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

Should you visit Yogyakarta or Puerto Princesa?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Yogyakarta or Puerto Princesa? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Yogyakarta or Puerto Princesa?

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, also called Yogya, Jogja, and Jogjakarta, is Java's hub of culture and art, and is the top-visited destination on the island. While Jakarta is the most populated and industrially-developed city in Indonesia, Yogya has managed to progress without losing its cultural charm, as illustrated in its well-kept traditional Indonesian architecture.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia, The Best Eco Tours in Indonesia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Philippines.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Yogyakarta?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Yogyakarta is $58, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa 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 Yogyakarta and Puerto Princesa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Yogyakarta $37
    Puerto Princesa $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Yogyakarta $74
    Puerto Princesa $48
Compare Hotels in Yogyakarta and Puerto Princesa

Looking for a hotel in Yogyakarta or Puerto Princesa? 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 Yogyakarta


Hotels in Puerto Princesa


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: Yogyakarta Hotel Prices and Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Yogyakarta $1.33
    Puerto Princesa $51

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Yogyakarta

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

  • Ramayana Ballet Dance Show with Transfers: $25
  • Layover Tour w/ Entry Tickets & Airport Transfer: $94
  • Jomblang Cave Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $30
  • Yogyakarta Private Departure Transfer- Yogyakarta Hotel to Airport: $20
  • Yogyakarta International Airport to Hotel - Arrival Transfer: $32
  • Yogyakarta Airport : for pick up or transfer service: $28
  • Transfer In or Out Airport Yogyakarta: $9.61
  • Semarang & Transfer To The Hotel or Airport: $93
  • Private Yogyakarta Airport Transfer Service with English Speaking Driver: $48
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport YIA To City Center: $29
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Yogyakarta City: $34
  • Private Transfer from Yogyakarta Airport (JOG) to Tridadi: $93

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Yogyakarta or Puerto Princesa?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa and Yogyakarta 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
    Yogyakarta $12
    Puerto Princesa $20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Yogyakarta

For Yogyakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Morning Food Tour with Tasting: $22
  • Kotagede Night Food Tour: $27
  • Yogyakarta Evening Walking and Food Tour: $30
  • Yogyakarta : Guided City Walk and Food Tour: $32
  • Prambanan temple afternoon tour and dinner: $34
  • Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
  • Prawirotaman Night Food Tour: $35
  • Night Walking and Food Tour: $37
  • Ramayana Ballet Performance with Dinner: $38
  • Yogyakarta Cooking Class and Market Tour : $40
  • Small-Group Walking and Food Tour by Night in Yogyakarta: $40
  • Yogyakarta Day Food Tour: $48

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Yogyakarta $16
    Puerto Princesa $6.82

Tours and Activities in Yogyakarta

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

  • Private Tour Borobudur Sunrise – Merapi Volcano – Prambanan (Transport Only): $80
  • Sunrise : Punthuk Setumbu, Borobudur And Prambanan Temples Tour (PRIVATE TOUR): $121
  • Yogyakarta Jomblang Cave Day Tour (PRIVATE TOUR): $88
  • 1 day Yogyakarta Tour Jomblang cave and Pindul Cave tubing: $72
  • 1 day tour Borobudur and Prambanan Temples : $69
  • 1 day tour borobudur temple,prambanan temple,plaosan temple: $72
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Borobudur and City Tour - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $188
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta City Tour Prangtritis Beach - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $139
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Javanese Culture - PRIVATE TOUR with GUIDE: $198
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Borobudur - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $183
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Merapi Pengger Heha - PRIVATE Tour with GUIDE: $139
  • 1-Day Yogyakarta Prambanan Breksi Ijo Temple - PRIVATE Tour with Guide: $183

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Yogyakarta $4.93
    Puerto Princesa $14


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Yogyakarta Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Yogyakarta or Puerto Princesa?

Yogyakarta has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Yogyakarta and Puerto Princesa, 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.