Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Kanchanaburi?
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 Kanchanaburi 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 Kanchanaburi 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: Kanchanaburi or Palawan?
Kanchanaburi
If the hustle and bustle of the big city of Bangkok is just getting to you, there's an easy escape. Kanchanaburi, Thailand is a city located at the meeting of Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai, and is ideal for backpackers looking to reflect and relax. With easily accessible waterfalls and national parks, you'll wonder why anyone ever leaves.
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 Wildlife Tours to Thailand, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Kanchanaburi Prices
Thailand PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKanchanaburi $57Palawan $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Kanchanaburi is $57, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $40. 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 Kanchanaburi and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKanchanaburi $22Palawan $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKanchanaburi $44Palawan $24
Compare Hotels in Kanchanaburi and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Kanchanaburi 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: Kanchanaburi Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kanchanaburi $14Palawan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kanchanaburi
Also for Kanchanaburi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Ratchaburi to Suvarnabhumi (BKK) Airport: $98
- Private Transfer from Kanchanaburi to Don Mueang (DMK) Airport: $186
- Private Erawan Falls & River Kwai with Transfer from Kanchanaburi: $222
- Private Bangkok Airport Transfer to/from Kanchanaburi: $117
- Kanchanaburi River Kwai SUP Experience with Hotel Transfers: $40
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
- Puerto Princesa Palawan Private Transfers - Airport Transfers: $27
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido: $100
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
- Private Van Transfer Coron Town to Airport: $70
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $193
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $193
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
Is it cheaper to fly into Kanchanaburi or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Kanchanaburi 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 dayKanchanaburi $24Palawan $17
Typical Food Prices in Kanchanaburi
For Kanchanaburi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Casual Lunch$4.60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kanchanaburi
For Kanchanaburi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Thai Cooking Class: $39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- El Nido Fishing with Local Fisherman with Sunset Dinner: $136
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kanchanaburi $10Palawan $4.82
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kanchanaburi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Kanchanaburi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Entry Park TreeHouse$6.14
Tours and Activities in Kanchanaburi
For Kanchanaburi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Best Paddleboarding Experience in Kanchanaburi River: $27
- Discovery Bike Tour: $18
- Erawan Waterfall & Train Tour from Kanchanaburi – Full Day: $130
- Full Day Kanchanaburi Erawan Waterfall and Historical Sites Tour: $78
- Fun Tree Top Zipline Adventure and Challenge in Kanchanaburi: $37
- Guided Walking Private Tour in History & Legends: $142
- Half Day Kanchanaburi Bike Tour with History and Local Life: $52
- Kanchanaburi Countryside Cycling Adventure: $58
- Kanchanaburi Erawan Waterfall and Death Railway Full Day Tour: $81
- Kanchanaburi Erawan Waterfall and Train Along Death Railway Tour: $176
- Kanchanaburi Morning Countryside Bike Experience: $62
- Kanchanaburi Tour Erawan Waterfall Temples and Giant Rain Tree: $110
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- All-Inclusive El Nido Beach Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Balabac Tour Semi-Private 4D3N (price varies by group size): $590
- Best of Puerto Princesa Palawan Signature 3Day Tour in 1 Package: $195
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Adventure Snorkeling Dugong Watching and More: $130
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
- Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A (Private Tour): $112
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKanchanaburi $9.03Palawan $6.89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kanchanaburi and Palawan, we can see that Kanchanaburi 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 Kanchanaburi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kanchanaburi 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 Kanchanaburi 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.