A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Princesa vs. Guilin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Guilin?

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 Guilin 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 Guilin?

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.

Guilin

Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, and The Best Historical Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Guilin or Puerto Princesa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Guilin is $67. 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 Guilin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Princesa $24
    Guilin $34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Princesa $48
    Guilin $68
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Guilin

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Guilin? 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.

Hotels in Puerto Princesa


Hotels in Guilin


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $51
    Guilin $5.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa

Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
  • Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
  • El Nido to Puerto Princesa Private Van Transfer: $153
  • El Nido to Puerto Princesa van transfer: $14
  • Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
  • Private Transfer to El Nido: $171
  • Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
  • Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
  • Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $153
  • Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $12
  • Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $234
  • One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:


  • Taxi
    $2.76

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:

  • Yangshuo Via Ferrata with Round way private transfer from Guilin hotel: $92
  • Private Transfer: Guilin Airport to Yangshuo Hotel: $115
  • Private Transfer from Guilin to Zhaoxing and stops at Chengyang Dong Village: $197
  • Private Transfer from Guilin to Fenghuang and stops at Chengyang Dong Village: $267
  • Private Transfer from Guilin hotel to Yangshuo hotel: $37
  • Private Guilin Airport Transfer to Yangshuo: $42
  • Private Departure Transfer: Downtown Guilin Hotel to Airport (KWL): $25
  • Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Guilin Train Stations: $17
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Guilin International Airport (KWL) to Downtown Hotel: $25
  • Private Airport Transfer: Guilin Liangjiang International Aiport to Guilin Hotel: $35
  • Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $57
  • Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Guilin?

Prices for flights to both Guilin 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Puerto Princesa $20
    Guilin $22

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 Guilin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:


  • Fresh Coconut Drink
    $1.38

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.

  • Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $6.82
    Guilin $28

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 Guilin

Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entrance to the Caves
    $17

Tours and Activities in Guilin

Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2-Day Self-Guided Guilin Tour with 4 Star Boat, Yangshuo and Longji Terraces : $200
  • 1 Day Guilin to Yangshuo with top scenery & culture private tour : $79
  • 1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver: $219
  • 1 Day Private Tour: Li River Cruise from Guilin & Yangshuo Biking: $169
  • 1 Day Yangshuo Countryside Cycling and Yulong bamboo boat Private Tour: $94
  • 1 Day Yangshuo private Day Tour with the Scooter: $105
  • 1 day Guilin Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Countryside with Scooter Private Tour: $204
  • 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $45
  • 1-Day Guilin Tour to Reed Flute Cave, Xianggong Hill, Bamboo Boat and Night Show: $89
  • 1-Day Guilin Xing'an Ling Canal Private Tour: $183
  • 1-Day Longji Terrace Fields-Dazhai village Tour with the English Speaking Driver: $79
  • 1-Day Longji Terrace Fields-Pingan village Tour with the English Speaking Driver: $79

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Princesa $14
    Guilin $5.72


When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Princesa and Guilin, 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 Guilin Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Guilin?

Guilin has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Guilin, 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.