Which place is cheaper, Manila 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 Manila?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Manila? 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 Manila?
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.
Manila
A sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 12 million people, Manila is one huge, misunderstood concrete jungle, full of diverse cultures, traffic, pollution, restaurants, shopping malls, noise and nightlife. If you're looking to soak in culture and feel the vibe of a place rather than seeking a city that specifically caters to tourists, Manila is the place to be. Capital of the Philippines, Manila is also the center for education, business, and transportation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, and The Best Adventure Tours to Philippines.
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Palawan Prices
Philippines PricesManila Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $43Manila $106
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $43, while the average daily cost in Manila is $106. 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 Manila in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Manila $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Manila $108
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Manila
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Manila? 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 Manila Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Manila $14
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
- Coron Airport Shared Hotel Transfers: $10
- Airport Transfers airport to city center hotel and cruise port: $20
- El Nido Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- El Nido Tour C with Lunch and Transfers: $44
- Coron Ultimate Tour: 7 Destinations with Lunch and Transfer: $47
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $90
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Manila HTL-APT (MNL): $30
- Transfers from Manila, Makati, Taguig and Pasay Hotel to Airport: $50
- Tagaytay-Pagsanjan Falls combo tour with transfers** updated 2024: $180
- Safe and secure Airport Transfer Best in Manila: $216
- Quality Safe and Reliable Manila Airport Transfers: $49
- Private Transfer from Manila Cruise Port to Manila Airport (MNL): $29
- Private Transfer from Manila Airport (MNL) to Manila Cruise Port: $29
- Private Transfer from Angeles City to Subic Bay Cruise Port: $101
- Private One-way Transfer From Manila To Manila Airport: $24
- Private Departure Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
- Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $98
- MNL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Manila?
Prices for flights to both Manila 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 $19Manila $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.
- Ugbo Manila Street Food Tour with Tuktuk Ride: $60
- ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $62
- Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
- Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
- Guided Food Tour of Binondo with Tastings: $65
- Street Food tour & Local Jeepney, Tuktuk Ride: $66
- Binondo Chinatown Food Tour with Free Food Samples: $70
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour with Local Guide: $71
- Authentic Manila Chinatown Food Tour Exploration : $75
- Intramuros and Chinatown Food Tour with Food Samples: $80
- Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
- Day Tour in Manilas History and Savor a Cultural Dinner: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.21Manila $19
Tours and Activities in Palawan
For Palawan, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
- Coron Town Tour with Maquinit Hot Spring: $19
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan Philippines : $20
- Coron Island Hopping Tour A with Kayangan Lake: $25
- 2in1 City tour and museum with pick up at hotel or cruise port: $25
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Coron Island Hopping Tour B with Skeleton Wreck & Barracuda Lake: $32
- Fullday Coron Island Hopping Tour : $34
- City Tour of Puerto Princesa sightseeing excursion: $35
- Coron Island Tour A (Shared Tour): $37
- Joiners Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour: $38
- Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Tour with Lunch: $38
Tours and Activities in Manila
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:
- (Excursion) Day tour in Manila: $258
- A Day in Paradise at Villa Escudero Coconut Plantation Adventure: $150
- A Night in Old Intramuros Walking Tour: $23
- Amazing Taal Volcano Island Tour (Boat Included): $125
- Amazing Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Tour (2in1): $135
- Amazing Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Tour 2in1: $125
- Antipolo Day Tour with Cloud 9 and Pinto Art Museum: $80
- BAGUIO CITY DAY TOUR (FROM MANILA): $357
- BANAUE:BATAD Rice Terraces with Sagada 4D3N PRIVATE TOUR: $7,130
- Banaue-Hapao Rice Terraces (Car Rental W/ Manila Tourist Driver): $300
- Bataan Death March Memorial Historical Tour : $208
- Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $71
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.44Manila $9.90
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Manila, we can see that Manila is more expensive. And not only is Palawan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Manila would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manila 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 Manila 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.