Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Puerto Princesa and Aoraki Mount Cook can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Puerto Princesa or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
Aoraki Mount Cook
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Aoraki Mount Cook $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $105. 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 Puerto Princesa and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Aoraki Mount Cook $59
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Aoraki Mount Cook
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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: Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Aoraki Mount Cook $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $234
- Private Transfer to El Nido: $171
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa Private Van Transfer: $153
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $153
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also for Aoraki Mount Cook, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Dunedin City Hotels to Chalmers Cruise Port: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Aoraki Mount Cook?
Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Puerto Princesa 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 dayPuerto Princesa $20Aoraki Mount Cook $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $26
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $60
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $81
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $81
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $117
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Aoraki Mount Cook $23
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, 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
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3dayTour Underground river honda bay citytour w/ airport pick up: $125
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Combi Tour : Underground River + Firefly Watching: $81
- El Nido Day Tour: $81
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $199
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE) (Private Tour): $33
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (VAN) (Private Tour): $63
- El Nido Package 1: Free & Easy (No Tour): $160
Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.
- (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $178
- 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $290
- Day Tours from Mount Cook: $152
- Fox Glacier Nature Tour: $55
- From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $118
- From Queenstown: Mount Cook Private Day Tour: $1,188
- Gold Hunting Adventures: $225
- Lake Matheson Nature Tour: $55
- Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $148
- Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $152
- Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $152
- Mt Cook Tour: Return to Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin: $772
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Aoraki Mount Cook $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:
- Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
- Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $27
- Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $46
- Wild Irishman Wine Tasting Experience: $46
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Princesa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Princesa is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, 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 Puerto Princesa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Princesa 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 Aoraki Mount Cook would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aoraki Mount Cook than you might in Puerto Princesa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Princesa Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook 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.