Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Chiang Rai?
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 Chiang Rai or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Chiang Rai or Palawan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Chiang Rai or Palawan?
Chiang Rai
If you find yourself dreaming of a vacation in Northern Thailand, consider the metropolitan city of Chiang Rai. This centrally located capital of the Chiang Rai province provides an excellent home base for exploring the surrounding areas. While it serves well as a home base, it has its own charms worth wandering.
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 Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Chiang Rai Prices
Thailand PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChiang Rai $52Palawan $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Chiang Rai is $52, 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 Chiang Rai and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChiang Rai $19Palawan $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChiang Rai $38Palawan $24
Compare Hotels in Chiang Rai and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Chiang Rai 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 Rai Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chiang Rai $3.58Palawan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chiang Rai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Chiang Rai:
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Bus to White Temple$1.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Rai
Also for Chiang Rai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Chiang Rai Airport to and from Mueang Chiang Rai: $41
- Private Chiang Rai Airport Transfer to City Hotels: $31
- Chiang Rai:Private Transfer to Chiang Mai & Temples Visit: $266
- 2 Days 1 Night Slow Boat Transfer to Luang Prabang: $83
- Chiang Rai Airport to Chiang Khong & Golden Triangle Transfer: $56
- 2 days tour in Chiang rai, included hotel, lunch,pick up&transfer: $141
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Puerto Princesa Palawan Private Transfers - Airport Transfers: $27
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido: $100
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
- Private Van Transfer Coron Town to Airport: $70
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $193
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $193
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
Is it cheaper to fly into Chiang Rai or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Chiang Rai 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 Rai $22Palawan $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chiang Rai
For Chiang Rai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Private Thai Cooking Class in Chiang Rai: $38
- Lanna Home Cooking Class at Give Green Farm House: $55
- 1 Day Trekking Group Tour With Bamboo Cooking / Chiang Rai: $56
- One Day Trekking Chiang Rai Jungle Adventure and Bamboo Cooking: $56
- Jungle Trek and Bamboo Cooking in Chiang Rai: $56
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class with organic ingredients: $57
- Trekking & bamboo cooking Tour: $57
- Private Local Food Cooking Class in Chiang Rai: $59
- Chiang Rai City Highlights with Traditional Dinner & Show: $107
- Chiang Rai by Night: Incredible Temples, Market and Northern Dinner: $133
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chiang Rai $8.31Palawan $4.82
Tours and Activities in Chiang Rai
For Chiang Rai, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Akha Hill Tribes, Chiang Saen, Mae Sai & Golden Triangle Day Tour: $110
- All stunning tour : Khun Korn waterfall-White Temple-Red Temple: $47
- Ancient City Tour from Chiang Rai including Golden Triangle and Royal Villa: $204
- Border-Crossing Tour to Myanmar & Scenic Mae Khong River Cruise: $198
- CEI. to Phayao Prov. A day Tour : Temples- Hot Spring- Lake view: $80
- Chiang Mai - Full Day Chiang Rai &Golden Triangle Tour with Lunch: $199
- Chiang Rai Akha Culture Waterfall and Big Buddha Tour: $91
- Chiang Rai All Inclusive Day Tour: $70
- Chiang Rai All-in-One Daily Tour: $157
- Chiang Rai Discovery: Full‑Day Guided Tour & Free Lunch Buffet: $42
- Chiang Rai Food & Night Market Walking Tour with Local Host: $143
- Chiang Rai Food & Night Market Walking Tour with Local Host: $143
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- All-Inclusive El Nido Beach Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Balabac Tour Semi-Private 4D3N (price varies by group size): $590
- Best of Puerto Princesa Palawan Signature 3Day Tour in 1 Package: $195
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Adventure Snorkeling Dugong Watching and More: $130
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
- Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A (Private Tour): $112
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChiang Rai $9.18Palawan $6.89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chiang Rai and Palawan, we can see that Chiang Rai 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 Rai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chiang Rai 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 Rai 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.