Which place is cheaper, Sydney 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 Sydney?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Nido or Sydney? 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 Sydney?
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.
Sydney
Sydney, known as the harbour city, is the most famous and frequently visited city in Australia. It is at the economical and cultural heart of the country, and is one of the most beautiful and livable cities in the world. It's situated on the water with stunning views of the famous harbour throughout the city. It's most famous landmarks include the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is also very close wonderful beaches, parks, and nature.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Contiki Tours to Australia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Australia.
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El Nido Prices
Philippines PricesSydney Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Nido $47Sydney $207
The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $47, while the average daily cost in Sydney is $207. 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 Sydney in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Nido $14Sydney $103
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Nido $28Sydney $206
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Sydney
Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Sydney? 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 Sydney Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Nido $19Sydney $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $55
- 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
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sydney
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Sydney:
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Taxi Ride$13
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Taxi to Airport$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sydney
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sydney:
- Transfer from White Bay Cruise Terminal to Sydney Airport: $27
- Transfer Between Airport & Hotels or Cruise Terminal: $13
- Tandem Skydive with Optional Transfers: $250
- SYD Airport to Sydney City Centre Private Transfer: $37
- Private City, Harbour, and Bondi Tour with Transfer: $274
- Private Airport Transfer with Meet and Greet: $59
- Hunter Valley Sunrise Balloon Flight with Transfer: $362
- Airport Transfer to Sydney CBD (Chauffeur Driven): $132
- Airport Shuttle Transfer to and from CBD Hotels: $40
- Sydney's Best Airport Arrival Transfers - Airport to CBD : $84
- Sydney to Sydney Airport (SYD) - Departure Private Transfer: $70
- Sydney Port Private Arrival Transfer: Cruise Port to City: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into El Nido or Sydney?
Prices for flights to both Sydney 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 $20Sydney $77
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 Sydney
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Sydney:
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Tea$2.62
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Lunch Special$9.81
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Food/Drink Coogie Beach$9.81
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Meat Pies$3.27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sydney
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sydney.
- City Highlights Walking Food Tour with Harbor Cruise: $45
- Harbour Dinner Cruise with Buffet: $49
- Roti Making Class with 5-Course Dinner: $49
- Sydney Harbour Discovery Dinner Cruise Scenic Sights and Buffet: $50
- Foraging Food Tour Sydney Native Aussie Food: $53
- Sydney's Little Italy Food Tour: $54
- Twilight Dinner Cruise on Coral Trekker: $59
- Harbor Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $59
- Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise: $60
- Fish Market Food Tour: $63
- Taste of Sydney Fish Market Food Tour: $64
- Kids Cooking Classes: $64
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Nido $5.34Sydney $31
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $22
- Tour A (Big & Secret Lagoon, Shimizu, 7 Commando): $22
- El Nido Island Tour A: $22
- Tour D with Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach & More: $22
- El Nido Island Tour D: $22
- Big Lagoon Kayaking & Island Adventure: $23
- Island Hopping Tour A Lagoons and Beaches: $23
- Hidden Beaches and Lagoons Boat Hopping Tour D: $24
- Tour B with Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave, and More: $24
- El Nido Island Tour B: $25
- Shared El Nido Tour A: $25
- El Nido:Private Tour D with Highlights Small & Cadlao Lagoon: $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Sydney
Here are a few typical costs in Sydney for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Theatre Show$29
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Sydney Tower Visit (for 2)$30
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Blue Mountain Tour/Featherdale Park (for 2)$125
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Powerhouse Museum$9.85
Tours and Activities in Sydney
Here are a few actual costs in Sydney for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Sunrise Serenity Kayak Tour of Sydney Harbour: $104
- #1 Blue Mountains Tour Scenic World Waterfalls Wildlife Park: $188
- 1 Day Thredbo Snow Adventure: $113
- 1 Day Thredbo Snow Tour From Sydney: $117
- 1/2 day Sydney Sightseeing and Bondi Beach Tour: $45
- 14-Day Sydney to Cairns, Fraser, Whitsundays Comfort Tour: $5,597
- 2 Hours Running Tour in Sydney: $99
- 3 Hours Elvis Tribute Cruise on Sydney Harbour: $53
- 30 Minute Shared Sydney Harbour Scenic Helicopter Tour: $237
- 45-Minute Sydney Harbour Adventure Jet Boat Ride: $66
- 45-Minute Vivid Sydney Scenic Jet Boat Cruise Tour: $40
- Afternoon Discovery Cruise on Coral Trekker: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Nido $8.31Sydney $15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Sydney
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Sydney:
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Wine$10
Sample the Local Flavors in Sydney
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sydney:
- Wollongong Bar Crawl Go Out with a Gong: $15
- Big Night Out Pub Crawl with Local Party Hosts: $32
- Private Wine Tasting at The Rocks: $46
- Sydney Cellar Door - Old Vine Expressions Wine Tasting: $47
- Marrickville Brewery Tour: $78
- Sydney Beer and Brewery Tour: $103
- From: Sydney - Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Guided Day Tour: $111
- Brewery, Winery, and Distillery Tasting Tour: $112
- Meet the Makers Sydney Native Food & Distillery Tour: $132
- From Full-Day Hunter Valley Wine Tour & Lunch: $144
- From Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Tour: $145
- From Hunter Valley Multi-Brewery Tour with Lunch: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Sydney, we can see that Sydney 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 Sydney 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 Sydney would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sydney 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 Sydney Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, El Nido or Sydney?
Sydney has a larger population, and is about 560 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of El Nido and Sydney, 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.