Palawan for Digital Nomads: El Nido vs. Puerto Princesa
I always dismissed Palawan as "too remote to work from." Then I got stuck in El Nido for three weeks because my flight got cancelled three times — and I realized: it works. But there are conditions.
Puerto Princesa: The Practical Choice
Puerto Princesa is the capital of Palawan, and if you want to work seriously, you start here. Not because it's beautiful — it's a functioning city with an airport, hospitals, and real internet.
Internet in Puerto Princesa
I tested two cafés and an Airbnb apartment:
- PLDT Fibr in the city center: 35-50 Mbps download, 10-15 Mbps upload
- Globe LTE/5G with a Smart SIM: 20-40 Mbps, depending on time of day
- Café Ugo (Rizal Avenue): 8-12 Mbps, stable enough for Zoom calls
This isn't Cebu or Manila, but it's enough for video calls, FTP uploads, and the usual freelance work. A backup with a Globe Tattoo prepaid SIM is still mandatory.
Monthly Costs in Puerto Princesa
- Apartment (1BR, near center): ₱12,000-18,000 (€200-300)
- Coworking: No real space, but cafés work
- Food (local): ₱80-150 per meal (€1.30-2.50)
- Food (western/touristy): ₱250-500 (€4.20-8.40)
- Transport (tricycle): ₱15-50 per ride (€0.25-0.85)
- Electricity (if not included): ₱2,500-4,000 (€42-67)
- Total monthly budget: ₱45,000-65,000 (€755-1,090)
What Puerto Princesa is good for
Working, yes. But it's not a beauty. The city is functional. The Underground River is 2 hours away, Honda Bay is right at your doorstep for weekend trips. You live here pragmatically.
El Nido: Beauty with Drawbacks
El Nido is why people come to Palawan. Limestone cliffs, turquoise water, lagoons. And yes, it's as beautiful as the photos.
Internet in El Nido
Here's where it gets interesting — and frustrating:
- Globe 4G/LTE: 5-15 Mbps, fluctuating. Significantly slower after 6 PM (tourists overload the tower)
- PLDT Fibr: Available in some newer accommodations, 20-30 Mbps — but not widespread
- Café hopping: Schimizu Café has relatively stable WiFi (8-10 Mbps), but gets crowded after 4 PM
For pure text work and emails: no problem. For large uploads, video editing, or reliable HD calls: frustrating. I scheduled my most important calls for 7-9 AM when the network still works.
Monthly Costs in El Nido
Everything is more expensive than Puerto Princesa because everything comes from the mainland:
- Accommodation (basic fan room): ₱8,000-15,000 (€135-250)
- Accommodation (AC room with good WiFi): ₱18,000-30,000 (€300-500)
- Food (local, carenderia): ₱120-200 (€2-3.40)
- Food (restaurant, touristy): ₱350-800 (€5.90-13.40)
- Motorbike rental: ₱4,000-6,000/month (€67-100)
- Total monthly budget: ₱55,000-80,000 (€920-1,340)
What El Nido is good for
Working with flexible hours. If you knock out 4 hours in the morning and hit the beach at noon: perfect. If you have fixed meeting times, especially with European clients in different time zones: the internet will stress you out.
El Nido vs. Puerto Princesa: My Recommendation
| Category | Puerto Princesa | El Nido |
|---|---|---|
| Internet stability | Good (35-50 Mbps) | Medium (5-15 Mbps) |
| Beauty | Medium | Spectacular |
| Costs | Cheaper | 20-30% more expensive |
| Coworking option | Cafés | Cafés (crowded in afternoons) |
| Quality of life | Pragmatic | Dreamy, but limited |
My tip: 1 week in Puerto Princesa to arrive, test internet, and get set up. Then 2-3 weeks in El Nido knowing what works.
My Concrete Setup Recommendation for Palawan
- SIM card: Globe postpaid with 50GB/month (₱1,499, €25) as backup
- Second device: Huawei with Smart SIM as hotspot fallback
- VPN: NordVPN or ExpressVPN — Globe sometimes throttles VoIP
- Power bank: 20,000mAh minimum, power outages are more frequent in Puerto Princesa than in Cebu
- Offline work: VS Code, Figma Desktop, and all assets locally — cloud sync takes forever in El Nido
Bottom Line
Palawan isn't the easiest digital nomad destination in the Philippines. Cebu and Manila are better for working. But Palawan is the beauty that reminds you why you work remotely in the first place.
If you're flexible with meeting times and not tied to large uploads: do it. If you need reliable 50+ Mbps: stay in Cebu and fly over for the weekend.
Disclaimer: Internet speeds and prices can change. These figures are based on my experience in July/August 2026 in Puerto Princesa and El Nido.
