Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Brisbane?
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 Brisbane 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 Brisbane?
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.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Brisbane $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $131. 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 Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Brisbane $81
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Brisbane $162
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Brisbane? 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 and Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Brisbane $17
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
-
Airtrain to the City$9.73
-
Go Card$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sunshine Coast Airport Arrival transfer to Hotels: $18
- Sirromet Winery 3 Course Lunch, Tour, Tastings and Transfers: $132
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $123
- Private Transfer: Cruise Port to Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City: $91
- Private Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE or Brisbane City to Cruise Port: $91
- Private Transfer to Gold Coast /OOL Airport from Brisbane /BNE Airport (1-7 Pax): $228
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Port to Brisbane Airport (BNE): $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Hotels to Brisbane Cruise Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Cruise Port to Brisbane: $33
- Private Transfer from Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane Port: $33
- Private Transfer between Brisbane/BNE Airport -Gold Coast / OOL Airport(1-11Pax): $297
- Private Arrival Transfer: Brisbane Airport to Hotel: $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane 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 $20Brisbane $31
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
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
-
Hamburger Lunch$5.19
-
Cup of Coffee$1.95
-
Chinese Food Lunch$8.11
-
Ice cream$3.57
-
Japanese Meal$13
-
Smoothie$4.22
-
Japanese Soup$7.46
-
Coffee & Muffin$4.54
-
Morning Mint Tea$2.27
-
Veggie Burger & Chips$9.08
-
Bread$1.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vertigo Dinner: Dining on the edge!: $163
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Brisbane $24
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Concert Tickets$13
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- 1hr Animal Tour: $43
- 2hr Animal Tour: $73
- 3-Hour Walking Tour in Brisbane: $56
- 45-Minute Behind-the-Tanks Tour on North Stradbroke Island: $32
- 90min Brisbane River Cruise/Tour: $35
- Adventure Moreton Island Day Pass: $85
- All-Inclusive Dolphin & Tangalooma Wrecks Day Cruise Brisbane: $131
- Barefoot Luxury Mount Tamborine Winery Tour from Brisbane: $178
- Bellthorpe Rainforest Private Tour: $132
- Brisbane : Must See Attractions Private Walking Tour: $87
- Brisbane City Botanic Gardens Audio Tour FREE Ticket: $15
- Brisbane City Highlights Sightseeing Tour: $116
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Brisbane $50
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
-
Evening at the Bar$9.73
-
Sixpack of Beer$9.08
-
Guiness Beer$5.51
-
Sixpack of Beer$8.43
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- XXXX Beer Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting: $24
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $24
- Artisinal Wine Tasting and Local 2-Course Meal: $49
- City Winery Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch: $50
- Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $102
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $124
- From Mount Tamborine Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch: $131
- Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $131
- Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $132
- Deluxe Wine Tour to Tamborine Mountain, includes two course lunch: $142
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane 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 Brisbane 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane 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 Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Brisbane?
Brisbane has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Brisbane, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.