A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers El Nido vs. Mount Aspiring National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit El Nido or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit El Nido or Mount Aspiring National Park? 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 Mount Aspiring National Park ?

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.

Mount Aspiring National Park

Mount Aspiring National Park is located within the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand in the Otago region. The park is named after one of New Zealand's highest peaks, Mt Aspiring, and is one of the best places to hike in the country. It is part of the Southwest New Zealand World Heritage Area and one of the many locations of filming for the Lord of the Rings movies. The closest towns to this park are Haast, Makarora, Wanaka, and Glenorchy. One of New Zealand's great walks is located in this park, the Routeburn track, and is very popular among travelers heading to New Zealand for long hikes through the beautiful scenery.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, and The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Mount Aspiring National Park or El Nido?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $39, while the average daily cost in Mount Aspiring National Park is $109. 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 Mount Aspiring National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    El Nido $14
    Mount Aspiring National Park $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    El Nido $28
    Mount Aspiring National Park $118
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Mount Aspiring National Park

Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Mount Aspiring National Park ? 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.

Hotels in El Nido


Hotels in Mount Aspiring National Park


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 Mount Aspiring National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    El Nido $19
    Mount Aspiring National Park $49

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 El Nido or Mount Aspiring National Park ?

Prices for flights to both Mount Aspiring National Park 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    El Nido $12
    Mount Aspiring National Park $18

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    El Nido $5.38
    Mount Aspiring National Park $29

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    El Nido $8.36
    Mount Aspiring National Park $5.09


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Mount Aspiring National Park , we can see that Mount Aspiring National Park 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 Mount Aspiring National Park 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 Mount Aspiring National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mount Aspiring National Park 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 Mount Aspiring National Park Expensive?.