Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Nha Trang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNha Trang $39Puerto Princesa $73
The average daily cost (per person) in Nha Trang is $39, 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 Nha Trang and Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNha Trang $13Puerto Princesa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNha Trang $26Puerto Princesa $48
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nha Trang $13Puerto Princesa $51
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nha Trang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Nha Trang:
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Local Bus Ticket$0.12
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Taxi From Airport$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nha Trang
Also for Nha Trang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang Train Station to/from Hotel in Nha Trang: $20
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang Train Station - Nha Trang Center: $19
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang City Center to Tuy Hoa City Center: $228
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang City Center to Da Lat City Center: $166
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang City Center to Cau Da/Vinpearl Port: $20
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang City Center - Tuy Hoa City: $222
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang City Center - Da Nang City: $573
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang City Center - Cau Da Port: $19
- Private Transfer: Nha Trang Airport to/from Vinpearl Port: $25
- Private Transfer: Da Nang Center to Nha Trang Center: $573
- Private Transfer: Cam Ranh Airport - Nha Trang outskirt: $25
- Private Transfer: Cam Ranh Airport - Cau Da Port: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $234
- Private Transfer to El Nido: $171
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa Private Van Transfer: $153
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $153
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
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
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Food Meals for one dayNha Trang $15Puerto Princesa $20
Typical Food Prices in Nha Trang
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Nha Trang:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.59
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:
- Street Food Tour & Fresh Beer Tasting by Scooter: $62
- Nha Trang Cooking Class (visiting local market & countryside): $67
- Viet Garden Cooking Class (Countryside and Market tour): $68
- Nha Trang Special Sunset River Cruise for sightseeing and nice dinner: $77
- NhaTrang Private Sunset River Cruise for a nice dinner at a riverside restaurant: $82
- Nha Trang Half-Day Cooking Class: $85
- Countryside Private Cooking Class: $87
- Nha Trang Sunset Cocktails and Dinner Cruise: $90
- Romantic Sunset Cocktails and Dinner Cruise: $90
- Watching Stunning Sunset with Cocktail and Dinner on Luxury Cruise : $92
- Nha Trang River Cruises and Cooking Class Included Lunch: $95
- Private Half-Day Cooking Class in Nha Trang with Pick Up: $97
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.Nha Trang $9.51Puerto Princesa $6.82
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nha Trang
For Nha Trang, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Po Ngar Cham Entrance (for Two)$1.28
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Two Rental Lounge Chairs on Beach$2.80
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Vinpearl Land Amusement Park$18
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Fairy Spring Waterfall Entrance$0.40
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Thap Ba Mud Bath$3.99
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Cyclo Tour of City (One Day)$9.99
Tours and Activities in Nha Trang
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Nha Trang.
- Day Cruise Exploring Nha Trang Bay｜Nha Trang: $98
- Half Day Car Nha Trang Excursion From Cruise Port (Min 2 pax): $50
- NHATRANG Adventure & Country Tour by Vintage JEEP/Modern SUV: $80
- Nha Trang 3 Island Private Tour: $49
- Nha Trang Full Day Private Tour Snorkeling Included Lunch And Mud Bath: $155
- 01 Day trip motorcycle Tour Nha trang to Dalat ( one way ): $83
- 03 Hour Pedicab Explore Nha Trang City (Small Group Tour) : $69
- 2 Days Daklak Highland Tour From Nha Trang Included Hotel And Meals: $295
- 2 Days Private Guided Tour to Mui Ne from Nha Trang Included Lunch: $195
- 2 days private tour from Nha Trang to Lak lake - and back Nha Trang: $200
- 3 Day VIP Tour at Hon Tam Resort in Nha Trang: $49
- 3 Hour Pedicab City Tour Nha Trang: $69
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 and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3dayTour Underground river honda bay citytour w/ airport pick up: $125
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Combi Tour : Underground River + Firefly Watching: $81
- El Nido Day Tour: $81
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $199
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE) (Private Tour): $33
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (VAN) (Private Tour): $63
- El Nido Package 1: Free & Easy (No Tour): $160
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNha Trang $19Puerto Princesa $14
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.
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.