Which place is cheaper, El Nido or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or El Nido?
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 El Nido 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 El Nido?
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.
El Nido
El Nido is a coastal destination on the Philippine island of Palawan. It consists of about 45 islands and islets all with beautiful beachfront scenery and plenty of opportunities for experiencing nature above and below the water. Some of the island's best features include limestone karst cliffs, coral reefs, lagoons, coves, and waterfalls.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Budget Tours to Philippines, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73El Nido $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in El Nido is $40. 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 El Nido in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $25El Nido $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $50El Nido $28
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and El Nido
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or El Nido? 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 El Nido Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $52El Nido $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Van Transfer; Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $15
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $15
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $15
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.33
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $24
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $239
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $13
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $156
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $37
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $46
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- EXPEDITION HAPPINESS PRIVATE TRANSFER: $198
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or El Nido?
Prices for flights to both El Nido 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 $20El Nido $12
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: $82
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $83
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.89El Nido $5.43
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
- 5-Hours Farmstay Experience: $64
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Combi Tour : Underground River + Firefly Watching: $82
- El Nido Day Tour: $83
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $199
- Enchanted Philippines: 10 days of adventure.: $2,662
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $41
- Group Underground River Tour, from Puerto Princesa w/ Lunch: $60
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Full Day Tour C with Buffet Lunch : $45
- All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Private Island Hopping Tour A with BUFFET LUNCH: $132
- Private Island Hopping Tour B: $136
- Private Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $136
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $22
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour B: $27
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour C w/BUFFET LUNCH: $29
- El Nido Big Lagoon & Tropical Island Private Tour: $199
- El Nido Group Tour B - Cave Tour w/ Island Lunch: $48
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour ( Private & All-Inclusive ): $170
- El Nido Island Hopping Tour A: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14El Nido $8.45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and El Nido, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is El Nido much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to El Nido would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Nido 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 El Nido.
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 El Nido Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or El Nido?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and El Nido, 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.