A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taipei vs. Boracay for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taipei or Boracay?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taipei and Boracay. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Taipei or Boracay?

Taipei

Few cities in the world are full of more diverse opportunities than the cultural crosshairs city of Taipei. As the capital of Taiwan, this 300-year-old city is the financial, cultural and governmental center of Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the island between the Yangming Mountains and Central Mountains, this city of 2.6 million people is always ready to welcome more visitors.

Boracay

A small island in the Philippines known for its resorts and beaches, Boracay is a little escape. Each beach has its own unique character, each with new treasures waiting to be discovered.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Taiwan, The Best Tours for Seniors to Taiwan, The Best 10-Day Tours in Philippines, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Philippines.


Which place is cheaper, Boracay or Taipei?

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 Taipei is $206, while the average daily cost in Boracay is $66. 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 Taipei and Boracay in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taipei $155
    Boracay $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taipei $310
    Boracay $46
Compare Hotels in Taipei and Boracay

Looking for a hotel in Taipei or Boracay? 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 Taipei


Hotels in Boracay


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: Taipei Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taipei $11
    Boracay $28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Taipei

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Taipei:


  • Easycard
    $2.15
  • Easycard
    $9.92

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taipei

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

  • Beito to Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE)-Departure Transfer: $192
  • Bruns 9 seater, charter tour, business transfer, airport transfer, round-the-island charter tour: $299
  • Jiufen: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
  • Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei city - Arrival Private Transfer : $104
  • Keelung Cruise Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport (TPE) - Departure Private Transfer: $144
  • Keelung(Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $208
  • Keelung: one-way private transfer to or from Taipei City: $42
  • Luxury Chartered Private Transfer Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City: $140
  • Luxury Chartered Private Transfer from Taipei to Taoyuan Airport: $139
  • One-way Private Transfer between Jiufen and Taipei: $42
  • Private Transfer from Keelung (Taipei) Cruise Port to Taipei City: $76
  • Private Transfer from Keelung Port to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport(TPE): $133

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boracay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boracay:

  • Speedboat Caticlan to Boracay Transfer (Oneway): $81
  • Private Transfer from Boracay Port to Boracay Island Hotel: $59
  • Private Transfer from Boracay Island Hotels Boracay Cruise Port: $59
  • PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER TO BORACAY: $58
  • Departure: Ferry boat Transfer Boracay to Caticlan Airport: $30
  • Caticlan: Speedboat Airport Transfer to Boracay: $34
  • Caticlan: Shared Airport Transfer From/To Boracay: $23
  • Caticlan: 1-Way or Roundtrip Airport Transfer to Boracay: $27
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $53
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53
  • Caticlan Airport (MPH) to Boracay - Arrival Private Transfer : $24
  • Two-way Shared Transfer from/to Airport to Hotel: $34

Is it cheaper to fly into Taipei or Boracay?

Prices for flights to both Boracay and Taipei 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
    Taipei $29
    Boracay $25
Typical Food Prices in Taipei

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


  • EasyCard
    $17
  • Lunch at The Can
    $7.28
  • EasyCard
    $33
  • Lunch
    $3.14
  • Lunch
    $1.98
  • Dinner
    $6.62
  • Lunch
    $3.80
  • Lunch
    $4.96
  • Louisa coffee
    $3.14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taipei

For Taipei, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Taipei Food Tour Taiwan Traditional Breakfast and Market and Tea: $45
  • Food Tours w/ Top 10 Taiwan Food (Breakfast/Dinner): $45
  • Taipei Food Tour: Night Market & Convenience Store(Food Included): $45
  • Taipei Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $45
  • Local Favorites: Taiwan Night Market Food Tour in 2 hours: $49
  • Street Food & Hidden Eats Night Market Food Tour: $55
  • Taipei Hidden Eats, Market & Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings: $55
  • Xiao long bao, Pork thick soup, Bubble milk tea. (Taiwan Cooking Class)-B : $65
  • Private Walking Food Tour in Ningxia Night Market(10 Foods Incl.): $70
  • Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Experience-A (Taipei Cooking Class): $77
  • Iconic Food Tour: Local Street Food, Drinks & Sites: $82
  • Private Street Food Tour of Taipei with a Local Guide: $84

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taipei $18
    Boracay $15

Tours and Activities in Taipei

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

  • Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Tour: $0.50
  • Old Town Walking Tour: $0.55
  • Vintage Taipei - Best of Taiwan and Sunset Walking Tour: $1.20
  • Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Ticket: $3.28
  • Zoo Entrance Ticket: $4.33
  • Walking Tours in Taipei Dihua, Longshan Temple, Shuanglian Market: $5.00
  • Taipei's Origin & Longshan Temple - Taiwan Cultural Walking Tour: $5.00
  • Night Market Walking Tours in Shilin, Ningxia, Longshan, Ximen: $5.00
  • Taipei Historic Shared Walking Tour: $5.00
  • Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket: $6.57
  • Taiwan Museum, MOCA Taipei & Miniatures Museum Entry Tickets: $8.53
  • Taipei Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00

Tours and Activities in Boracay

Here are a few actual costs in Boracay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2 Hours Boracay Inland Private Tour in E-Trike: $125
  • 2-Hour Boracay Land Tour via Etrike: $32
  • Boracay - Crystal Kayak phot-op Experience: $8.95
  • Boracay ATV Tour and Kawa Hot Bath: $85
  • Boracay Atv Mainland Adventure with lunch: $59
  • Boracay Cliff Jumping & Snorkeling Experience (Private): $105
  • Boracay E-trike Land Tour: $23
  • Boracay Eco-Hopping Tour: $85
  • Boracay Island Hopping Experience: $63
  • Boracay Island Hopping Tour with Hot Kawa Bath Experience: $30
  • Boracay Island Hopping with Lunch+ Atv Mainland Adventure: $57
  • Boracay Island Hopping+ Helmet Diving (Shared Tour): $63

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taipei $19
    Boracay $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Taipei

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taipei:

  • Taipei Nightlife: Taipei Pub Crawls (2 Different Routes): $27
  • Private Tour to Yilan Kavalan Whisky Distillery: $145


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taipei and Boracay, we can see that Taipei is more expensive. And not only is Boracay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boracay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boracay 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 Taipei would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taipei than you might in Boracay.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taipei Expensive? and Is Boracay Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Taipei or Boracay?

Taipei has a larger population, and is about 3420 times larger than the population of Boracay. When comparing the sizes of Taipei and Boracay, 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.