A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Princesa vs. Ulaanbaatar for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Ulaanbaatar?

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 Ulaanbaatar 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 Ulaanbaatar?

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.

Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia's capital city. It has a population of slightly over two million people, or about sixty percent of the country's entire population. You are likely to arrive in Ulaanbaatar either by train, coming from China or Russia, or by plane. Many people use Ulaanbaatar as a stop off while doing the Transsiberian Railway. The city is a great place to organize a tour of the surrounding countryside. It's also good city to relax, so make sure you allow yourself a few days to recover from your tour, enjoy some of the great food options, and see some of the fascinating cultural sights around town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.


Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $86, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is $30. 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 Ulaanbaatar in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Princesa $24
    Ulaanbaatar $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Princesa $48
    Ulaanbaatar $22
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Ulaanbaatar

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Ulaanbaatar? 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.

Hotels in Puerto Princesa


Hotels in Ulaanbaatar


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 Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $51
    Ulaanbaatar $2.79

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa

Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
  • Airport Transfers airport to city center hotel and cruise port: $20
  • Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
  • Palawan: Private San Vicente Airport Transfers: $160
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
  • Private Transfer to El Nido: $169
  • Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
  • Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
  • PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
  • Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
  • Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $232
  • One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:

  • VIP Airport Transfer-Cadillac Escalade (6 Passengers+6 Luggage): $266
  • ULN Airport to Downtown|Hotels Private Transfer: $21
  • Airport Transfer Taxi Shuttle Pick Up: $23
  • Transfer service to Terelj national park : $51
  • Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport UBN by private Vehicule: $51
  • Private Transfer from Ulaanbaatar to or from Terelj National Park: $60
  • Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $38
  • Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Airport UBN to Ulaanbaatar City : $51
  • Private Airport Transfer taxi in Ulaanbaatar: $30
  • New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
  • Chinggis Khaan Airport (UBN) Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar City: $47
  • Best Price :Terelj National Park Best Non-Guided Transfers: $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Ulaanbaatar?

Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar 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 day
    Puerto Princesa $34
    Ulaanbaatar $15

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 Ulaanbaatar

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ulaanbaatar.

  • Cooking Class in a Traditional Ger Home in Ulaanbaatar Suburbs: $182

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Princesa $6.77
    Ulaanbaatar $4.24

Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa

For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • PPS CITY TOUR: $13
  • Puerto Princesa; Half day 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
  • 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
  • Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $27
  • Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
  • Shared Half City Tour with SPA: $30

Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar

Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Full Day Private Tour in Terelj: $177
  • Private Tandem Paragliding Experience at Bayanzurkh Mountain: $100
  • 1 Day Chinggis Khaan Statue & Terelj National Park Private tour: $180
  • 1 Day City Tour with All-Museum Private Tour With Free Admission: $90
  • 1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj (FREE dog sledding): $163
  • 1 Day Semi-Gobi All-included tour : $146
  • 1 Day Terelj Tour from Ulaanbaatar : $250
  • 1 Day Tour: Khustai National Park: $206
  • 1 Day tour: Khustai National Park: Przewalski's wild horses: $190
  • 12 day Great Gobi and Central Mongolia full adventure: $2,210
  • 2 Day Local experience by train visit Tunkhel town: $380
  • 2 Day Manzushir Temple and Terelj National Park Tour overnight at nomad family: $266

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Princesa $14
    Ulaanbaatar $3.67


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ulaanbaatar would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ulaanbaatar 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 Ulaanbaatar.

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 Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Ulaanbaatar?

Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Ulaanbaatar, 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.