Which place is cheaper, Darwin or Palawan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Palawan or Darwin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Darwin? 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 Darwin?
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.
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Walking Tours in Australia, and The Best Eco Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $36Darwin $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $36, while the average daily cost in Darwin is $111. 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 Darwin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Darwin $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Darwin $124
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Darwin
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Darwin? 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 Darwin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Darwin $12
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
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
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Shuttle to Train Station$9.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin City Hotels to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Darwin?
Prices for flights to both Darwin 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 $11Darwin $37
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.
- Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $71
- Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $85
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $90
- Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise on Cape Adieu: $96
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.24Darwin $15
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, 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
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $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
- firefly watching tour : $35
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
- 1 Day Corroboree Billabong Wetland Experience including 2.5 hour cruise + lunch: $139
- 1 Hour Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $26
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $30
- 4 Hour Self Guided Gourmet Lunch and Aboriginal Art Tours: $138
- 4-Hour Outback Gourmet Food & Aboriginal Art Tour: $164
- 4x4 Litchfield Park Adventures : $238
- Bombing of Darwin WWII Heritage Tours: $89
- Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise: $98
- Corroboree Billabong Wetland Cruises - 1.5 hour Morning cruise: $50
- Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
- Darwin City Explorer Tour: $102
- Darwin City Sightseeing Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.49Darwin $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
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Evening at a Bar$16
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Glass of Wine$4.54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Darwin, we can see that Darwin 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 Darwin 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 Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin 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 Darwin 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.