Which place is cheaper, Manila or Palawan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Palawan or Manila?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Manila? 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 Manila?
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.
Manila
A sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 12 million people, Manila is one huge, misunderstood concrete jungle, full of diverse cultures, traffic, pollution, restaurants, shopping malls, noise and nightlife. If you're looking to soak in culture and feel the vibe of a place rather than seeking a city that specifically caters to tourists, Manila is the place to be. Capital of the Philippines, Manila is also the center for education, business, and transportation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Adventure Tours to Philippines, and The Best Eco Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $36Manila $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $36, while the average daily cost in Manila is $94. 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 Manila in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Manila $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Manila $110
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Manila
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Manila? 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 Manila Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Manila $14
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
- Airport Transfers: $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
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $140
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:
- ⭐ Manila International Airport Car Transfer To & From City⭐: $74
- Tagaytay-Pagsanjan Falls combo tour with transfers** updated 2024: $180
- Round-trip Coron Airport Transfer + Town Tour (Shared): $31
- Puerto Princesa Airport to El Nido Transfer: $25
- Private Transfer from Manila Airport (MNL) to Manila Cruise Port: $22
- Private Transfer from Clark Airport (CRK) to Subic Bay Port: $46
- Private One-way Airport Transfer(Manila Airport To/From Manila): $21
- Private Departure Airport Transfer in Manila Bay and Makati Area: $23
- Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
- Private Arrival Airport Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120
- Nagpatong Rock Day hike + Tungtong Falls(with transfers**) 2023: $130
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Manila?
Prices for flights to both Manila 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 $11Manila $18
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 Manila
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.
- Manila Night Market and food tour Experience: $59
- Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $64
- ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $64
- Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
- Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $83
- Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.24Manila $20
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 Manila
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:
- Shared Cruise Shore Excursion of Manila Old and New City Tour: $70
- Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
- Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $74
- Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $80
- Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
- From 4-Day Sagada and Banaue Rice Terraces Tour: $395
- From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
- From Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure: $160
- From Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $101
- From Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour: $150
- From Taal Volcano Island & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $135
- From Taal Volcano and Lake Boat Sightseeing Tour: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.49Manila $9.97
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Manila, we can see that Manila 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 Manila would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manila 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 Manila 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.