Which place is cheaper, Nelson or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Nelson?
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 Nelson 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 Nelson?
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.
Nelson
Nelson is a city that sits on Tasman Bay on the South Island of New Zealand. Travelers, especially ones that are heading to explore Abel Tasman National Park, frequently visit this town. Nelson has a population of about 46,000 people and, geographically speaking, it is the center of New Zealand as a whole.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Nelson $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Nelson 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 Nelson in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Nelson $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Nelson $82
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Nelson
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Nelson? 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 Nelson Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Nelson $28
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Nelson?
Prices for flights to both Nelson 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 $20Nelson $27
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Nelson $24
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 Nelson
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nelson are as follows:
- Cable Bay Adventure Park: E-bike hire: $56
- Cruise, Walk, and Sail in Abel Tasman National Park: $122
- Full-Day Sailing Adventure in the Abel Tasman National Park: $161
- Great Taste Beer Tour by Bicycle (Self-guided): $79
- Magical Mapua Charms in off-summer Season Selfguided Cycle Tour: $76
- Magical Mapua Self Guided One Day Cycle Tour: $76
- Nelson City Walking Tour - Guided: $29
- Nelson to Mapua: Full-Day Cycling Self-Guided Adventure: $71
- Cable Bay Adventure Park Skywire Experience: $65
- Guided Quad Biking Tour Through Forest and Farmland: $80
- Kahurangi National Park and Mt Owen Helicopter Tour: $1,948
- SKYWIRE Experience: $67
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Nelson $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Nelson
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nelson:
- Self-guided E-bike cycle tour with private wine tasting : $97
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Nelson, we can see that Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nelson 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 Nelson Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Nelson?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Nelson. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Nelson, 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.