Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Malang?
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 Malang or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Malang 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: Malang or Palawan?
Malang
Malang is a city in East Java, Indonesia. It's a cultured city with several important universities, and is home to a large student population. Prized by the Dutch for its mild highland climate, the city retains much of its colonial architecture. Established by the Dutch in the closing decades of the 18th century, Malang earned its first fortunes from coffee, which flourished on the surrounding hillsides. Today, the city's colonial grandeur is quickly disappearing behind the homogenous facades of more modern developments, but there's still much to admire. The Balai Kota building blends Indonesian and Dutch styles, and grand mansions line the main boulevard, Jalan Besar Ijen. To the east is Mt. Bromo, a volcano with hiking trails. The central area is not too large and quite walkable. And with a number of Hindu temples and sights outside the city, Malang makes an ideal base to explore this intriguing corner of east Java.
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 Indonesia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Malang Prices
Indonesia PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMalang $76Palawan $43
The average daily cost (per person) in Malang is $76, 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 Malang and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMalang $43Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMalang $86Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Malang and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Malang 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: Malang Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Malang $1.36Palawan $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Malang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Malang:
- Yogyakarta ;Transfer Service From Yogyakarta to Bromo/Malang: $109
- Private Transfer - Malang To Surabaya International Airport: $38
- FROM YOGYAKARTA TRANSFER TO BROMO/SURABAYA/MALANG CITY.: $50
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
- Airport Transfers airport to city center hotel and cruise port: $20
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $90
- Coron Airport Shared Hotel Transfers: $10
- Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $47
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
Is it cheaper to fly into Malang or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Malang 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 dayMalang $29Palawan $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Malang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Malang.
- Malang Cooking Class by Mam Warti: $20
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Malang $8.53Palawan $5.21
Tours and Activities in Malang
Here are a few actual costs in Malang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day - Bromo Afternoon Siesta Tour start MALANG or SURABAYA // 11:00 - 18:00: $80
- 1 Day - Tumpak Sewu, Kapas Biru Waterfall, Goa Tetes cave* Tour // 07:30 - 17:00: $75
- 1 Day - ULTIMATE TOUR Tumpak Sewu Waterfall and Goa Tetes cave // 07:30 - 17:30: $52
- 1 Day Amazing Bromo Sunrise tour from Malang Surabaya 7 spots: $41
- 1 Day Mount Bromo Sharing Tour Package from Malang: $34
- 1Day - Bromo Non Sunrise Tour via Malang (to avoid crowd): $79
- 1Day - Bromo Sunrise Tour via Malang (Sharing or Private Jeep): $39
- 1Day - Malang Cycling Village Tour: $60
- 2 Days - Bromo Ijen Bali Ultimate Tour // D1 01.00 - D2 14.00: $175
- 2 Days Shared Tour from Malang to Mount Bromo and Ijen: $104
- 2-Day Tour: Mount Bromo & Tumpak Sewu from Malang or Surabaya: $164
- 2Days - Bromo Sunrise Ijen Adventure via Malang: $199
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 A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Fullday Coron Island Hopping Tour : $34
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- Coron Island Tour A (Shared Tour): $37
- Joiners Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour: $38
- Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Tour with Lunch: $38
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMalang -Palawan $7.44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Malang and Palawan, we can see that Malang 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 Malang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Malang 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 Malang 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.