Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Hat Yai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hat Yai or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hat Yai and Palawan can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Hat Yai or Palawan?
Hat Yai
The fourth largest city of Thailand, Hat Yai is a popular tourist destination, especially on weekends and holidays for people in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. It is best known as a commercial hub and shopping destination, and for its floating market and Buddhist temple.
Palawan
Palawan is an archipelagic province of the Philippines, named for its largest island which measures about 450 kilometers (or 280 miles) long. The island is known as an ecological frontier with plenty of beaches and resorts as well as opportunities to see a diverse array of wildlife and their habitats on land and sea.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHat Yai $16Palawan $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Hat Yai is $16, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $36. 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 Hat Yai and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHat Yai $5.11Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHat Yai $10Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Hat Yai and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Hat Yai or Palawan? 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: Hat Yai Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hat Yai $0.63Palawan $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hat Yai
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hat Yai:
- private van transfer from Hatyai Airport to Pabara Pier: $68
- Transfer from Hatyai Airport to Koh Lipe: $25
- Private Van transfer from Hatyai City to Pak Bara Pier: $73
- Private Van transfer from Hatyai Airport to Pak Bara Pier: $73
- Private Hatyai Airport Transfer to Pak Bara Pier by Van: $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
Is it cheaper to fly into Hat Yai or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Hat Yai 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 dayHat Yai $10Palawan $11
Typical Food Prices in Hat Yai
Some typical examples of dining costs in Hat Yai are as follows:
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Roti Snack$0.55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hat Yai -Palawan $5.24
Tours and Activities in Hat Yai
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hat Yai are as follows:
- One Way Speedboat and Van Ticket Koh Lipe to Hat Yai Airport: $30
- One Way Van and Speedboat Ticket Hat Yai Airport to Koh Lipe: $30
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $16
- Flyfish ride and Clear Kayak Experience in Coron: $17
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Coron Town Tour: $20
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
- El Nido Tour D Full Day w/ Beach Lunch: $28
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Coron Island Tour B: $34
- firefly watching tour : $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHat Yai $2.52Palawan $7.49
Typical Alcohol Prices in Hat Yai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Hat Yai:
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Beer$1.64
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hat Yai and Palawan, we can see that Palawan is more expensive. And not only is Hat Yai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hat Yai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hat Yai 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 Palawan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Palawan than you might in Hat Yai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hat Yai Expensive? and Is Palawan Expensive?.
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.