Explore Palawan, Philippines

Cost To Visit Palawan: Travel Budget Guide (2026)

Q: What currency is used in Palawan?

Palawan uses the Philippine peso (PHP).

Q: Do they accept US dollars in Palawan?

Not usually. You should expect to pay in Philippine pesos, especially outside the most tourist-heavy businesses.

Q: Will US credit and debit cards work in Palawan?

Sometimes. Upscale resorts and some larger businesses accept cards, but cash is still very important for tours, transport, and many smaller hotels and restaurants.

Q: What is the cheapest month to visit Palawan?

August is often one of the cheapest months for on-the-ground costs because it falls in the wetter, lower-demand part of the year.

Q: What is the most expensive month to visit Palawan?

February is often one of the most expensive months because it falls in the heart of the dry season, when weather and sea conditions are usually at their best.

Q: Is $2,000 enough for a week in Palawan?

Yes—easily for many travelers. A $2,000 weekly budget can go a long way in Palawan unless you are booking luxury resorts and adding private transfers and tours every day. Typical 7-day totals range from about $170 to $665 for budget travelers, $395 to $1,305 for mid-range travelers, and $925 to $4,240+ for luxury travelers.

Q: Should you base yourself in El Nido, Coron, or Puerto Princesa?

El Nido is usually the top pick for first-time travelers focused on lagoons and island-hopping, Coron is stronger for wreck diving and lake tours, and Puerto Princesa works best as a transit base and Underground River gateway.

See the travel budget needed to visit Palawan, including the cost of hotels, food, transport, attractions, and day trips.

Palawan can still be a good-value island destination, but transfers, island-hopping tours, and nicer beach accommodations can push your budget up much quicker than most travelers might expect.

In this guide, you’ll find the average cost to visit Palawan, including daily budgets, flight prices, and what to expect to spend in peak, shoulder, and off-season travel periods.

Is Palawan Cheap To Visit?

Yes—putting flights aside, Palawan is usually cheap to visit compared with many Western beach destinations. Food, local transport, budget hotels, and everyday sightseeing can stay very manageable. What changes the budget quickly is where you base yourself, how many transfers you take between El Nido, Coron, and Puerto Princesa, and how often you add island-hopping tours, diving, and upgraded boat trips.

Overall, Palawan can be cheap on the ground—but the budget rises fast once you build the trip around multiple island transfers, daily tours, and better beach hotels.

For many travelers, Palawan stays more affordable when you:

Eat at local restaurants, bakeries, and simple cafés instead of leaning on tourist-heavy dining every night
Keep your route simpler instead of trying to cover El Nido, Coron, and Puerto Princesa too quickly
Use shared vans, ferries, and standard tours instead of private transfers
Mix free beach time and town walking with only a few paid excursions

The best weather conditions for Palawan are usually December to May, while June to November brings more rain and rougher seas that can limit island hopping. It also notes that February to April often brings the best overall conditions.

Prices are converted from Philippine pesos and shown in $ (USD) for our U.S. audience.

Palawan Vacation Costs

Below is a detailed expense breakdown for accommodations, food, transportation, and attractions—followed by day trip costs and realistic daily/weekly budgets.

Avg. Accommodation Cost

Peak Season

Budget Travelers: $18–$40 per night
Mid-Range Travelers: $45–$95 per night
Luxury Travelers: $140–$420+ per night

Shoulder-Season

Budget Travelers: $14–$32
Mid-Range Travelers: $35–$80
Luxury Travelers: $110–$340+

Off-Season

Budget Travelers: $10–$26
Mid-Range Travelers: $28–$65
Luxury Travelers: $85–$260+

Note: Palawan lodging prices can vary a lot depending on which base you choose. In El Nido Town, budget to midrange stays usually land around $17 to $83 per night. Corong-Corong is generally a step up, with many places falling around $41 to $132 per night. In more upscale El Nido areas like Lio or Nacpan, prices often start around $99 and can climb to about $414 per night. Those USD conversions use an exchange rate of roughly ₱60.4 per $1.

