Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Lipe or Puerto Princesa?
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 Puerto Princesa can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Puerto Princesa?
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.
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Puerto Princesa $73
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $73. 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 Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Puerto Princesa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Puerto Princesa $48
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe or Puerto Princesa? 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 Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $18Puerto Princesa $51
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: $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa Private Van Transfer: $153
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa van transfer: $14
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Private Transfer to El Nido: $171
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $153
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $12
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $234
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa 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 $26Puerto Princesa $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $26
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $60
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $81
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $81
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $117
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Puerto Princesa $6.82
Tours and Activities in Koh Lipe
Here are a few actual costs in Koh Lipe for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Tour Sunset Cruise Around Lipe: $15
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $111
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $21
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $25
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $24
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $14
- PPS CITY TOUR: $14
- Guided City Walking Tour with Snacks: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $14
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $22
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
- Puerto Princesa City Tour (Joiners Tour): $28
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE) (Private Tour): $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Puerto Princesa $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Koh Lipe is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Princesa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Princesa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa.
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 Puerto Princesa 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.