22
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class at Organic Farm in Chiang Mai: $22
- Evening Cooking Class and Local Market Visit: $24
- Cooking Class, Market and Thai Herbs Garden Tour: $24
- Private Virtual Thai Cooking Class: $25
- Half Day Morning Cooking Class with Yummy Tasty Thai Cooking School: $25
- Authentic Easy Thai Recipes for Home-Style Cooking Half Day AM: $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chiang Mai $13Palawan $5.24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Thai Cooking Class$35
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Doi Suthep Entrance Ticket$1.64
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Kratong Lessons$2.73
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Pedicure$4.09
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Chiang Mai Museum (for Two)$4.91
Tours and Activities in Chiang Mai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chiang Mai.
- Chiang Mai Thapae Muay Thai Boxing Stadium Ticket: $27
- One Day Doi Inthanon National Park Small Group Guided Tour: $39
- Private Tour of Sacred Sakyant Tattoo in Lamphun Province.: $79
- 1 Day Doi Inthanon Private tour ( Hiking and Sightseeing ): $96
- 1 Day Private Tour Doi Inthanon And Phachor Canyon: $128
- 1 Day Private Tour White Temple and Renewed Doichang Coffee: $188
- 1 Hr Chiang Mai Buggy Tour (Off-Road): $149
- 1-Day Bike and River Kayak Adventure from Chiang Mai: $64
- 10KM Inflatable Kayaking Adventure: $81
- 10km Rafting with 8Adventures from Chiang Mai Include Pickup & Lunch : $102
- 2 Days 1 Night Non Tourist Trek: $122
- 2 Days Hiking Tour in Chiang Mai: $111
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Full Day Tour C with Buffet Lunch : $43
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3dayTour Underground river honda bay citytour w/ airport pick up: $125
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Coron Calauit Safari Tour E: $89
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
- Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50
- Coron Island Escapade Tour C: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChiang Mai $6.76Palawan $7.49
Typical Alcohol Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Wine$2.73
Sample the Local Flavors in Chiang Mai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Chiang Mai:
- Chiang Mai Pub Crawl: The Best Bars & Pubs in Chiang Mai!: $9.46
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chiang Mai and Palawan, we can see that Chiang Mai is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Palawan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Palawan 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 Chiang Mai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chiang Mai than you might in Palawan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Chiang Mai Expensive? and Is Palawan Expensive?.
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.