A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Nha Trang vs. Puerto Princesa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Nha Trang or Puerto Princesa?

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 Nha Trang and Puerto Princesa. 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: Nha Trang or Puerto Princesa?

Nha Trang

For the relaxation of a small beach town, plus the energy of a young city, consider Nha Trang, Vietnam. As the most famous seaside town in Vietnam, Nha Trang is certainly livelier than many other beach resort towns. Visiting this part of Vietnam is not for the faint of heart. These people know the meaning of nightlife - and make the night last as long as they can.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Nha Trang?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Nha Trang is $48, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $80. 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 Nha Trang and Puerto Princesa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Nha Trang $13
    Puerto Princesa $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Nha Trang $26
    Puerto Princesa $44
Compare Hotels in Nha Trang and Puerto Princesa

Looking for a hotel in Nha Trang 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.

Hotels in Nha Trang


Hotels in Puerto Princesa


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: Nha Trang Hotel Prices and Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Nha Trang $13
    Puerto Princesa $47
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nha Trang

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Nha Trang:


  • Local Bus Ticket
    $0.11
  • Taxi From Airport
    $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa

Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $232
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
  • Private Transfer to El Nido: $169
  • Palawan: Private San Vicente Airport Transfers: $160
  • Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $116
  • Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido: $100
  • Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
  • Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
  • Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
  • Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
  • Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
  • Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17

Is it cheaper to fly into Nha Trang or Puerto Princesa?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa and Nha Trang 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 day
    Nha Trang $25
    Puerto Princesa $31
Typical Food Prices in Nha Trang

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Nha Trang:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $5.32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nha Trang

For Nha Trang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Crossing: Sunset Cruise Live Music, Buffet Dinner & DJ Party: $79

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 Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
  • Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
  • Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
  • Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
  • Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
  • Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
  • Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
  • Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
  • Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Nha Trang $9.06
    Puerto Princesa $6.30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nha Trang

For Nha Trang, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Po Ngar Cham Entrance (for Two)
    $1.22
  • Two Rental Lounge Chairs on Beach
    $2.66
  • Vinpearl Land Amusement Park
    $17
  • Fairy Spring Waterfall Entrance
    $0.38
  • Thap Ba Mud Bath
    $3.80
  • Cyclo Tour of City (One Day)
    $9.51

Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa

For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2in1 City tour + museum & transportation from cruise port /hotel: $25
  • 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
  • 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
  • 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
  • Best of Puerto Princesa Palawan Signature 3Day Tour in 1 Package: $195
  • City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
  • Deals: Puerto Princesa Palawan 2days Tours & 2n Inn accomodation: $250
  • El Nido Day Tour: $80
  • From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
  • Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
  • Full-Day UNESCO Underground River Tour: $54
  • Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Nha Trang $18
    Puerto Princesa $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nha Trang and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Nha Trang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Nha Trang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nha Trang 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 Puerto Princesa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Princesa than you might in Nha Trang.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nha Trang Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Nha Trang or Puerto Princesa?

Nha Trang has a larger population, and is about 80% larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Nha Trang and Puerto Princesa, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.