Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Palawan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Palawan or Brisbane?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Brisbane? 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 Brisbane?
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.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $36Brisbane $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $36, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $131. 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 Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Brisbane $81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Brisbane $162
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Brisbane? 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 and Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Brisbane $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
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Airtrain to the City$9.73
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Go Card$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sunshine Coast Airport Arrival transfer to Hotels: $18
- Sirromet Winery 3 Course Lunch, Tour, Tastings and Transfers: $132
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $123
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $91
- Private Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City to Cruise Port: $91
- Private Transfer to Gold Coast /OOL Airport from Brisbane /BNE Airport (1-7 Pax): $228
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Port to Brisbane Airport (BNE): $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Hotels to Brisbane Cruise Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Cruise Port to Brisbane: $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane Port: $33
- Private Transfer between Brisbane/BNE Airport -Gold Coast / OOL Airport(1-11Pax): $297
- Private Arrival Transfer: Brisbane Airport to Hotel: $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane 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 $11Brisbane $31
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
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
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Hamburger Lunch$5.19
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Cup of Coffee$1.95
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Chinese Food Lunch$8.11
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Ice cream$3.57
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Japanese Meal$13
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Smoothie$4.22
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Japanese Soup$7.46
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Coffee & Muffin$4.54
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Morning Mint Tea$2.27
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Veggie Burger & Chips$9.08
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Bread$1.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vertigo Dinner: Dining on the edge!: $163
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.24Brisbane $24
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Full Day Tour C with Buffet Lunch : $43
- 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
- Coron Calauit Safari Tour E: $89
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
- Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50
- Coron Island Escapade Tour C: $43
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- 1hr Animal Tour: $43
- 2hr Animal Tour: $73
- 3-Hour Walking Tour in Brisbane: $56
- 45-Minute Behind-the-Tanks Tour on North Stradbroke Island: $32
- 90min Brisbane River Cruise/Tour: $35
- Adventure Moreton Island Day Pass: $85
- All-Inclusive Dolphin & Tangalooma Wrecks Day Cruise Brisbane: $131
- Barefoot Luxury Mount Tamborine Winery Tour from Brisbane: $178
- Bellthorpe Rainforest Private Tour: $132
- Brisbane : Must See Attractions Private Walking Tour: $87
- Brisbane City Botanic Gardens Audio Tour FREE Ticket: $15
- Brisbane City Highlights Sightseeing Tour: $116
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.49Brisbane $50
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
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Evening at the Bar$9.73
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Sixpack of Beer$9.08
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Guiness Beer$5.51
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Sixpack of Beer$8.43
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- XXXX Beer Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting: $24
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $24
- Artisinal Wine Tasting and Local 2-Course Meal: $49
- City Winery Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch: $50
- Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $102
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $124
- From Mount Tamborine Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch: $131
- Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $131
- Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $132
- Deluxe Wine Tour to Tamborine Mountain, includes two course lunch: $142
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Palawan is in Asia and Brisbane is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane 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 Brisbane 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.