A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Palawan vs. Canberra for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Palawan or Canberra?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Palawan or Canberra? 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: Palawan or Canberra?

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.

Canberra

There is something special about the capital city of Australia. Canberra's not just a wonderful spot for outdoor adventures. It's a city completely designed and built up around the coast of an artificial lake. When architects Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin proposed their plans for Canberra it was met with a lot of criticism. Many people thought it would be a "waste of a good sheep pasture."

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Melbourne, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Canberra or Palawan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $43, while the average daily cost in Canberra is $159. 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 Palawan and Canberra in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Palawan $13
    Canberra $83
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Palawan $26
    Canberra $166
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Canberra

Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Canberra? 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.

Hotels in Palawan


Hotels in Canberra


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: Palawan Hotel Prices and Canberra Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Palawan $16
    Canberra $24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan

Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shared Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $10
  • PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
  • Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
  • Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
  • Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
  • Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
  • Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
  • Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
  • El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
  • El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
  • El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Canberra

Also for Canberra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Guided Tour of Floriade Festival with Transfers: $125
  • Canberra to Canberra Airport (CBR) - Departure Private Transfer: $67
  • Canberra Int'l Airport (CBR) to Canberra Arrival Private Transfer: $67
  • Canberra Airport (CBR) to Canberra - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $134

Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Canberra?

Prices for flights to both Canberra and Palawan 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Palawan $19
    Canberra $60

Typical Food Prices in Canberra

For Canberra, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    $16

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Palawan $5.21
    Canberra $17

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

Tours and Activities in Canberra

For Canberra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Personalised Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing in Canberra, with John: $40
  • Australian Institute of Sport: The AIS Tour: $14
  • Building + Architecture Tour | 10am Daily: $13
  • Canberra Floriade Tour: $127
  • Canberra Glassblowing Experience: Make Your Own Bird: $79
  • Canberra One Day Tour: $244
  • Canberra Small Group Winery Tour: $151
  • Beer, Wine, and Spirits Tasting Tour: $112
  • City Highlights Day Tour with Entrance Fees: $125
  • Kangaroos and Koala Experience Tour: $89
  • National Portrait Gallery Guided Tour: $9.92
  • Private Wine Discovery Tour with Lunch: $397

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Palawan $7.44
    Canberra $16

Typical Alcohol Prices in Canberra

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Canberra from other travelers:


  • Drinks at a Bar
    $9.16

Sample the Local Flavors in Canberra

Also in Canberra, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Canberra Bar Crawl Can I Get a Drink Canberra: $15
  • Wine Tour From Canberra to Murrumbateman - Hop on Hop Off: $60
  • 2 People - Indulgence Wine Tasting with Matched Elements Canberra: $87
  • Canberra Brewery Winery and Distillery Tour: $114
  • From Winery, Distillery, & Tasting Tour with Lunch: $149
  • Canberra Wine Tour: $161
  • Full-Day Canberra Brewery, Wineries & Distillery tour /w lunch: $174
  • 2 People - Premium Wine Tasting Experience and 2-Course Lunch: $181


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Canberra, we can see that Canberra is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Palawan is in Asia and Canberra 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 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 Canberra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Canberra 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 Palawan Expensive? and Is Canberra Expensive?.