Which place is cheaper, Palawan or Dubai?
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 Dubai or Palawan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dubai and Palawan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Palawan?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
Palawan
Palawan is an archipelagic province of the Philippines, named for its largest island which measures about 450 kilometers (or 280 miles) long. The island is known as an ecological frontier with plenty of beaches and resorts as well as opportunities to see a diverse array of wildlife and their habitats on land and sea.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United Arab Emirates, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Arab Emirates, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Dubai Prices
UAE PricesPalawan Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $289Palawan $43
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $289, while the average daily cost in Palawan is $43. 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 Dubai and Palawan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Palawan $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Palawan $26
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Palawan
Looking for a hotel in Dubai or Palawan? 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: Dubai Hotel Prices and Palawan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Palawan $16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Zipline Dubai Marina Xline with Transfers Option: $267
- Yellow Boat Tour Dubai with Private Transfers: $95
- Yellow Boat Tour Dubai With Transfer Option: $90
- Yellow Boat Ride in Dubai with Private Transfers: $110
- Xline Dubai Marina Zipline Experience With Transfers Option: $281
- Xline Dubai Marina Experience with Transfers: $250
- XLine Dubai Marina Zipline Ride with Transfers Options: $293
- Wild Wadi tickets with Transfers: $99
- Wild Wadi Waterpark tickets with Private transfer: $154
- Wild Wadi Waterpark Dubai Ticket With Private Transfer: $125
- Wild Wadi Water Park Ticket with Transfer from Dubai: $131
- Wild Wadi Dubai water park Ticket with 1 way transfer in Dubai: $96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $90
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Palawan?
Prices for flights to both Palawan and Dubai 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 dayDubai $96Palawan $19
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Virtual Online Cooking Class - Cook Your Classic Curry with Chef Gomez: $16
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner at Dubai Al Seef: $17
- Evening Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Ride & BBQ dinner: $18
- Red Dune Desert Safari with Camel Riding Sand Boarding BBQ Dinner: $18
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Al Seef: $18
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dubai Luxury Canal Dinner Cruise with Shows: $18
- Desert Safari With Camel Ride and Dinner: $19
- Vip Red Dune Safari with 4x4 Pick & Drop, Camel Ride, BBQ Dinner: $19
- VIP Red Dune Safari with Pick/Drop, Camel Ride, BBQ Dinner, Shows: $19
- Golden Dune Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Ride & live BBQ Dinner: $19
- Evening Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Riding & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Palawan $5.21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Abu Dhabi City Tour Sheikh Zayed Mosque & Heritage: $60
- Abu Dhabi Full Day Private Sightseeing Tour : $200
- Ain Dubai Ferris Wheel Ride Tickets: $63
- Burj Al Arab Tour + Wild Wadi Water Park Tickets Only: $137
- Desert Adventure with ATV and Camel Ride and Live Shows: $100
- Desert Safari, City Tour & Dhow Cruise in Marina Enjoy In Dubai: $110
- Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo Explorer Tickets: $95
- Dubai Butterfly Garden Admission Ticket: $42
- Dubai City Sightseeing Tour In A Private Vehicle ( Full-day ) : $299
- Dubai City Tour + Burj Khalifa + Dubai Frame + Desert Safari (one day tour): $271
- Dubai City Tour With English Speaking Guide: $300
- Dubai City Tour- Half-Day : Private Experience with Abra Ride: $125
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Full Day Tour C with Buffet Lunch : $45
- 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
- All-Inclusive El Nido Island Hopping Private Tour: $153
- Balabac Tour Semi-Private 4D3N (price varies by group size): $590
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Coron Calauit Safari Tour E: $146
- Coron Culion Island Escapade Private Tour: $132
- Coron Island Escapade Group Tour with Island Lunch: $48
- Coron Island Escapade Tour (Shared Tour): $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Palawan $7.44
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- JBR Walk Historic Pub Crawl with Guide and Drinks: $36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Palawan, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Palawan 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 Palawan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Palawan 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai than you might in Palawan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dubai Expensive? and Is Palawan 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.