Which place is cheaper, Wellington or Puerto Princesa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Princesa or Wellington?
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 Wellington 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 Wellington?
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.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines, The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $73Wellington $103
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $73, while the average daily cost in Wellington is $103. 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 Wellington in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Wellington $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Wellington $120
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Wellington
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Wellington? 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 Wellington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Wellington $12
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: $14
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $16
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.20
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $234
- Airconditioned Van Transfers to/from Sabang: $12
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido Private Van Transfer: $153
- Puerto Princesa - El Nido | Private Van Transfer: $149
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $61
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $75
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $72
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- Private Airport Transfer: $78
- Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
- Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Wellington?
Prices for flights to both Wellington 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 $20Wellington $29
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: $26
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Puerto Princesa Fireflies Watching with Dinner: $40
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $60
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $81
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $81
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $117
Typical Food Prices in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$8.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $151
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $185
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.82Wellington $16
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: $81
- El Nido Day Tour: $81
- El Nido Island Hopping Day Tour from Puerto Princesa City: $199
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (TRICYCLE) (Private Tour): $33
- El Nido Nacpan Inland Tour (VAN) (Private Tour): $63
- El Nido Package 1: Free & Easy (No Tour): $160
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5 hour Wellington City Heights Shared tour: $90
- A Taste of Kapiti - Kapiti Foodie Delights Tour: $288
- From Cave to Coast Wellington Highlights Tour: $118
- From Source to Sea Remutaka Mountain Bike Cycle Tour: $103
- From Half-Day Foodie Tour of the Wairarapa: $105
- From Taste Buds Tour of Petone: $165
- Full Day Lord of the Rings Tour: $178
- Full Day Tour of Wellington: $178
- Full-Day Wellington Self-Guided Electric Bike Tour: $51
- Fully customizable tours: $148
- Guided Small Group Walking Tour in Wellington: $45
- Guided Wellington Sightseeing Tour by Electric Bike: $78
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Wellington $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $93
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $95
- 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $151
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $169
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $356
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Wellington, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington is in Pacific, 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Wellington?
Wellington has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Wellington, 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.