Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Koh Samui?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Koh Samui or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Koh Samui or Palawan? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Koh Samui or Palawan?
Koh Samui
The largest island on the east coast of southern Thailand, Ko Samui (or Koh Samui) sees a good number of visitors every year who come for its lush rainforest, beautiful shores, and undersea wildlife. The size of the island is still small enough to allow visitors to circumnavigate it with a taxi or motorbike in a day, while hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can find plenty of inland activities in the hills and jungle.
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 Tours Under $1000 in Thailand, The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
-
Koh Samui Prices
Thailand PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Samui $77Palawan $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Samui is $77, 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 Samui and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Samui $26Palawan $12
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Samui $52Palawan $24
Compare Hotels in Koh Samui and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Koh Samui 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 Samui Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Samui $19Palawan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Koh Samui:
-
Scooter Rental$2.30
-
Gas for Scooter$1.23
-
Airport Taxi$14
-
Taxi- Na Thon Pier to Lamai Beach$13
-
Minibus- Airport to Chaweng$3.68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Samui
Also for Koh Samui, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Thrilling 2 Hour ATV Jungle with Hotel Transfer from Koh Samui: $88
- The Red Baron Luxury Yacht Cruise from Koh Samui with Return Transfer: $166
- The Jungle Club or The Roof Samui Table Reservation with Transfer: $94
- Smooth Koh Samui to Krabi Catamaran and Bus or Van Transfer: $52
- Smooth Koh Phangan to Phuket Transfer by Catamaran and Bus: $66
- Private round trip Transfers from Samui Airport: $38
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Taling Ngam: $69
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Samui City: $50
- Private Transfer from Samui (USM) Airport to Mae Nam: $69
- Private Transfer from Mae Nam to Samui (USM) Airport: $69
- Private Transfer from Lamai to Samui (USM) Airport: $39
- Private Transfer from Ko Samui island hotels to Ko Samui Port: $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $193
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $193
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido: $100
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido Beginner Surf Lesson with Lunch and Round-Trip Transfers: $74
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $70
- Private Van Transfer Coron Town to Airport: $70
- Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $50
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Samui or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Koh Samui 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
-
Food Meals for one dayKoh Samui $38Palawan $17
Typical Food Prices in Koh Samui
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Samui:
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)$6.60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Samui
For Koh Samui, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Samui Suppers Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Coconut Corners Samui Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Half Day Pig Island Snorkeling Trip with Sunset Dinner from Samui: $60
- Cooking Class by Samui Native Instructor Geng and O Family: $79
- Thai Cooking Class with Local Market Tour in Koh Samui: $79
- Thai Cooking Masterclass by the Sea on Koh Samui: $80
- Thai Cooking Class | Since 2012 | Farm to Table: $82
- Cooking Class in Ko Samui for Small Group: $82
- Red Baron Sunset Dinner Cruise from Koh Samui with Transfer: $85
- Thai Cooking Class from Koh Samui with Local Market: $86
- Romantic Evening on Koh Samui’s Sunset Dinner Cruise: $107
- Sunset Dinner Cruise Koh Samui The Red Baron: $110
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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Samui $12Palawan $4.82
Tours and Activities in Koh Samui
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Samui.
- 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure in Koh Samui Mountain Viewpoints: $88
- 2 Hours ATV Quad Bike Popular Tour From Koh Samui: $111
- 2-Hour Koh Samui ATV Quad Tour: $58
- 2.5-Hours ATV Jungle Adventure Experience from Koh Phangan: $121
- 3 Hour ATV Secret Waterfall Adventure in Koh Samui: $110
- 4 Hour Ultimate ATV Jungle Tour in Koh Samui Lunch Included: $141
- 4WD Jungle Safari Tour in Koh Samui with Lunch: $50
- 6 Hours Elephant Care and Jungle Tour by 4WD in Koh Samui: $62
- ATV 1.5 Hours Jungle Safari Tour On Koh Phangan: $76
- ATV 2 hrs. Jungle Adventure on the Mountain Way in Koh Samui: $63
- ATV Jungle & Mountain Trails 30-Min Off-Road Adventure Koh Samui: $47
- Adventure Kayaking at Angthong Marine Park: $116
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
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Samui $5.21Palawan $6.89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Samui and Palawan, we can see that Koh Samui 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 Samui would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Samui 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 Samui 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.