Which place is cheaper, Cebu or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Cebu?
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 Cebu 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 Cebu?
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.
Cebu
Cebu Island is an important island in the Visayas region of the Philippines, characterized by its main port at Cebu City as well as many natural features. The most-visited areas include islands of Mactan, Bantayan, Badian, Malapascua and Camotes, all which have resorts and hotels. Scuba diving and snorkeling are common activities along the shoreline, while hiking the mountainous spine of the island is popular inland.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, and The Best Adventure Tours to Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Cebu $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Cebu is $65. 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 Cebu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $25Cebu $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $50Cebu $50
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Cebu
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Cebu? 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 Cebu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $52Cebu $26
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: $7.41
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $13
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $15
- El Nido to Puerto Princesa van transfer: $15
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $15
- Van Transfer; Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $15
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cebu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cebu:
- Trusted Airport transfer to Mactan Resorts or Cebu Hotels: $80
- Transfer Cebu City - Bantayan Island: $70
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Mactan-Cebu International Airport: $35
- Oslob Private Van Transfer between Cebu, Mactan or Mandaue City: $175
- Oslob Car Hire and Transfers: $150
- Malapascua: Advance Divers Shark Dive & Optional Transfer: $111
- Mactan-Cebu Island Hopping Cruise with Lunch & Roundtrip Transfer: $196
- Mactan Cebu Airport Transfer to City Hotels: $35
- Kawasan Falls Canyoneering w/ Lunch & Transfers from Cebu City: $122
- Hotel Private Transfer Airport to Cebu, Mandaue, LapuLapu: $26
- Danasan Eco Adventure Park Including Round-Trip Hotel Transfer: $161
- Cordova Private Transfer from Cordova city to Mactan Cebu Airport (CEB): $42
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Cebu?
Prices for flights to both Cebu 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 $20Cebu $21
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: $27
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $28
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $33
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $35
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $61
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $83
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $84
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $121
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cebu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cebu.
- Cebu city: Walking Historical and Street Food Tour: $33
- Private Half Day Ultimate Food Tour in Cebu: $66
- Street Food Tour and Historical Sites Adventure: $73
- The Original Cebu Historical Street and Food Tour: $74
- The Original Cebu City Historical Street and Food Tour: $75
- Panoramic View of Cebu and Dinner with Night View: $97
- Traditional Filipino Bamboo Cooking: $99
- 5-Hour Evening Tour from Cebu with Dinner: $110
- Traditional Filipino Bamboo Cooking Class: $111
- Private Panoramic Tour with Dinner: $131
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.89Cebu $17
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
- Guided City Walking Tour with Snacks: $14
- PPS CITY TOUR: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $15
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $22
- Joiners Puerto Princesa City Tour: $27
- firefly watching tour : $35
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
Tours and Activities in Cebu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cebu are as follows:
- Cebu City with Hillyland Joiners Tour: $66
- Cebu Steet food, historical and mountain tour: $110
- 3-Hour Small Group Cebu City Tour: $38
- Active Taal Volcano & Beach Swimming w/ Floating Cottage Tour: $160
- Balamban Uphill Adventure Tour in Cebu: $100
- Bantayan Island Hopping Joiner Tour: Virgin Island, Baigad Lagoon: $58
- Bohol Countryside Day Tour From Cebu City | Lunch at Loboc River Cruise: $145
- Bohol Countryside Day Tour w Lunch at Loboc River From Cebu: $148
- Bohol Countryside Private Tour From Cebu City: $219
- CEBU Caubian Island Hopping Tour: $185
- CEBU Island Hopping Tour to Nalusuan Island: $195
- Canyoneering Adventure in Alegria: $154
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Cebu $14
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Princesa and Cebu, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Cebu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Cebu?
Cebu has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Cebu, 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.