Which place is cheaper, Darwin or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Darwin?
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 Darwin 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 Darwin?
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.
Darwin
Darwin is a tropical city set against the Timor Sea in north central Australia. It is also the capital city of the Northern Territory. Despite being a relatively small city, Darwin is very diverse with residents from all over the world. The city itself has a very relaxed vibe with plenty to do. Visitors can enjoy everything from traditionally Asian style markets to culturally diverse events such as concerts, festivals or art shows.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best Walking Tours in Australia, and The Best Eco Tours in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Darwin $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Darwin is $111. 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 Darwin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Darwin $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Darwin $124
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Darwin
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Darwin? 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 Darwin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Darwin $12
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Darwin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Darwin:
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Shuttle to Train Station$9.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darwin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Darwin:
- Private Transfer from Darwin Cruise Port to Darwin Airport (DRW): $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin City Hotels to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Private Transfer from Darwin Airport (DRW) to Darwin Cruise Port: $59
- Darwin to Darwin Int Airport (DRW) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Darwin Int Airport (DRW) to Darwin - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
- Crocodile Jumping Boat Cruise with Transfer from Darwin: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Darwin?
Prices for flights to both Darwin 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 $20Darwin $37
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darwin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Darwin.
- Sunset Harbour Cruise with Fish and Chips Dinner: $71
- Darwin Harbor Sunset Cruise with Buffet Dinner: $85
- Charles Darwin Dinner Cruise: $90
- Darwin Sunset Dinner Cruise on Cape Adieu: $96
- Sunset 3-Hour Cruise from Darwin with Dinner and Sparkling Wine: $112
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Darwin $15
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
Tours and Activities in Darwin
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Darwin are as follows:
- 1 Day Corroboree Billabong Wetland Experience including 2.5 hour cruise + lunch: $139
- 1 Hour Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruise: $26
- 1 Hour Jumping Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River: $30
- 4 Hour Self Guided Gourmet Lunch and Aboriginal Art Tours: $138
- 4-Hour Outback Gourmet Food & Aboriginal Art Tour: $164
- 4x4 Litchfield Park Adventures : $238
- Bombing of Darwin WWII Heritage Tours: $89
- Bombing of Darwin World War II Tour with Harbour Cruise: $98
- Corroboree Billabong Wetland Cruises - 1.5 hour Morning cruise: $50
- Crocosaurus Cove General Admission Ticket: $26
- Darwin City Explorer Tour: $102
- Darwin City Sightseeing Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Darwin $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Darwin
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Darwin from other travelers:
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Evening at a Bar$16
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Glass of Wine$4.54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Darwin, we can see that Darwin 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 Darwin 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 Darwin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darwin 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 Darwin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Darwin?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 69% larger than the population of Darwin. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Darwin, 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.