Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Palawan?
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 Palawan 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 Palawan?
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.
Palawan
Palawan is an archipelagic province of the Philippines, named for its largest island which measures about 450 kilometers (or 280 miles) long. The island is known as an ecological frontier with plenty of beaches and resorts as well as opportunities to see a diverse array of wildlife and their habitats on land and sea.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours 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 $73Palawan $36
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $36. 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 Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Palawan? 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 Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Palawan $16
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 between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- 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
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $140
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Private Puerto Princesa Airport Transfers: $29
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Arrival airport transfer-Private airport to hotel in central area: $20
- Arrival Airport transfers from Puerto Princesa Airport to Hotels: $7.50
- Airport Transfers: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan 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 $20Palawan $11
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palawan
For Palawan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Palawan $5.24
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3dayTour Underground river honda bay citytour w/ airport pick up: $125
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Combi Tour : Underground River + Firefly Watching: $82
- El Nido Day Tour: $83
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $199
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE) (Private Tour): $34
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (VAN) (Private Tour): $64
- El Nido Package 1: Free & Easy (No Tour): $163
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Full Day Tour C with Buffet Lunch : $43
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $15
- 3 Days Coron Palawan Reefs & Wreck Multi Day Tours: $180
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3dayTour Underground river honda bay citytour w/ airport pick up: $125
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $19
- Coron Busuanga Calauit Safari Tour With Black Island (Private): $225
- Coron Busuanga Calauit Safari Tour With Black Island (Shared Tour): $93
- Coron Calauit Safari Tour E: $89
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Palawan $7.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Palawan, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Palawan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Palawan 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 Palawan.
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 Palawan Expensive?.
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.