Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or El Nido?
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 El Nido or Brisbane?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Nido or Brisbane? 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: El Nido or Brisbane?
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.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia.
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El Nido Prices
Philippines PricesBrisbane Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Nido $47Brisbane $154
The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $47, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $154. 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 El Nido and Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Nido $14Brisbane $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Nido $28Brisbane $162
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Brisbane? 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: El Nido Hotel Prices and Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Nido $19Brisbane $18
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
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Airtrain to the City$9.81
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Go Card$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- UVF Luxury Transfer To Secrets St. Lucia Roundtrip: $100
- St Lucia Airport Transfer to Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa: $43
- Sirromet Winery 3 Course Lunch, Tour, Tastings and Transfers: $134
- Secrets St Lucia Resort Airport Transfer and Taxi Service: $59
- Secrets St Lucia Airport Transfer: $58
- Private Transfers From Brisbane to Gold Coast: $133
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $129
- Private Transfer: Brisbane to Airport BNE by Business Car: $106
- Private Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE to Brisbane in Business Car: $106
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Hotels to Brisbane Cruise Port: $102
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airports to Surfers Paradise: $107
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airport to Noosa for 1 to 3 people: $276
Is it cheaper to fly into El Nido or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane and El Nido 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 dayEl Nido $20Brisbane $54
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
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
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Hamburger Lunch$5.23
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Cup of Coffee$1.96
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Chinese Food Lunch$8.18
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Ice cream$3.60
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Japanese Meal$14
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Smoothie$4.25
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Japanese Soup$7.52
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Coffee & Muffin$4.58
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Morning Mint Tea$2.29
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Veggie Burger & Chips$9.16
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Bread$1.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $117
- Vertigo Dinner – Dining on the Edge: $165
- Dinner on the Edge with Vertigo Brisbane: $168
- Local Icons Food Tour: $353
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Nido $5.34Brisbane $24
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- 2 Hour Sunset Jetski Tour on the Brisbane River: $110
- 2 hour Brisbane Segway Afternoon & Sunset Thrill Tour: $85
- 2.30pm Mid Afternoon Sightseeing Cruise: $35
- 2.5 Hour Sightseeing Tours - Morning & Night: $105
- 4 Hour Jetski Adventure from Brisbane to Moreton Bay Islands: $177
- 6 Hour Welcome to Brisbane Private Sightseeing Private Tour: $664
- 6 Hours Brisbane Private Tour - Popular Sights in One Day: $664
- Adventure Moreton Island Wrecks Adventure Package: $120
- Adventure Theme Scavenger Hunt Experience in Brisbane: $27
- Afternoon Moreton Bay Sailing Tour: $80
- Alice In Puzzleland an Escape Hunt Brisbane Experience: $32
- Alpaca Feeding with Wildlife & Nature Park VIP Private Tour: $956
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Nido $8.31Brisbane $50
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
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Evening at the Bar$9.81
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Sixpack of Beer$9.16
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Guiness Beer$5.56
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Sixpack of Beer$8.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $25
- Hop on Hop off Brewery Adventure : $66
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High Speed Boat Tour in Brisbane : $101
- Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $107
- Hop on Hop off Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $110
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High-Speed Boat: $115
- Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour : $134
- Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $140
- Gold Coast Full Day Brewery Tour: $140
- Deluxe Wine Tour to Tamborine Mountain, includes two course lunch: $148
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $165
- Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $168
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is El Nido much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since El Nido is in Asia and Brisbane is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane 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 El Nido Expensive? and Is Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, El Nido or Brisbane?
Brisbane has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of El Nido and Brisbane, 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.