Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Dahab?
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 Dahab or Puerto Princesa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Dahab and Puerto Princesa 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: Dahab or Puerto Princesa?
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Dahab Prices
Egypt PricesPuerto Princesa Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDahab $26Puerto Princesa $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $26, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $86. 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 Dahab and Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDahab $9.31Puerto Princesa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDahab $19Puerto Princesa $48
Compare Hotels in Dahab and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Dahab 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.
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: Dahab Hotel Prices and Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dahab $3.10Puerto Princesa $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $42
- Saint paul and saint anthony monastery private transfer: $69
- Private Transfer To/From Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $68
- Private Transfer Dahab Hotel to Sharm ElSheikh Airport : $32
- Private Transfer Between Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $60
- Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 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
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa and Dahab 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 dayDahab $13Puerto Princesa $34
Typical Food Prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)$2.00
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Juice$0.11
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Breakfast for Two$0.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $36
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $39
- Dahab Desert Safari and Bedouin Dinner: $95
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dahab $6.56Puerto Princesa $6.77
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Camel Trek Desert and Beach Experience Private Tour in Dahab: $140
- 2 Day Hiking Canyoning Tour Colored and Wishwashi in Sinai: $72
- 4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab: $43
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $50
- Astronomy and Bedouin Culture group Tour in sharm with Pickup: $140
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Adventure in Dahab: $195
- Cairo pyramids tour from Hurghada Small group HurghadaToGo: $60
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $49
- Dahab Windsurfing Adventure in Red Sea Waves: $60
- Dahab's Kept Secrets 5 Adventures in 1 Tour: $25
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
- luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
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: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- El Nido Day Tour: $80
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $53
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDahab $3.89Puerto Princesa $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dahab and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Puerto Princesa is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dahab is in Africa and Puerto Princesa is in Asia, 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dahab Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dahab or Puerto Princesa?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab 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.
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.