Palau is a pristine Pacific paradise featuring the legendary Rock Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 200 limestone and coral islands covered in lush greenery. This small nation offers world-class diving, the famous Jellyfish Lake where you can swim among millions of harmless jellyfish, and some of the most biodiverse marine environments on Earth.
Local currency: US Dollar (USD) - Palau uses the US dollar as its official currency.
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Palau.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $30-55 (Palau Hostel dorm)
- Budget
- $60-100 (DW Motel, Malakal Inn)
- Midrange
- $130-220 (Cove Resort, Landmark Hotel)
- Luxury
- $350-650+ (Palau Pacific Resort, Neco Marine)
Food
- Street
- $4-8 (Koror Market stalls, food trucks)
- Local
- $10-16 (Abby's, Rock Island Cafe)
- Midrange
- $20-35 (Dropz Bar, Carp Restaurant)
- Fine
- $60-150+ (Elilai, Kramer's Cafe)
Transport
- Bus
- $1-2 (city bus within Koror)
- Taxi
- $10-25 (Koror city taxi rides)
- Airport
- $20-30 (taxi to/from airport)
- Daytrip
- $80-150 (boat day trip to Rock Islands)
Activities
- Museum
- $5-10 (Belau National Museum, Etpison Museum)
- Sites
- $100 (Rock Islands 5-day permit)
- Tour
- $80-120 (Peleliu day trip, kayak tour)
- Dive
- $150-220 (two-tank dive trip with top operators)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Palau costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$630-840/week (hostel, market food, one dive day, kayak rental)
Midrange traveller
$1750-2800/week (mid hotel, mix of restaurants, 3 dive trips, Rock Islands tour)
Luxury traveller
$4200-7000+/week (luxury resort, fine dining, daily dive trips, private boat charters)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Book dive packages through your hotel to get combined accommodation and diving discounts - many hotels partner with operators for 10-20% savings
The $100 Rock Islands permit is valid for 5 days - plan your itinerary to make full use of this permit across multiple days rather than a single visit
Eat breakfast and lunch at Koror Public Market and food trucks to significantly cut food costs; save restaurant budgets for one special dinner per stay
Rent a car ($50-60/day) to explore Babeldaob independently rather than joining organized tours at $80-150 per person
Travel May-November (wet season) for accommodation rates 20-40% lower than peak dry season, though some dive visibility decreases
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Koror Waterfront Walk
Stroll along the main waterfront road past the marina, dive shops, and harbor watching traditional outrigger canoes and passing fishing boats at no cost.
Belau National Museum Grounds
The museum exterior and traditional bai architecture outside can be appreciated freely; a small fee applies to enter exhibits inside.
Koror Public Market
Browsing the morning market and watching vendors arrange tropical produce, fresh fish, and local handicrafts costs nothing and offers authentic daily life scenes.
Koror-Babeldaob Bridge Viewpoint
Pull off at the bridge viewpoint for stunning free panoramic views over the Rock Islands lagoon and Koror harbor, especially beautiful at sunset.
Ngerulmud Capitol Grounds
Walk the grounds of Palau's dramatic hilltop capitol building with sweeping lagoon views; free to visit during daylight hours on weekdays.
Badrulchau Stone Monoliths Walk
Small entry fee ($5) but the walk through savanna grassland to the ancient stone columns and the views are exceptional value for history enthusiasts.