Which place is cheaper, Christchurch or Palawan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Palawan or Christchurch?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Christchurch? 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 Christchurch?
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.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island of New Zealand, right beside the Canterbury Plains. Most people begin their South Island travels here. The city itself can be fascinating to explore so it is worth allowing yourself several days in town as an introduction to the region.
The River Avon flows through the city center, twisting through the old buildings. Christchurch is referred to in New Zealand as the Garden City and it is easy to see why. It's quite a nice city with trees spread throughout. The economy is centered around international tourism as well as foreign education. There is a high Asian student population here, giving the city a diverse feel.
Christchurch's climate is temperate and the city receives moderate rainfall. In January average high temperatures are around 73 degrees Fahrenheit with averages around 52 degrees Fahrenheit in July. There is a sea breeze during the summer months that keep temperatures pleasant. Temperatures can drop below freezing at night during the winter months. Snow may also fall several times a year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland.
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Palawan Prices
Philippines PricesChristchurch Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $43Christchurch $117
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $43, while the average daily cost in Christchurch is $117. 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 Christchurch in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Christchurch $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Christchurch $98
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Christchurch
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Christchurch? 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 Christchurch Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Christchurch $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Airport Transfers airport to city center hotel and cruise port: $20
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $90
- Coron Airport Shared Hotel Transfers: $10
- Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $47
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Christchurch
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Christchurch:
- Private Transfer from Lyttelton Cruise Port to Christchurch City: $87
- Private Transfer from Christchurch City to Lyttelton Cruise Port: $87
- Private Transfer from Christchurch City to Akaroa Cruise Port: $189
- Departure Transfer: Christchurch to Airport CHC by Business Car: $95
- Christchurch Airport to City SUV Transfer: $57
- Christchurch Airport Transfers : Christchurch to Airport CHC in Luxury Car: $130
- Christchurch Airport Transfers : Airport CHC to Christchurch in Luxury Car: $130
- Christchurch Airport (CHC): Transfer to Christchurch hotels: $164
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Christchurch?
Prices for flights to both Christchurch 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 $19Christchurch $53
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.21Christchurch $17
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
- Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $19
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Fullday Coron Island Hopping Tour : $34
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- Coron Island Tour A (Shared Tour): $37
- Joiners Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour: $38
- Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Tour with Lunch: $39
Tours and Activities in Christchurch
Here are a few actual costs in Christchurch for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Christchurch Gondola Ride Ticket: $25
- (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour From Christchurch: $179
- (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $175
- (MT) Mount Cook Day Tour From Christchurch: $150
- 1/2-Day Christchurch Scenic Highlights Small Group Tour: $140
- 1/2-day Christchurch Scenic Highlights (Private Tour): $239
- 8 Day Southern Secrets Small Group Tour: $995
- 8 Day Southern Secrets Small Group Tour: $995
- Akaroa Day Tour From Christchurch: $114
- Akaroa Full Day Sightseeing Tour from Christchurch: $156
- Arthur's Pass Day Tour From Christchurch with TranzAlpine: $258
- Arthur's Pass and TranzAlpine Train Day Tour from Christchurch: $255
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.44Christchurch $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Christchurch
Also in Christchurch, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Waipara Wine Tour from Christchurch - including Lunch & Tastings: $108
- Lyttelton Shore Excursion - Waipara Wine Tour With Lunch: $114
- From Guided Local Wine Tours in Waipara: $117
- Lyttelton Shore Excursion - City Highlights & Waipara Wine Tour : $135
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Christchurch, we can see that Christchurch 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 Christchurch 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 Christchurch would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Christchurch 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 Christchurch 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.