Which place is cheaper, Qingdao or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Qingdao?
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 Qingdao 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 Qingdao?
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.
Qingdao
Qingdao, China, located in the Shandong Province, is a very large city right on the Yellow Sea coast. The city, whose name means "The Green Island" due to it's gorgeous landscapes and interesting geography, was named China's most livable city in 2012. The city is rich in history, having almost become a German territory in 1897 and being occupied by the Japanese during WWI. Evidence of these occupiers is present in much of the architecture around the city, which includes a few Catholic and Protestant churches.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.
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Puerto Princesa Prices
Philippines PricesQingdao Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $86Qingdao $73
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $86, while the average daily cost in Qingdao is $73. 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 Qingdao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Qingdao $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Qingdao $54
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Qingdao
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Qingdao? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Qingdao $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $14
- Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $116
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.11
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $232
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Qingdao
Also for Qingdao, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Qingdao Railway Station Depature Transfer from City Hotels: $36
- Qingdao Railway Station Arrival Transfer to City Hotel: $36
- Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao central to Qingdao Airport (TAO): $53
- Qingdao Private Transfer from Qingdao Airport (TAO) to central Qingdao: $54
- Qingdao Northern Railway Station Arrival Private One-Way Transfer: $42
- Qingdao Liuting Airport Transfer Service by Minivan: $86
- Qingdao Cruise Port Departure Transfer from City Hotels: $36
- Private Qingdao Airport Arrival Transfer to City Hotels: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Qingdao?
Prices for flights to both Qingdao 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 $34Qingdao $35
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 Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.77Qingdao $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:
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- El Nido Day Tour: $80
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $53
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
Tours and Activities in Qingdao
For Qingdao, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Private Qingdao Essentials Tour: City Highlights and Beer Museum: $216
- Alternative City Tour with Navy Museum, Beer Street and TV Tower, Lunch Included: $200
- German Era Tour of Old Town Qingdao with Lunch and Beer Museum: $200
- Half Day Tour and Trek to Fushan Mountain: $170
- Laoshan Mountain Full Day Private Activity Tour: $224
- Private Qingdao Historic architectural day tour with Tsingdao beer during Lunch: $245
- Private Qingdao Laoshan day tour with lunch& round way cable car: $240
- Private Qingdao Laoshan half day tour with one bottle of Tsingdao beer as gift: $199
- Private Qingdao highlights city tour with Lunch and Qingdao beer: $175
- Qingdao After Dark: 4-Hour Illumination Tour with Options: $150
- Qingdao Discover Tour to the Mount Laoshan and Tasting Famous Local Beer: $248
- Qingdao Private Day Tour to Laoshan Mountain with Lunch and Cable Car: $238
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Qingdao $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Qingdao, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Qingdao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Qingdao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Qingdao 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 Qingdao.
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 Qingdao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Qingdao?
Qingdao has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Qingdao, 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.