Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Hoi An?
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 Hoi An or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Hoi An and Palawan. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Hoi An or Palawan?
Hoi An
Located just south of the city of Da Nang, Hoi An is famous for it's beautiful old town. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, since its designation as a World Heritage Site in 1999, mass tourism has grown and the city has felt the growing pains. Most of the homes and shops in the old town are now used for commercial purposes. The city is still quaint, but the old town is lined with tailor shops, souvenir stores, and restaurants. Foreigners are required to purchase a ticket to enter the old town of Hoi An (120,000 VND, about $5).
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Vietnam, The Best Historical Tours in Vietnam, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Hoi An Prices
Vietnam PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHoi An $51Palawan $43
The average daily cost (per person) in Hoi An is $51, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $43. 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 Hoi An and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHoi An $20Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHoi An $40Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Hoi An and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Hoi An 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: Hoi An Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hoi An $18Palawan $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hoi An
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Hoi An are as follows:
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Taxi From Danang to Hoi An$8.34
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Bus From Hoi An Bus Station to Town$0.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hoi An
Also for Hoi An, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Hue: Private Transfer to Hoi An via Top Sights: $25
- Hue Private Car with Driver for Customizable Trip & Transfer: $7.09
- Private Transfer from/to Da Nang Airport: $17
- Coconut Basket Boat Rides with Two-way Transfers: $12
- Hoi An and Da Nang Airport/City Shuttle Transfer Service: $6.00
- Hai Van Pass & Ba Na Hills Car Transfer Hue to/from Hoi An: $22
- From Private Transfer to Hue with Photo Stops: $88
- From One-Way Shared Bus Transfer to Hue: $19
- From One-Way Shared Bus Transfer to Da Nang: $7.19
- Early My Son tour/transfer to avoid crowd and the heat: $28
- Da Nang/Transfer from Da Nang to HoiAn or vice versa: $14
- Da Nang City: Private Transfer to/from Hoi An City: $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Hoi An or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Hoi An 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 dayHoi An $16Palawan $19
Typical Food Prices in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner at Bamboo Village (for Two)$13
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$3.79
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Casual Dinner (for Two)$7.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- BASKET BOAT & FISHING CRAB & COOKING CLASS: $3.90
- COOKING CLASS & BASKET BOAT: $13
- Basket Boat Ride, Cooking Class by Hangcoconut: $17
- From Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride and Cooking Class: $17
- Market Tour - Cooking Class - Coconut Boat Riding: $17
- Da Nang/Market Tour, basket Boat Ride, Cooking Class: $18
- Cooking Class, Crab Fishing-Basket Boat, Market Tour: $20
- Eat Like a Local – Hoi An Evening Food Tour: $22
- Hoi An : Vegetarian Cooking Class W Optional Coconut Village: $22
- Hoi An/Da Nang: Vietnamese Cooking Class with Transportation: $22
- Traditional Cooking Class & meal with Local Family: $22
- Vegetarian Cooking Class w Local Family and transfer: $22
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hoi An $12Palawan $5.21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hoi An
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Hoi An's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Golf (for Two)$140
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Short Boat Ride$1.52
Tours and Activities in Hoi An
For Hoi An, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Hours Hoi An Countryside Bicycle Tour: $35
- 3 hours Hoi An Countryside Motorbike Tour: $55
- Amazing Cham Island Snorkeling Tour From Hoi An or Da Nang: $45
- BUFFALO RIDING -BASKET BOAT & BIKE TOUR-HOI AN: $29
- Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge Private Tour: $131
- Cham Island: Snorkeling Tour: $53
- Cham Island: Underwater Walking & Snorkeling Tour: $77
- Coconut Jungle - Hoi An City Tour & Release Flower Lantern: $47
- Cruiseship Tour to MY SON HOLYLAND - DA NANG CITY From Chan May or Tien Sa Port: $179
- Cruiseship Trip from TIEN SA or CHAN MAY Port to MY SON HOLYLAND & DA NANG City: $154
- Cruiseship Trip from TIEN SA or CHAN MAY Port to MY SON HOLYLAND & HOI AN City: $154
- Cruiseship Trip to GOLDEN BRIDGE & MY SON SANCTUARY from CHAN MAY orTIEN SA Port: $189
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, 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
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Balabac Tour Semi-Private 4D3N (price varies by group size): $605
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Coron Calauit Safari Tour E: $146
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
- Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHoi An $8.59Palawan $7.44
Typical Alcohol Prices in Hoi An
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Hoi An are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$9.10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hoi An and Palawan, we can see that Hoi An is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Palawan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Palawan 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 Hoi An would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hoi An than you might in Palawan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hoi An 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.