Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or El Nido?
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 El Nido or Airlie Beach?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Nido or Airlie Beach? 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: El Nido or Airlie Beach?
El Nido
El Nido is a coastal destination on the Philippine island of Palawan. It consists of about 45 islands and islets all with beautiful beachfront scenery and plenty of opportunities for experiencing nature above and below the water. Some of the island's best features include limestone karst cliffs, coral reefs, lagoons, coves, and waterfalls.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Australia, and The Best Honeymoon Tours in Australia.
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El Nido Prices
Philippines PricesAirlie Beach Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Nido $47Airlie Beach $165
The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $47, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach is $165. 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 El Nido and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Nido $14Airlie Beach $59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Nido $28Airlie Beach $118
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Airlie Beach? 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: El Nido Hotel Prices and Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Nido $19Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
- To Puerto Princesa 1-Way Shared Van Transfer: $14
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $35
- Island Hopping Tour B Snake Island with transfer: $39
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $53
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Whitsundays: Airport Transfer to/from Airlie Beach: $16
- Private Transfer to/from Whitsunday Coast Airport: $148
- Private Transfer to/from Shute Harbour: $134
- One Way Airport Transfer: Proserpine-Airlie Beach (or vice versa): $17
- Established Return Airport Transfer Proserpine to Airlie Beach: $28
- Airport Transfer to Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- Transfer from Whitsunday Coast Airport: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into El Nido or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and El Nido 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 dayEl Nido $20Airlie Beach $55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in El Nido
For El Nido, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- El Nido, Sibaltan: Family Dinner, Bonfire and Karaoke: $39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
- 3-Hour Sunset Segway Tour with Dinner: $82
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $83
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Nido $5.34Airlie Beach $161
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $21
- Tour D with Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach & More: $21
- El Nido Island Tour A: $21
- Tour A (Big & Secret Lagoon, Shimizu, 7 Commando): $21
- El Nido Island Tour D: $21
- Big Lagoon Kayaking & Island Adventure: $22
- Island Hopping Tour A Lagoons and Beaches: $22
- Hidden Beaches and Lagoons Boat Hopping Tour D: $23
- Tour B with Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave, and More: $24
- Shared El Nido Tour A: $24
- El Nido Island Tour B: $24
- El Nido:Private Tour D with Highlights Small & Cadlao Lagoon: $24
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Guided Night Tour: $66
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Airlie Beach Jet Ski Tours: $164
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- #1 Sightseeing Explorer 3hr tour.: $62
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Adults-Only Whitehaven Beach Sailing Tour: $187
- Airlie Adventure Jet Ski Tour: $170
- BYOB Sunset Sail in Style Catamaran Cruise: $72
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Great Barrier Reef & Whitehaven Beach Tour: $209
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Nido $8.31Airlie Beach $9.06
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is El Nido much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since El Nido is in Asia and Airlie Beach 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 El Nido would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Nido 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 Airlie Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Airlie Beach than you might in El Nido.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is El Nido Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach 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.