A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Palawan vs. Kobe for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Palawan or Kobe?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Palawan or Kobe? 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 Kobe?

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.

Kobe

Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is a port city in Japan also considered to be one of the country's most attractive. Though it was devastated by a historic earthquake in 1995, known locally as the Great Hanshin Earthquake, Kobe has fully recovered to its cosmopolitan splendor with plenty for visitors to see and do.

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 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Kobe or Palawan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $43, while the average daily cost in Kobe is $130. 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 Kobe in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Palawan $13
    Kobe $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Palawan $26
    Kobe $126
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Kobe

Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Kobe? 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 Kobe


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 Kobe Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Palawan $16
    Kobe $14

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 Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
  • El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
  • Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
  • Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
  • 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
  • Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
  • Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $90
  • Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
  • PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
  • El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
  • Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kobe

Also for Kobe, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Kobe Port to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX): $176
  • Private Transfer from Kobe Port to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX): $71
  • Private Transfer from Kobe Cruise Port to Kobe Airport (UKB): $71
  • Private Transfer from Kobe Cruise Port to Kobe Airport (UKB): $91
  • Private Transfer from Kobe Airport (UKB) to Kobe Cruise Port: $71
  • Private Transfer Kobe Airport UKB to Osaka and Kobe City: $58
  • Private Arrival Transfer From Kobe Airport to Kobe City: $155
  • Kobe to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) - Departure Private Transfer: $76
  • Kobe hotels to Kobe Airport (UKB) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
  • Kobe City: Private transfer to/from Kansai Airport: $176
  • Kobe City: Private transfer to/from Itami Airport: $115
  • Kobe Airport Transfers : Kobe City to Kobe Airport UKB in Business Van: $178

Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Kobe?

Prices for flights to both Kobe 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 $19
    Kobe $54

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kobe

For Kobe, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Okonomiyaki Cooking Class: Create Your Own Savory Pancake: $55
  • Kobe Home Cooking Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class: $61
  • Shinkaichi Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $71
  • Shinkaichi Evening Food Tour with Local Guide: $72
  • Discover Kobe's Flavors On A Cooking Class: $76
  • Kobe Private Food Tour with Local Guide: $95
  • Cooking Class with Kobe Beef Sukiyaki and Origami: $101
  • Eat Like a Local Private & Personalized Food Tour: $223
  • Private tour in Kobe with beef dinner: $487

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Palawan $5.21
    Kobe $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 : $45
  • 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
  • 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
  • 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
  • All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
  • Balabac Tour Semi-Private 4D3N (price varies by group size): $590
  • City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
  • City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
  • Coron Calauit Safari Tour E: $146
  • Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
  • Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
  • Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50

Tours and Activities in Kobe

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kobe.

  • Kobe to Setouchi Triennale Art Festival Day Tour : $264
  • 1-Day Kobe Highlights Tour including Sake Tasting: $178
  • 1-Day Walking Tour around Kobe : Mountains, Sea and Sake: $143
  • 4-Hour Multicultural Kobe Walking Tour with Genuine Kobe Beef : $177
  • Arima Onsen History Tour: $46
  • Classic Kobe GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $14
  • Cruise Shore Excursion: Kobe Sake Tasting with Local Guide: $108
  • Full Day Walking Tour Around Kobe Mountains Sea and Sake: $159
  • KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included): $103
  • KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included): $108
  • KOBE Sake Walking Tour in Japan's Top Sake Breweries: $88
  • KOBE, SHIOYA, a quaint fishing town walking tour : $97

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Palawan $7.44
    Kobe $8.87

Sample the Local Flavors in Kobe

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kobe:

  • Private Sake Tour and Tasting at a Kobe Brewery: $82
  • Sake Brewery and Japanese Life Experience Tour in Kobe: $87
  • Sake Brewery Tour with Tasting Sake: $88
  • KOBE Sake brewery PRIVATE walking tour with Local guide: $89
  • Sake Brewery Tour with Tasting and Kobe Beef Bites: $108
  • 5-Hour Nadagogo Sake Brewery Private Guided Experience: $186


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Kobe, we can see that Kobe 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 Kobe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kobe 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 Kobe Expensive?.