Which place is cheaper, El Nido 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 El Nido?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or El Nido? 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 El Nido?
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.
El Nido
El Nido is a coastal destination on the Philippine island of Palawan. It consists of about 45 islands and islets all with beautiful beachfront scenery and plenty of opportunities for experiencing nature above and below the water. Some of the island's best features include limestone karst cliffs, coral reefs, lagoons, coves, and waterfalls.
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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Palawan Prices
Philippines PricesEl Nido Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $29El Nido $43
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $29, while the average daily cost in El Nido is $43. 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 El Nido in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $11El Nido $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $22El Nido $24
Compare Hotels in Palawan and El Nido
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or El Nido? 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 El Nido Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $6.03El Nido $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Puerto Princesa Palawan Private Transfers - Airport Transfers: $30
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido: $100
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
- Private Van Transfer Coron Town to Airport: $68
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $237
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido Beginner Surf Lesson with Lunch and Round-Trip Transfers: $73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $237
- To Puerto Princesa 1-Way Shared Van Transfer: $14
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $35
- Island Hopping Tour B Snake Island with transfer: $39
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $53
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $49
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido Beginner Surf Lesson with Lunch and Round-Trip Transfers: $73
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or El Nido?
Prices for flights to both El Nido 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 $13El Nido $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- El Nido Fishing with Local Fisherman with Sunset Dinner: $135
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in El Nido
For El Nido, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- El Nido, Sibaltan: Family Dinner, Bonfire and Karaoke: $39
- El Nido Fishing with Local Fisherman with Sunset Dinner: $135
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $2.90El Nido $4.78
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 + museum & transportation from cruise port /hotel: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- Adventure package (3 days tour + Accomodation ): $234
- All-Inclusive El Nido Beach Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Balabac Tour Semi-Private 4D3N (price varies by group size): $590
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan (hotel & cruiseship pick up): $20
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Adventure Snorkeling Dugong Watching and More: $120
- Coron Island Coastal Trimaran Tour: $125
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $46
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Days Private Cruise in El Nido on a 43-foot Sailing Yacht: $672
- All-Inclusive El Nido Beach Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Private Island Hopping Tour A with BUFFET LUNCH: $128
- Private Island Hopping Tour B: $132
- Private Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $132
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $21
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour B: $28
- El Nido Advanced Enduro Tour: $200
- El Nido Big Lagoon & Tropical Island Private Tour: $356
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $120
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour A: $27
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour C: Hidden Beaches & Shrine: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $3.73El Nido $7.44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and El Nido, we can see that El Nido 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 El Nido would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in El Nido 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 El Nido 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.