Which place is cheaper, Quepos 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 Quepos?
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 Quepos 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 Quepos?
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.
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
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 Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
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Puerto Princesa Prices
Philippines PricesQuepos Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $80Quepos $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $80, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $155. 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 Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $22Quepos $85
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $44Quepos $170
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Quepos? 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 Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $47Quepos $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Van Transfers From Airport or Hotel to Elnido or vice versa: $260
- 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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO): $166
- Puntarenas city to Juan Santamaria Intl Airport(SJO)-Departure Private Transfer: $105
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to or from Manuel Antonio Quepos: $235
- Private Transfer from Quepos Port to Liberia Int Airport (LIR): $259
- Private Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to San Jose City Hotels: $207
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Manuel Antonio: $88
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Manuel Antonio: $88
- Private Transfer FROM or TO Manuel Antonio - Sierpe: $209
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Arenal La Fortuna: $195
- One-Way Private Transfer from Uvita to Quepos - Manuel Antonio: $140
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to the Sierpe: $213
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos 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 $31Quepos $57
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
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$16
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
- Local Flavor Cooking Experience: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.26Quepos $19
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 + museum & transportation from cruise port /hotel: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- Best of Puerto Princesa Palawan Signature 3Day Tour in 1 Package: $195
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- Deals: Puerto Princesa Palawan 2days Tours & 2n Inn accomodation: $250
- El Nido Day Tour: $80
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
- Full-Day UNESCO Underground River Tour: $54
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-Hour Damas Mangrove Kayak Tour from Quepos – Wildlife: $65
- 2-Hour Kayak Tour in Quepos Mangroves – See Monkeys & Lunch: $77
- ATV Tour Half Day Trip From Manuel Antonio: $134
- Adventure Sea Kayak and Snorkeling at Manuel Antonio: $85
- Adventure to Natural Wonders on the Pacific Coast: $130
- All Inclusive Catamaran Eco Adventure from Manuel Antonio: $86
- All Inclusive Nauyaca Waterfalls Adventure: $150
- All Inclusive Zip line & Catamaran Eco Adventure: $170
- All-Inclusive Jungle Night Tour: $59
- Barista Experience Workshop: $120
- Barista Experience Workshop: $120
- Barista Experience Workshop: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $13Quepos $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Quepos, we can see that Quepos 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 Quepos is in Central America, 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Quepos?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Quepos, 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.