A Travel Price Comparison for Philippines Palawan vs. Boracay for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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.


Which place is cheaper, Boracay or Palawan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Palawan -
    Boracay $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Palawan $0.00
    Boracay $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.

Hotels in Palawan


Hotels in Boracay


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
  • 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:

  • Airport Transfers: $20
  • 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
  • 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 Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
  • Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $140
  • Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
  • 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
  • Departure: Speedboat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $34
  • Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer To Boracay: $42
  • Caticlan: Shared Airport Transfer From/To Boracay: $22
  • Shared Transfer from/to MPH for Domestic Passports: $21
  • Private Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay: $28
  • Boracay Transfer round trip with Island Hopping: $70
  • Boracay Adventures Transfer Services Via Caticlan: $35
  • Airport Transfer to Boracay or vice versa: $21

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Palawan -
    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: $30

Entertainment
  • 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
  • Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $16
  • Flyfish ride and Clear Kayak Experience in Coron: $17
  • City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
  • Coron Town Tour: $20
  • Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
  • Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
  • El Nido Tour D Full Day w/ Beach Lunch: $28
  • Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
  • Coron Island Tour B: $34
  • City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35

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: $18
  • Aklan Tibiao Antique Tour : $190
  • Atv Mainland Adventure with lunch: $65
  • Best Boracay Sunset Party Boat Experience: $46
  • Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $9.22
  • Boracay ATV Tour and Kawa Hot Bath: $75
  • Boracay Buggy Car Adventure: $115
  • Boracay Cliff Jumping & Snorkeling Experience (Private): $110
  • Boracay Hopping Tour with Standard Boodle Fight Lunch: $33
  • Boracay Island Hopping +Banana Boat (Shared Tour): $42
  • Boracay Island Hopping +Parasailing (SharedTour): $73
  • Boracay Island Hopping Adventure w/ Lunch & Cliff Jumping: $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Palawan -
    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?.