Which place is cheaper, Byron Bay or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Byron Bay?
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 Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay?
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.
Byron Bay
South of Brisbane, off the Pacific Highway, is the coastal town of Byron Bay. It is close to Cape Byron, which is the easternmost point in mainland Australia. Byron Bay makes its way onto most traveler's itineraries because of its wonderful beach activities. The area is world famous for its waves, making it popular with surfers, but it also has incredible scuba diving, whale watching, and a generally relaxed atmosphere. The area continues to rise in popularity with travelers and as such, amenities and facilities are popping up everywhere.
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 Australia, and The Best Contiki Tours to Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Byron Bay $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Byron Bay is $139. 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 Byron Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Byron Bay $66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Byron Bay $132
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Byron Bay
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Byron Bay? 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 Byron Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Byron Bay $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.20
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $12
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa van transfer: $14
- Van Transfer; Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $14
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Byron Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Byron Bay:
- Byron Bay Tandem Skydive with Transfer Options: $240
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Byron Bay?
Prices for flights to both Byron Bay 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
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Princesa $20Byron Bay $47
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 Byron Bay
Some typical examples of dining costs in Byron Bay are as follows:
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Dinner at Olivo (for 2)$58
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Byron Bay $35
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $14
- PPS CITY TOUR: $14
- Guided City Walking Tour with Snacks: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $14
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $22
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
- Puerto Princesa City Tour (Joiners Tour): $28
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE) (Private Tour): $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Byron Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Byron Bay are as follows:
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Buddha Gardens Spa (for 2)$123
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Surf Lesson$42
Tours and Activities in Byron Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Byron Bay are as follows:
- 3-Hour Small-Group Byron Bay Tour: $66
- Beyond Byron Hinterland Tour: $132
- Broken Head Aboriginal Tour: $46
- Broken Head Aboriginal Tour: $45
- Brunswick River: Byron Sunset Eco Rainforest River Cruise: $62
- Byron Bay Half-Day Tour: $65
- Byron Bay Hinterland Tour Including Rainforest Walk to Minyon Falls: $112
- Byron Bay Hinterland: National Park and Waterfalls Tour: $110
- Byron Bay Lighthouse and Hinterland Tour: $66
- Byron Bay and Beyond Tour Including Cape Bryon Lighthouse Crystal Castle and Bangalow: $125
- Brunswick Heads Sunset Rainforest Eco-Cruise: $63
- Brunswick River Scenic Kayak Tour: $39
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Byron Bay $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Byron Bay
Also in Byron Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Arvo Session Brewery and Distillery Tour: $97
- Afternoon Brewery and Distillery session : $99
- Full-Day Brewery and Distillery Tour with Lunch: $127
- Full Barrel Brewery and Distillery tour: $129
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Byron Bay, we can see that Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Byron Bay?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Byron Bay. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Byron Bay, 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.