Which place is cheaper, Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Nido or Gold Coast? 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 Gold Coast?
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.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier destinations. Famous for gorgeous beaches, warm weather, watersports, and plenty of activities for all ages, millions of tourists from Australia as well as everywhere in the world flock to this region every year. With beaches, national parks, theme parks, shopping and dining, nice resorts, boating, fishing, diving, theme parks and more, the Gold Coast offers something for everyone.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia, and The Best Photography Tours in Australia.
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El Nido Prices
Philippines PricesGold Coast Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Nido $47Gold Coast $119
The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $47, while the average daily cost in Gold Coast is $119. 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 Gold Coast in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Nido $14Gold Coast $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Nido $28Gold Coast $110
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Gold Coast
Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Gold Coast? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Nido $19Gold Coast $23
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: $53
- 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: $39
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $35
- To Puerto Princesa 1-Way Shared Van Transfer: $14
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gold Coast
Also for Gold Coast, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport: Shared Transfer Sydney CBD: $22
- Private Transfer from Gold Coast Airport - Surfers Paradise: $50
- Private Transfer Gold Coast Airport OOL to City Centre/Brisbane: $48
- Private Gold Coast Airport Arrival Transfer to Byron Bay: $140
- Mt Tamborine Shuttle Service - Gold Coast Return Transfer: $66
- OOL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $42
- Chill Out at Byron Bay Bus Transfer: $72
- Gold Coast to Byron Bay scenic One Way Transfer: $81
- Gold Coast Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $21
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Luxury Car: $139
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Gold Coast to Airport OOL in Business Car: $108
- Gold Coast Airport Transfer: Airport OOL to Gold Coast in Business Car: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into El Nido or Gold Coast?
Prices for flights to both Gold Coast 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 $20Gold Coast $47
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: $39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gold Coast
For Gold Coast, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Brisbane/Sunset, Dinner, Stars/Premium Telescope: $79
- Australian Outback Spectacular Dinner & Show: $79
- Gold Coast Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $87
- Gold Coast Private Sunset Sailing Charter w/ dinner & drinks: $310
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Nido $5.34Gold Coast $19
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: $672
- All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Private Island Hopping Tour A with BUFFET LUNCH: $128
- Private Island Hopping Tour B: $132
- Private Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $132
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $21
- 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
Tours and Activities in Gold Coast
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Gold Coast.
- 1 Hour Amore Tour: $235
- 1.5 hr Jet Ski Safari tour to South Stradbroke Island!: $201
- 2 Hour Ultimate Learn to Surf Adventure: $44
- 2 Hours Dolphin Kayaking & Snorkeling Tour on the Broadwater: $58
- 2-Day Dreamworld and SkyPoint Admission Ticket: $87
- 2.5 hr Jet Ski Safaris tour - Ultimate Adventure + island stop: $268
- 30 Minutes Virtual Reality Gaming Experience in Southport: $40
- Aquaduck Gold Coast 1 hour City and River Tour: $39
- Barefoot Luxury Mount Tamborine Winery Tour from Gold Coast: $220
- Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $107
- Book Private Tour for Banff-Yoho-Kootenay & Jasper Parks: $682
- Brisbane: Springbrook 7 Waterfalls and Natural Bridge Tour: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Nido $8.31Gold Coast $5.23
Sample the Local Flavors in Gold Coast
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Gold Coast:
- Granddad Jack's Distillery Gin Tasting & Talk: $43
- Queensland Distillery Tour: $76
- Craft Distillery and Brewery Tour on Gold Coast: $77
- Sirromet Wine Tasting and Blending Workshop for 2: $84
- Wine, Distillery & Rainforest Day Tour: $151
- Private Bespoke Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour: $161
- Tamborine Mountain Wine Tour with 2-Course Lunch: $165
- Full-Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Gold Coast : $167
- Luxury Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch & Distillery: $198
- Gold Coast and Craft Brewery VIP Tour from Brisbane: $959
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Gold Coast, we can see that Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Gold Coast 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 Gold Coast Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, El Nido or Gold Coast?
Gold Coast has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of El Nido and Gold Coast, 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.