A Travel Price Comparison for Philippines Puerto Princesa vs. Manila for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Manila?

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 Manila 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 Manila?

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.

Manila

A sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 12 million people, Manila is one huge, misunderstood concrete jungle, full of diverse cultures, traffic, pollution, restaurants, shopping malls, noise and nightlife. If you're looking to soak in culture and feel the vibe of a place rather than seeking a city that specifically caters to tourists, Manila is the place to be. Capital of the Philippines, Manila is also the center for education, business, and transportation.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Manila 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 Manila is $94. 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 Manila in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Princesa $24
    Manila $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Princesa $48
    Manila $110
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Manila

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Manila? 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 Manila


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 Manila Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $51
    Manila $14

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: $7.36
  • Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
  • Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $13
  • Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
  • One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
  • Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
  • Airport Transfers: $20
  • Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
  • Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
  • Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $24
  • Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
  • Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:

  • ⭐ Manila International Airport Car Transfer To & From City⭐: $74
  • Round-trip Coron Airport Transfer + Town Tour (Shared): $31
  • Puerto Princesa Airport to El Nido Transfer: $25
  • Private Transfer from Ninoy Aquino Airport(MNL) to Subic Bay Port: $53
  • Private Transfer from Manila Airport (MNL) to Manila Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Clark Airport (CRK) to Subic Bay Port: $46
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
  • Private Arrival Airport Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120
  • Nagpatong Rock Day hike + Tungtong Falls(with transfers**) 2023: $130
  • Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport Private Transfer: $9.80
  • Manila International Airport Private Transfer To & From City: $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Manila?

Prices for flights to both Manila 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
    Manila $18

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
  • Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $30
  • Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $33
  • Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $35
  • Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $61
  • Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $83
  • Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $120

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila

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

  • Manila Night Market and food tour Experience: $59
  • ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $65
  • Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $65
  • Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
  • Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
  • Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $83
  • Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $6.84
    Manila $20

Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa

For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Guided City Walking Tour with Snacks: $14
  • Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
  • PPS CITY TOUR: $14
  • Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $15
  • 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
  • El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE): $34
  • firefly watching tour : $35
  • City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35

Tours and Activities in Manila

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:

  • Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
  • Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $74
  • Corregidor day tour via Manila to Bataan: $245
  • Corregidor daytour Via Manila to Bataan: $288
  • Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $80
  • Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
  • From 4-Day Sagada and Banaue Rice Terraces Tour: $277
  • From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
  • From Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure: $180
  • From Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $96
  • From Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour: $150
  • From Taal Volcano Island & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $135

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Princesa $14
    Manila $10.00


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Manila, we can see that Manila is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Princesa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Manila would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manila 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 Manila Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Manila?

Manila has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Manila, 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.