Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Petra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Petra or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Petra and Palawan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Palawan?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $125Palawan $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $125, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $36. 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 Petra and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Palawan $13
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Petra and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Petra or Palawan? 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: Petra Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Palawan $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Private transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $118
- Private Transfer from Petra City Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $93
- Private Transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $135
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional : $99
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Ma'in Hotel and vice versa: $73
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Petra to Wadi Rum Private Transfer: $80
- Petra to Sheikh Hussein Crossing Border Private Transfer: $180
- Petra to Madaba Private Transfer: $140
- Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels Private Transfer: $110
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Aqaba: $105
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Petra or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Petra 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 dayPetra $38Palawan $11
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
-
Dinner for Two$12
-
Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains. : $45
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $300
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
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Palawan $5.24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
-
Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- 3-hour Private Guided Tour In Petra with hotel pick up.: $75
- Petra Back Entrance Private Walking Tour: $215
- Private Back Trail Tour of Petra starting from the Monastery : $276
- Private Full-Day Tour to Petra and Wadi Rum from Dead Sea: $269
- Private Half-Day Tour of Petra with Lunch: $120
- Private Indiana-Jones Archeological Trail Tour: $90
- Private Petra Back Entrance Tour with Guide .: $140
- Wadi Rum Day Tour from Petra ending in Aqaba: $138
- Wadi Rum Private Tour from Petra with Martian and Star Wars Film Site: $173
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
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Palawan $7.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Palawan, we can see that Petra is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra is in Middle East and Palawan is in Asia, 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 Petra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Petra 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 Petra Expensive? and Is Palawan 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.