Compared with those pricier beach pockets, Coron town and Puerto Princesa usually offer more moderate lodging costs, which can make them better picks for travelers trying to keep the trip more affordable.

Budget Travelers

Breakfast: $1.50–$4
Lunch: $2–$6
Dinner: $3–$8

Mid-Range Travelers

Breakfast: $4–$8
Lunch: $6–$14
Dinner: $10–$28

Luxury Travelers

Breakfast: $10–$20
Lunch: $15–$35
Dinner: $30–$90+

Reality: Palawan can stay pretty cheap for food if you eat local dishes and keep things simple. Costs rise quickly in beachfront restaurants, higher-end island resorts, and places built around tour traffic.

Transportation Cost

Airport → Your Area

Puerto Princesa Airport to central hotel: $3–$10
Puerto Princesa to El Nido by shared van: $12–$20
El Nido local airport-area transfer: $5–$15
Coron airport to town: $8–$20
Private transfer: $25–$80+

Palawan is usually reached through Puerto Princesa (PPS), which works as the main gateway for the province. From there, travelers heading to El Nido typically need a 5 to 6 hour van transfer.

There are also direct domestic flights to El Nido (ENI) and Busuanga/Coron (USU) from major airports in the Philippines, which can save a lot of travel time.

For Coron, the nearest major airport has daily flights from Manila, Cebu, and other domestic hubs, making it one of the easier parts of Palawan to reach by air.

Getting Around Palawan

Vans / Ferries / Intercity Transfers

Puerto Princesa to El Nido van: $12–$20
El Nido to Coron ferry: $35–$60
Shorter local transfer rides: $2–$8

Tricycles / Local Rides

Short in-town ride: $1–$3
Longer ride around town or to a nearby beach: $3–$8

Scooter Rental

Typical daily scooter rental: $5–$10/day
Weekly scooter rental: $25–$50

Private Transfer / Upgraded Transport

Private van or upgraded intercity transfer: $40–$120+

Attractions

El Nido island hopping: $20–$45+
Coron lake or lagoon day tour: $20–$35+
Underground River day tour: $25–$45+
Kayangan Lake entry plus tour costs: $3–$5 entry plus transport/tour
Honda Bay island hopping: $18–$32+
Nacpan Beach: free aside from transport
Beach days and town walking: free
Diving in Coron: $35–$65+ per dive

Palawan’s top attractions are still reasonably priced in USD. El Nido island-hopping tours usually run about $20 to $40, while the Underground River tour is about $25 to $42. Kayangan Lake entry is roughly $3, though you still need to factor in the separate boat-tour cost. Honda Bay tours generally cost around $17 to $30.

👉Here's a more general guide for travel cost in the Philippines

Day Trip Costs

Day Trip and Attractions Costs

Day Trip	Transportation Cost (Round Trip)	Top Attraction	Attraction Cost
El Nido island hopping	$0–$8	Boat tour of lagoons and beaches	$20–$45+
Nacpan Beach	$5–$15	Beach day	Free
Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon	$0–$10	Boat tour and lake stops	$20–$38+
Underground River	$5–$15	UNESCO river cave tour	$25–$45+
Honda Bay	$3–$10	Island hopping	$18–$32+
Phong Nha-style cave outings	$8–$25	Cave entry or guided activity	$10–$35+
El Nido to Coron ferry day	$35–$60	Inter-island transfer / island views	Included in fare

Average Daily Travel Cost For Palawan

Budget Travelers

Season	Daily Total (Per Person)
Peak	$32–$58
Shoulder	$26–$48
Off-Season	$22–$40

Mid-Range Travelers

Season	Daily Total (Per Person)
Peak	$65–$125
Shoulder	$55–$105
Off-Season	$45–$88

Luxury Travelers

Season	Daily Total (Per Person)
Peak	$160–$420+
Shoulder	$130–$340+
Off-Season	$100–$260+

