Which place is cheaper, Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Palawan or Zhangjiajie? 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 Zhangjiajie?
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.
Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, China is a picturesque city located in the northwest of the Hunan Province. This ancient city, which dates all the way back to the Stone Age, is famous for being home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie is also known for being a popular filming location and and overall great place to escape the bustling Chinese cities. Zhangjiajie has its own dialect, which is a branch of the Hunan and Southern dialects, so Mandarin does not always translate when trying to speak to locals here.
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 Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.
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Palawan Prices
Philippines PricesZhangjiajie Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPalawan $43Zhangjiajie $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Palawan is $43, while the average daily cost in Zhangjiajie is $79. 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 Zhangjiajie in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPalawan $13Zhangjiajie $30
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPalawan $26Zhangjiajie $60
Compare Hotels in Palawan and Zhangjiajie
Looking for a hotel in Palawan or Zhangjiajie? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Palawan $16Zhangjiajie $15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palawan
Also for Palawan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfers Puerto Princesa To Elnido: $260
- Private Transfer from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: $203
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $170
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $170
- 3day van transportation: airport transfer, city sightseeing van, beach transfers: $120
- Private for your group - transfers Puerto princesa to elnido : $100
- Busuanga Palawan Private Airport Transfer to Coron Town: $90
- Private Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Transfer: $79
- PrivateTransfer from Puerto Princesa Port to Puerto Princesa city: $60
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Private Van Transfers: Busuanga Airport to Coron Hotel Vice Versa: $48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zhangjiajie
Also for Zhangjiajie, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $710
- Zhangjiajie airport/city pick up transfer to hotel or Vice Versa: $15
- Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport private transfer service: $20
- Private transfer from Zhangjiajie(Wulingyuan) to Changsha area: $213
- Private Transfer: Zhangjiajie from/to Fenghuang: $168
- Private Transfer: Yichang hotel from/to Zhangjiajie Hotel: $321
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Guilin or Yangshuo: $256
- Private Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang and stops at Furong old town: $187
- Private Car Transfer From WLY to Glass Bridge (Round Trip ): $105
- Fox Fairy Show VIP Ticket with Private Transfer in ZJJ City: $52
- 1 Day Fenghuang and Furong Town Day Tour with Hotel Transfers: $192
Is it cheaper to fly into Palawan or Zhangjiajie?
Prices for flights to both Zhangjiajie 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 $19Zhangjiajie $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zhangjiajie
For Zhangjiajie, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1 Day Zhangjiajie Private Tour Visit Avatar Mount and Tianzi Mount with Dinner: $196
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Palawan $5.21Zhangjiajie $23
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 Zhangjiajie
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Zhangjiajie.
- 2-Day Private Combo Tour: Avatar Mountain & Tianmen Mountain: $251
- 2-Days Private tour to Avatar mount & Have's Gate & Glass bridge: $250
- (Private Day Tour) Zhangjiajie National Park + Tianzi Mountain: $195
- 1 Day Dragon Sitting Gorge & Red Stone Forest Geo-park TOUR！: $272
- 1 Day Private Expedition Tour to Binlang Valley: $142
- 1 Day VIP Tour: Avatar Mountain&72 Odd Towers (Free Ticket): $203
- 1 day tour Avatar Mountain and Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge: $215
- 1-Day Private Tour to Glass Bridge & Yellow Dragon Cave: $102
- 1-Day Private Tour to Tianmen Mountain & Glass Walk & Night Light: $146
- 1-Day Private Tour to ZJJ National Forest Park & Avatar Mountain: $98
- 1-Day Private Tour to Zhangjiajie Forest Park & AVATAR Mountain: $98
- 1-Day Private Tour to Zhangjiajie Forest Park & Avatar Mountain: $195
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPalawan $7.44Zhangjiajie $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Palawan and Zhangjiajie, we can see that Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zhangjiajie 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 Zhangjiajie 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.