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

Should you visit Palawan or Tianjin?

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

Should I visit Palawan or Tianjin? 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 Tianjin?

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.

Tianjin

Tianjin is a large metropolis on the north east coast of China. This ancient city, which dates back to prehistoric times, is one of five National Central Cities of China and is rich in culture and history. Tianjin is most famous for its beautiful walking streets and history of European concession territories.

Tianjin experiences hot and humid summers, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters are cool and dry with temperatures around 15° (F). Spring and Autumn tend to be the best times to visit as weather is a little more mild, although Spring has a tendency to be a little rainy.

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 Sightseeing Tours in China, and The Best Cultural Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Tianjin 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 Tianjin is $92. 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 Tianjin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Palawan $13
    Tianjin $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Palawan $26
    Tianjin $70
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Tianjin

Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Tianjin? 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 Tianjin


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Palawan $16
    Tianjin $37

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 Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
  • Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
  • 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
  • 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
  • Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $47

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tianjin

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

  • [Airport Transfer] Tianjin Airport ⇔ Tianjin City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service <Charter charter>: $13
  • Tianjin Railway Station Private Transfer to Cruise Port: $32
  • Tianjin Private Transfer to Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall: $196
  • Tianjin Private Transfer from Railway Station to Cruise Port: $80
  • Tianjin Private Transfer from Cruise Port to Railway Station: $80
  • Tianjin Private Round-Trip Transfer to Huangyaguan Great Wall: $112
  • Tianjin Private Round Trip Transfer to Huangyaguan Pass and Eastern Qing Tombs: $132
  • Tianjin International Cruise Port Private Transfer to City Hotels : $80
  • Tianjin Cruise Port to Hotels in Beijing Downtown Shared Transfer: $95
  • Tianjin Cruise Port Transfer To Tianjin Airport one way private transfer: $50
  • Tianjin Cruise Port Private Transfer to Binhai Railway Station: $32
  • Tianjin Binhai International Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Area : $29

Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Tianjin?

Prices for flights to both Tianjin 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
    Tianjin $36

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Palawan $5.21
    Tianjin $10

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): $605
  • 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 Tianjin

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

  • Private Tour to Uncover Tianjin’s Must-Visit Bucket-List Spots : $248
  • 1 Day Tianjin City Essence Tour from Tianjin Port: $235
  • 4-Hour Tianjin Shore Excursion to Shijia Mansion with Bullet Train Experience: $210
  • 5-Hour Private Tianjin Shopping Tour from Tianjin Cruise Port: $179
  • All-inclusive Day Tour: China House, Five Avenues, Ancient Street & Tianjin Eye: $224
  • All-inclusive Tianjin Day Tour to Qing Emperor's Tomb & Huangyaguan Great Wall : $278
  • Bullet Train Private Tour: Beijing Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Great Wall: $239
  • From Beijing: Tianjin Highlights Day Tour by High-Speed Rail: $289
  • Huangyaguan Great Wall Layover Tour from Tianjin Cruise Port: $265
  • Private Great Wall Tour from Tianjin Cruise Port: $248
  • Private Tianjin City Highlight Day Tour: $188
  • Private Tianjin City Night Tour with Haihe River Cruise: $176

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Palawan $7.44
    Tianjin $11


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