Which place is cheaper, Gili Trawangan or Palawan?
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 Palawan or Gili Trawangan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Gili Trawangan? 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 Gili Trawangan?
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.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan, known as Gili T, is the most visited of the three Gili Islands, located on the northeast side of Lombok. These islands are known for world-class diving and snorkeling spots. It's not hard to see why, considering that any direction you step off the shoreline, there's a beautiful underwater world to explore.
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 Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia.
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Palawan Prices
Philippines PricesGili Trawangan Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $43Gili Trawangan $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $43, while the average daily cost in Gili Trawangan is $40. 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 Gili Trawangan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Gili Trawangan $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Gili Trawangan $46
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Gili Trawangan
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Gili Trawangan? 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: Palawan Hotel Prices and Gili Trawangan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Gili Trawangan $2.65
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 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
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Gili Trawangan
Also for Gili Trawangan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Speedboat transfer Between Lombok and Gili Islands: $15
- Gili Trawangan Luxury Speedboat Transfer to Bali: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Gili Trawangan?
Prices for flights to both Gili Trawangan 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
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Food Meals for one dayPalawan $19Gili Trawangan $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Indonesian Food Cooking Class of Gili Air: $33
- Learn to cook authentic Indonesian food at Gili Cooking Classes: $33
- Gili Trawangan Sunset BBQ Dinner Cruise with snorkeling: $91
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.21Gili Trawangan $3.82
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): $605
- 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 Gili Trawangan
For Gili Trawangan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4 Experiences in 1 • Half-day Snorkel & Lunch Catamaran Tour: $105
- From Gili Islands Snorkeling Boat Tour: $15
- From Lombok Beaches and Culture Tour: $84
- Gili Air 1 Hour Horseback Beach Adventure: $46
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Cruise: $83
- Gili Hai 3 Islands BBQ Sunset Cruise: $83
- Gili Islands Day Tour and Snorkeling at Turtle Points: $75
- Gili Islands Snorkel Tour - Explore an Underwater Paradise: $16
- Gili Islands: 4-in-1 Catamaran Snorkeling Experience: $106
- Gili Meno Horse Riding Adventure on the Beach for 1 Hour: $42
- Gili Trawangan 3 Island Half day Cruise with BBQ Lunch and Snorkeling : $91
- Cycling Tour with Snorkeling and Viewpoint: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.44Gili Trawangan $3.53
When comparing the travel costs between Palawan and Gili Trawangan, we can see that Palawan is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Palawan Expensive? and Is Gili Trawangan 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.