Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Koh Lipe?
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 Koh Lipe or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Koh Lipe and Palawan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Palawan?
Koh Lipe
Ko Lipe used to be one of Thailand's most gorgeous hidden treasures. While it's still breathtaking, it's certainly not hidden anymore. With a small community of approximately 700 chow lair, or sea gypsies, this region is doing its best to maintain the beauty of its culture and beaches despite the influx of tourism. The rapid development has seen additions of concrete cafes and travel agencies. There are still rich, cultural gems to find in Ko Lipe - you just have to be willing to wander.
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 Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Koh Lipe Prices
Thailand PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $117Palawan $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $117, 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 Koh Lipe and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $49Palawan $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $98Palawan $24
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe 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: Koh Lipe Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $20Palawan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Lipe
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Koh Lipe:
- Private Transfer Pak Bara Pier to Hatyai Airport by Van: $94
- Koh Lipe to Hatyai Speedboat and Van Transfer: $39
- Island Transfer from Koh Lipe to Koh Lanta by Speedboat: $75
- Fast and Convenient Koh Lipe to Koh Lanta Speedboat Transfer: $72
- Direct Transfer from Koh Lipe to Phuket by Speedboat: $105
- Comfortable Koh Lipe to Phuket Direct Speedboat Transfer: $92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $70
- Coron Airport Shared Hotel Transfers: $10
- Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $50
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- El Nido Beginner Surf Lesson with Lunch and Round-Trip Transfers: $74
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $193
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Koh Lipe 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 dayKoh Lipe $51Palawan $17
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.Koh Lipe $26Palawan $4.82
Tours and Activities in Koh Lipe
Here are a few actual costs in Koh Lipe for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 7 Islands 8 Spots Far Away Longtail Boat Snorkeling Tour: $25
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $125
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $24
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $28
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $30
- Koh Lipe 5 Stunning Island Snorkeling Tour by Longtail Boat: $32
- Koh Lipe Beginner Scuba Diving Half Day Tour with Lunch: $116
- Koh Lipe Highlight 5 Islands Snorkeling Adventure Day Trip: $34
- Koh Lipe Unseen 7 Islands Day Tour by Private Longtail Boat: $137
- Private Experience with Fishing, Barbeque, Sashimi and Snorkeling: $77
- Private Koh Lipe Inner Zone Snorkeling Tour by Longtail Boat: $117
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $19
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- Coron Island Hopping Tour Snorkel, Swim, and Relax: $23
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Puerto Princesa City Tour: $32
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Puerto Princesa half day City tour a sightseeing excursion: $35
- Joiners Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour: $38
- Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Tour with Lunch: $38
- Coron Parasailing Adventure: $43
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $9.21Palawan $6.89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Palawan, we can see that Koh Lipe 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 Koh Lipe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Lipe 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 Koh Lipe 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.