Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Saint Croix?
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 Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix?
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.
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
-
Puerto Princesa Prices
Philippines PricesSaint Croix Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $80Saint Croix $277
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $80, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $277. 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 Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $22Saint Croix $149
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $44Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Saint Croix
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Saint Croix? 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 Saint Croix Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $47Saint Croix $35
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: $7.11
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $14
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
- Puerto Princesa Palawan Private Transfers - Airport Transfers: $27
- Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- St.Croix Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Arrival Private Transfer: $90
- St. Croix to St. Croix Airport (STX) - Departure Private Transfer: $90
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $83
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port: $173
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $173
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Port to St. Croix Airport (STX): $86
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix: $177
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port: $86
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $165
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix 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 dayPuerto Princesa $31Saint Croix $97
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.
- A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- A Morning Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $131
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $155
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.27Saint Croix $58
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: $13
- PPS CITY TOUR: $13
- Cathedral and Baker's Hill Tour: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
- Half Day City Tour with Butterfly Garden: $14
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $14
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines: $20
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $27
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Shared Half City Tour with SPA: $30
- Puerto Princesa City Tour: $32
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- Christiansted's Artisan Shopping Tour: $33
- Guided Kayak Tour of Salt River Bay Ecology and History: $125
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- Island Chocolate Experience with Tasting: $62
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $84
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $175
- Sea Turtle Snorkel Tour: $59
- St Croix Island Tour: $118
- St. Croix Ghost Tour of Historic Christiansted: $45
- St. Croix’s Forts, Freedom, and Beaches: A Self-Drive Audio Tour: $25
- The Frederiksted St. Croix Sea Turtles Snorkeling Tour: $89
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $13Saint Croix $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Croix
Also in Saint Croix, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Farm to Bottle Tour at Prosperity Farm Distillery: $35
- Frederiksted Historical Tour with Rum Distillery: $115
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Saint Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix 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.