Weekly Budget (7 Days)

Budget Travelers

Season	Lodging (7 nights)	Food (7 days)	Transport	Attractions	Total
Peak	$140–$315	$50–$115	$35–$95	$35–$140	$260–$665
Shoulder	$105–$245	$45–$95	$30–$80	$30–$120	$210–$540
Off-Season	$80–$200	$40–$85	$25–$70	$25–$100	$170–$455

Mid-Range Travelers

Season	Lodging (7 nights)	Food (7 days)	Transport	Attractions	Total
Peak	$350–$700	$105–$245	$50–$140	$60–$220	$565–$1,305
Shoulder	$280–$595	$95–$210	$45–$120	$55–$190	$475–$1,115
Off-Season	$225–$490	$85–$180	$40–$105	$45–$160	$395–$935

Luxury Travelers

Season	Lodging (7 nights)	Food (7 days)	Transport	Attractions	Total
Peak	$980–$2,940+	$245–$735+	$75–$245+	$90–$320+	$1,390–$4,240+
Shoulder	$770–$2,380+	$225–$595+	$65–$210+	$80–$280+	$1,140–$3,465+
Off-Season	$595–$1,820+	$200–$490+	$60–$175+	$70–$240+	$925–$2,725+

Palawan Flight Cost

Flight cost depends on departure, season, airline; major airports cheaper than smaller airports.

Palawan is usually reached through Puerto Princesa (PPS) as the main hub, though direct flights also reach El Nido (ENI) and Busuanga/Coron (USU) from domestic gateways. The route mix and how many internal connections you need make a big difference in total airfare.

Average round-trip flight ranges from the US:

Peak: $850–$1,450
Shoulder: $650–$1,100
Off-Season: $500–$850

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Palawan Travel Seasons

Peak (December–May)

The Philippines travel guide says this is Palawan’s dry season, with the calmest seas and sunniest weather. It also points to February to April as the best overall conditions.

Highest hotel prices
Strongest island-hopping demand
Best odds for calm water and reliable tours

Shoulder-Season (November, early June)

These periods can still work well if you want decent weather without the strongest demand.

Better balance of weather and price
Easier room availability than peak season
Good for travelers with a little flexibility

Off-Season (June–October)

The same travel guide says this stretch brings more rain and rougher seas, which can limit island-hopping and ferry reliability.

Lower hotel demand
Better odds of softer room pricing
More tour and sea-condition risk than in peak season

What currency is used in Palawan?

Palawan uses the Philippine peso (PHP).

Do they accept US dollars in Palawan?

Not usually. You should expect to pay in Philippine pesos, especially outside the most tourist-heavy businesses.

Will US credit and debit cards work in Palawan?

Sometimes. Upscale resorts and some larger businesses accept cards, but cash is still very important for tours, transport, and many smaller hotels and restaurants.

What is the cheapest month to visit Palawan?

August is often one of the cheapest months for on-the-ground costs because it falls in the wetter, lower-demand part of the year.

What is the most expensive month to visit Palawan?

February is often one of the most expensive months because it falls in the heart of the dry season, when weather and sea conditions are usually at their best.

Is $2,000 enough for a week in Palawan?

Yes—easily for many travelers. A $2,000 weekly budget can go a long way in Palawan unless you are booking luxury resorts and adding private transfers and tours every day.

Budget Travelers (7-day total): $170–$665
Mid-range Travelers (7-day total): $395–$1,305
Luxury Travelers (7-day total): $925–$4,240+

The biggest swing factors are how many places you cover, how often you pay for tours, and whether you stay in upscale beach properties.

Should you base yourself in El Nido, Coron, or Puerto Princesa?

El Nido is usually the top pick for first-time travelers focused on lagoons and island-hopping, Coron is stronger for wreck diving and lake tours, and Puerto Princesa works best as a transit base and Underground River gateway.

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