Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa or Hualien?
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 Hualien or Puerto Princesa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hualien or Puerto Princesa, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Hualien or Puerto Princesa?
Hualien
If you're looking for hustle and bustle, head to Taipei. If you're looking for fresh air and the prettiest town by the sea, Hualien is the place to be. With many national parks to explore, cliffs and mountains to climb and beaches to get some rest and relaxation, there's plenty to do, especially for nature lovers and those who crave peace and quiet, away from the bigger cities in Taiwan.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Taipei, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Taiwan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Hualien Prices
Taiwan PricesPuerto Princesa Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHualien $136Puerto Princesa $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Hualien is $136, 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 Hualien and Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHualien $60Puerto Princesa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHualien $120Puerto Princesa $48
Compare Hotels in Hualien and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Hualien 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: Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hualien $29Puerto Princesa $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hualien
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hualien:
- Private Transfer from Hualien Port to Taipei Taoyuan Airport TPE: $280
- Private Transfer from Hualien Cruise Port to Taipei city hotels: $280
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.29
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $15
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
- Airport Transfers airport to city center hotel and cruise port: $20
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $22
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $24
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $24
- Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $53
Is it cheaper to fly into Hualien or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa and Hualien 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 dayHualien $56Puerto Princesa $34
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: $33
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $35
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $40
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $55
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $60
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $82
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $89
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hualien $21Puerto Princesa $6.77
Tours and Activities in Hualien
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hualien are as follows:
- 2025 Taroko Gorge Tour Excellent Cultural Stories , 8 Hours: $130
- Exclusive Private Taroko Gorge Day Tour with Local English Guide: $121
- Full-Day Private Taroko National Park Tour from Hualien City: $139
- Hualien Changhong Bridge SUP Day tour: $85
- Liyu Lake, Sugar Factory, and Ruisui Ranch Tour: $320
- Shuimutin Exclusive SUP Day tour(Hualien to Taitung): $89
- Taroko Gorge, Qingshui Cliffs & Qixingtan Beach Tour from Hualien: $159
- Taroko, Qingshui Cliff, Xincheng Old Street & Qixingtan Day Tour: $80
- Wild ATV Self-driving Experience: $43
Tours and Activities in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- PPS CITY TOUR: $14
- Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $14
- Cathedral and Baker's Hill Tour: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
- Half Day City Tour with Butterfly Garden: $15
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $15
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $27
- Shared Half City Tour with SPA: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHualien $15Puerto Princesa $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hualien and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Hualien is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Princesa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Princesa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Princesa 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 Hualien would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hualien than you might in Puerto Princesa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hualien Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hualien or Puerto Princesa?
Hualien has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Hualien 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.