Which place is cheaper, Boracay or Palawan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Palawan or Boracay?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Boracay? 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: Palawan or Boracay?
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.
Boracay
A small island in the Philippines known for its resorts and beaches, Boracay is a little escape. Each beach has its own unique character, each with new treasures waiting to be discovered.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, and The Best Adventure Tours to Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $0.00Boracay $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $0.00, while the average daily cost in Boracay is $56. 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 Palawan and Boracay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan -Boracay $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $0.00Boracay $46
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Boracay
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Boracay? 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: Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan -Boracay $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, 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 (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boracay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boracay:
- Speedboat Caticlan to Boracay Transfer (Oneway): $83
- PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER TO BORACAY: $106
- Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
- Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $51
- Caticlan: Shared Airport Transfer From/To Boracay: $55
- Caticlan: Ferry Boat Airport Transfer To Boracay: $35
- Shared Transfer from/to MPH for Domestic Passports: $21
- Private Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay: $44
- Caticlan Airport Roundtrip Transfer: $27
- Boracay Transfer round trip with Island Hopping: $70
- Boracay Adventures Transfer Services Via Caticlan: $35
- Airport Transfer to Boracay or vice versa: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Boracay?
Prices for flights to both Boracay and Palawan 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 dayPalawan -Boracay $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan -Boracay $15
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
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- Flyfish ride and Clear Kayak Experience in Coron: $17
- Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $19
- Coron Town Tour: $20
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $30
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Coron Island Tour B: $34
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- El Nido Tour D Full Day w/ Beach Lunch: $37
Tours and Activities in Boracay
Here are a few actual costs in Boracay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Boracay Land Tour via Etrike: $32
- Aklan Tibiao Antique Tour : $190
- Atv Mainland Adventure with lunch: $64
- Beyond Jungle-River Adventure & Sunset Cruise: $40
- Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $9.18
- Boracay ATV Tour and Kawa Hot Bath: $85
- Boracay Buggy Car Adventure: $105
- Boracay Cliff Jumping & Snorkeling Experience (Private): $105
- Boracay E-trike Land Tour: $20
- Boracay Eco-Hopping Tour: $87
- Boracay Helicopter Tour with Red Whale Party Yacht: $228
- Boracay Hopping Tour with Standard Boodle Fight Lunch: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan -Boracay $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Boracay, we can see that Boracay 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 Boracay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boracay 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 Palawan Expensive? and Is Boracay 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.