Which place is cheaper, Tauranga or Puerto Princesa?
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 Puerto Princesa or Tauranga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Puerto Princesa and Tauranga can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Puerto Princesa or Tauranga?
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.
Tauranga
Tauranga is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the western side of the Bay of Plenty, which is on the east coast of the island. Its population of 130,000 makes it the fifth largest city in the country. Tauranga is a Maori word translated roughly to 'a sheltered anchorage'. This makes sense as the town is located near a very large harbor and protected by Matakana Island. Mount Maunganui is at the headland of the town and regarded as a suburb of Tauranga. The beach at Mt Maunganui is a surfing hot spot. The climate is mostly warm and dry because of the town's sheltered position.
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 Adventure Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand.
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Puerto Princesa Prices
Philippines PricesTauranga Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Princesa $86Tauranga $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Princesa is $86, while the average daily cost in Tauranga is $118. 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 Puerto Princesa and Tauranga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Princesa $24Tauranga $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Princesa $48Tauranga $148
Compare Hotels in Puerto Princesa and Tauranga
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Princesa or Tauranga? 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 and Tauranga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Princesa $51Tauranga $6.75
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: $7.11
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $14
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $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: $21
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
- Honda Bay Island: Island Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $52
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa or Tauranga?
Prices for flights to both Tauranga and Puerto Princesa 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 dayPuerto Princesa $34Tauranga $37
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: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Princesa $6.77Tauranga $10
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: $13
- Puerto Princesa; Half day City tour: $13
- Cathedral and Baker's Hill Tour: $14
- Puerto Princesa City Tour with Snacks: $14
- Half Day City Tour with Butterfly Garden: $14
- Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage: $14
- 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
- Puerto Princesa Half Day City Tour (shared tour): $27
- Half-Day City Tour from Puerto Princesa: $27
- Shared Half City Tour with SPA: $30
Tours and Activities in Tauranga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tauranga are as follows:
- 6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Departs Tauranga: $154
- 7 Hours Te Puia Rotorua Tour from Tauranga with Concert: $164
- Boutique tour , Mt Maunganui, NZ farm, Rotorua lakes/geothermal : $138
- Explore Mount Maunganui: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Explore Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- From Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise: $101
- From Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour: $96
- Geothermal Mineral Bathing Hot Pool Experience : $11
- Guided Māori History and Culture Tour to Rotorua and Tauranga: $143
- Half Day Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise - Tauranga: $104
- Half Day Dolphin Watching Cruise (Departing from Rotorua): $104
- Hobbiton movie set tour and a lot more beautiful NZ sights: $240
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Princesa $14Tauranga $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Princesa and Tauranga, we can see that Tauranga is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Princesa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Princesa is in Asia and Tauranga 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 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 Tauranga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tauranga 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 Puerto Princesa Expensive? and Is Tauranga Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Princesa or Tauranga?
Puerto Princesa has a larger population, and is about 42% larger than the population of Tauranga. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Princesa and Tauranga, 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.