Which place is cheaper, Noosa Heads or El Nido?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit El Nido or Noosa Heads?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Nido or Noosa Heads? 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 Noosa Heads?
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.
Noosa Heads
A town and suburb located on Queensland, Australia's Sunshine Coast, Noosa is best known as a destination of pleasant weather, beautiful beachside scenery, shopping, dining, and outdoor adventure. Some of the top attractions of the area include Noosa National Park and Sunshine Beach.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia, and The Best Walking Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Nido $40Noosa Heads $116
The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $40, while the average daily cost in Noosa Heads is $116. 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 Noosa Heads in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Nido $14Noosa Heads $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Nido $28Noosa Heads $122
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Noosa Heads
Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Noosa Heads? 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 Noosa Heads Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Nido $19Noosa Heads $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- EXPEDITION HAPPINESS PRIVATE TRANSFER: $198
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $46
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $37
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Noosa Heads
Also for Noosa Heads, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sunshine Coast Airport Transfers: $20
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (8pax): $136
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (6pax): $122
- Private Transfers from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa (2pax): $101
- Private Transfer to or from Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY): $112
- Private Transfer from Sunshine Coast Airport to Hotels 11 pax: $230
- Private Morning Transfer From Noosa to Rainbow Beach: $94
- Premium Airport/ Cruise Terminal Transfers: $248
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer: Mooloolaba Sunshine Coast& Noosa : $33
- Eumundi Markets Bus Transfer from Noosa, Noosaville & Mooloolaba: $33
- Australia Zoo Transfer from Noosa and Sunshine Coast: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into El Nido or Noosa Heads?
Prices for flights to both Noosa Heads 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 $12Noosa Heads $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Classes on Witta Maleny Sunshine Coast: $126
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Nido $5.43Noosa Heads $42
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
- All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Private Island Hopping Tour A with BUFFET LUNCH: $132
- Private Island Hopping Tour B: $136
- Private Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $136
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $22
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour B: $27
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $29
- El Nido Big Lagoon & Tropical Island Private Tour: $199
- El Nido Group Tour B - Cave Tour w/ Island Lunch: $48
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour ( Private & All-Inclusive ): $170
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour A: $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Noosa Heads
For Noosa Heads, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Surf Lesson$45
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Sea Kayak Tour (for 2)$89
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Sunset Cruise (for 2)$14
Tours and Activities in Noosa Heads
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Noosa Heads.
- 1 Hour Tour Mooloolaba Sunset Cruise: $24
- 2-Hour Guided Whale Watching Tour at Noosa: $55
- 3-Hour Noosa Explorer e-Bike Tour: $105
- Adventure Whale Watching Tour Mooloolaba: $59
- Aquaduck Sunshine Coast - 1hr Mooloolaba Amphibious Tour: $35
- Australia Zoo, Glass House Mountains Tour Combo: $202
- Brisbane Airport and Cruise Terminal to Sunshine Coast 11 pax: $275
- Bushtucker Cruise: $52
- Dolphin watching Experience in Noosa Heads: $55
- Epic Kayak With Dolphins & Wildlife - 4WD Beach Adventure Noosa: $112
- Everglades Explorer - Noosa Everglades Tour: $104
- Fliteboard eFoil Group Experience in Noosa: $157
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Nido $8.45Noosa Heads $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Noosa Heads
Also in Noosa Heads, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Eumundi Market and Distillery Experience Market Days Wednesday & Saturday: $98
- Sunshine Coast Brewery Tour with Lunch: $171
- Hinterland Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour - with 2 course lunch included: $192
- Noosa Hinterland Tour with Gourmet Lunch, Wine Tasting & Everglades Lake: $202
- Sunshine Coast Private Gourmet Food and Wine Tour: $251
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Noosa Heads, we can see that Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Noosa Heads 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 Noosa Heads Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, El Nido or Noosa Heads?
Noosa Heads has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of El Nido and Noosa Heads, 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.