Which place is cheaper, Datong or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Datong?
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 Datong 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 Datong?
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.
Datong
If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Puerto Princesa Prices
Philippines PricesDatong Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $86Datong $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $86, while the average daily cost in Datong is $71. 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 Datong in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Datong $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Datong
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Datong? 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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Datong $13
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: $232
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- Private Transfer to El Nido: $169
- Palawan: Private San Vicente Airport Transfers: $160
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $116
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
- PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
- Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong
Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35
- Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
- Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
- From 4-Day Private Tour to Pingyao with Transfer: $988
- Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
- Transfer or Tour to Yungang Grottoes&Hanging Temple: $102
- Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
- Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
- Chengdu: Private Round-Trip Transfer to Leshan Budda: $128
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Datong?
Prices for flights to both Datong 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 $34Datong $35
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 Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.77Datong $25
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: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- El Nido Day Tour: $80
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $53
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
Tours and Activities in Datong
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.
- 1 Day Datong Yungang Grottoes & Hanging Temple Tour/from Beijing: $275
- 1-Day Pingyao tour from Datong and ends of Beijing or Xi'an by Bullet Train: $267
- 2-Day Private Datong Tour:Hanging Temple, Yugang Grottoes,Wooden Pagoda and More: $298
- 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
- All Inclusive Private Day Tour to Hanging Temple at Hengshan from Datong : $188
- All-Inclusive Private Day Tour to Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220
- All-Inclusive Private Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple from Datong: $220
- Datong Classic Day Tour: $208
- Datong Day Tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple: $203
- Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
- Datong Private Day Tour to Deshengbu and Zhenchuankou Great Wall with Lunch: $190
- Datong Private Day Tour to Yanmenguan Great Wall and Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: $258
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Datong $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Datong, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Datong much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Datong would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Datong 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 Puerto Princesa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Princesa than you might in Datong.
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 Datong Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Datong?
Datong has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Datong, 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.