Which place is cheaper, El Nido or Da Nang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Da Nang or El Nido?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Da Nang or El Nido? 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: Da Nang or El Nido?
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
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 Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDa Nang $46El Nido $39
The average daily cost (per person) in Da Nang is $46, while the average daily cost in El Nido is $39. 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 Da Nang and El Nido in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDa Nang $19El Nido $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDa Nang $38El Nido $28
Compare Hotels in Da Nang and El Nido
Looking for a hotel in Da Nang 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: Da Nang Hotel Prices and El Nido Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Da Nang $11El Nido $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
- Vietnam Airport Transfers: $13
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Da Nang HTL-APT (DAD): $10
- Try find better than us! Airport Transfer in Da Nang APT-HTL (DAD): $10
- Transfer: Center Danang - BRG Golf Resort: $55
- Transfer from Danang to Ba Na hills get free to Marble mountains: $66
- Transfer from Da Nang to Hue : $70
- Transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An: $8.00
- Transfer from Da Nang or Hoi An to Hue via Bach Ma National Park: $81
- Transfer between Da Nang Railway Station and Hoi An: Arrival or Departure: $31
- Transfer From Hoi An to Da Nang Airport or Train station.: $21
- Transfer Danang Airport to Intercontinenal Danang Resort: $31
- Tours/transfer from Hoi An/Da Nang to Bana/Golden Bridge: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $11
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $36
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Da Nang or El Nido?
Prices for flights to both El Nido and Da Nang 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 dayDa Nang $16El Nido $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
- Dragon bridge show and Da Nang local food tour: $4.10
- Home Cooking Class: $22
- Vegetarian Cooking class and Basket Boat Riding: $25
- Happy Cooking Class in Danang : $26
- Cooking Class and tasting Pho with Local Girl: $29
- Vegetarian Home Cooking Class Da Nang: $29
- Eco Cooking Class and Basket boat tour from Da Nang city: $29
- Da Nang Home Cooking Class: $29
- Da Nang Street Walking Food Tour : $29
- Basket Boat Riding and Cooking Class from Da Nang City : $29
- Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking Class: $29
- Making Lantern & Basket Boat & Happy Cooking Class: $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Da Nang $13El Nido $5.38
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
- Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge Full-Day Tour: $93
- DA NANG CITY SUNSET - Private Guided Tour : $92
- Experience Hoi an Rural Eco Tour from Da Nang or Hoi An city: $76
- Full-Day Tour to Discover Hue's Imperial Heritage : $56
- GOLDEN BRIDGE BA NA HILLS & MARBLE MOUNTAIN -Private Guided Tour: $148
- Golden Bridge Ba Na Hill-Early start to Avoid Crowds-PrivateTour: $138
- Golden Bridge- Early Departure & Marble Mountains- Private Tour: $133
- HOI AN COUNTRYSIDE & MARBLE MOUNTAIN Private Tour from Hoi An or Da Nang city: $82
- Hoi An Countryside Tour with 3 Villages & Hoi An City Tour: $128
- HoiAn Walking Tour with RiverBoat-Night Market-Colourful Lantern: $77
- Hue City 1 Day Private Tour From Hoi An or Da Nang: $130
- INSTAGRAM Tour - Da Nang & Hoi An city Private Tour ( 11 Hours): $140
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Island Hopping Tour A with lunch BEST PRICE!: $22
- Island Hopping Tour A Lagoons and Beaches: $23
- Shared El Nido Tour A: $23
- Big Lagoon and Shimizu Island Tour with Kayaking: $23
- Hidden Beaches and Lagoons Boat Hopping Tour D: $23
- Island Hopping Tour B Cudognong Cave & More: $25
- El Nido Tour A: $27
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour A: $27
- El Nido Tour D Full Day w/ Beach Lunch: $28
- El Nido Island Tour B w/ Fees included (No Hidden Charges): $28
- Island Hopping Tour C (Shared tour) BEST PRICE!: $28
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour C: Hidden Beaches & Shrine: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDa Nang $9.39El Nido $8.36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Da Nang and El Nido, we can see that Da Nang 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 Da Nang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Da Nang 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 Da Nang Expensive? and Is El Nido Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Da Nang or El Nido?
Da Nang has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of Da Nang 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.