Which place is cheaper, Newcastle 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 Newcastle?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Nido or Newcastle? 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 Newcastle?
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.
Newcastle
Newcastle is 150 kilometers north of Sydney in New South Wales. It is also the second largest city in the state, and serves as a central point to explore the area's beaches, wineries, and beautiful natural landscape. North of the city is Stockton beach, which has many miles of isolated, beautiful beaches, stretching all the way up to Nelson Bay. The wineries are inland to the west and have some of Australia's finest wine which you can taste. If you want to see rainforests, you can head northwest to Barrington Tops National Park, which has great rainforests and freshwater streams. You may even get to see a platypus. The city also has the country's oldest sea port. In the past the city's economy was centered around the steel industry, but today the University of Newcastle is one of the area's most important employers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
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El Nido Prices
Philippines PricesNewcastle Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Nido $47Newcastle $117
The average daily cost (per person) in El Nido is $47, while the average daily cost in Newcastle is $117. 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 Newcastle in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Nido $14Newcastle $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Nido $28Newcastle $90
Compare Hotels in El Nido and Newcastle
Looking for a hotel in El Nido or Newcastle? 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 Newcastle Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Nido $19Newcastle $8.41
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 Newcastle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Newcastle:
- Private Transfer from Newcastle Port to Newcastle Airport (NTL): $82
- Private Transfer from Newcastle City Hotels to Newcastle Port: $80
- Newcastle to Newcastle Airport (NTL) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Newcastle Airport to Newcastle - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $148
- Newcastle Airport (NTL) to Newcastle - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
Is it cheaper to fly into El Nido or Newcastle?
Prices for flights to both Newcastle 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 $20Newcastle $61
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 Newcastle
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Newcastle.
- Harbour Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $69
- Earp Distilling Co: Date Night with Blending Class & Dinner: $73
- Cooking Classes at the Yellow Door Kitchen: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Nido $5.34Newcastle $15
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 Newcastle
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Newcastle are as follows:
- 3- Hour Wine and Harvest the Hunter Horse Tour in Pokolbin: $93
- Shared Newcastle Harbor Cruise: $43
- 3-Hour Hunter Valley Scenic Helicopter Tour Including 3-Course Lunch from Cessnock: $270
- Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard - Sweet Indulgence Experience: $40
- Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard: Fromage and Fortified Wine Experience: $53
- Award Winning Full Day Wine and Food Experience: $150
- Christmas Lunch Cruise on Newcastle Harbour: $57
- Coastal 2.5-hour Adventure Boat Tour from Newcastle: $83
- From Hunter Valley Beer & Wine Group Tour: $165
- From Sydney: Tandem Skydive Experience over Newcastle Beach: $264
- From Sydney: Tandem Skydive Experience over Newcastle Beach: $266
- Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle: $83
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Nido $8.31Newcastle $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Newcastle
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Newcastle:
- Cael’s Gate Wine Tasting in Hunter Valley: $6.66
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Seated Wine Tasting : $10
- Boutique Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $11
- Newcastle Bar Crawl Experience: $15
- Tulloch Wines - Wine Tasting paired with Local Handmade Chocolates: $23
- Cheese and Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $26
- Wonnarua Sparkling Wine Tasting: $30
- Ivanhoe Wines: Trip Advisor Premium Wine Tasting: $30
- Tintilla Estate: Wine Tasting with a Meat and Cheese Platter: $33
- Tulloch Wines- Mystery Wine Tasting Experience with Local Cheese and Charcuterie: $35
- Tulloch Wines Hunter Heroes Wine Tasting with Local Cheese & Charcuterie Board: $35
- Premium Wine Tasting Experience in Pokolbin: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Nido and Newcastle, we can see that Newcastle 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 Newcastle 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 Newcastle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Newcastle 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 Newcastle Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, El Nido or Newcastle?
Newcastle has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of El Nido and Newcastle, 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.