What Manila
costs
Manila runs about ₱1,800–2,800 a day for backpackers, ₱4,500–8,500 mid-range and ₱13,000+ for luxury, per person. The peso sits near a record low of about ₱61 to the US dollar, which makes the city roughly 8–10% cheaper in dollars than in 2024 even though peso prices have risen. The costs that catch people out are the ₱950 international terminal fee, the ₱250 foreign-card ATM fee on every withdrawal, and attraction gate prices that run double the online rate.
What your Manila trip will cost
Peso amounts with a live dollar conversion at ₱61 to the dollar. The international terminal fee is included because it is per person and genuinely catches people out.
Excludes international flights and travel insurance. Room costs assume two people sharing. Add 30–80% to Grab estimates if you travel in rain or after midnight.
What things actually cost in Manila, 2026
| Item | Price | In USD |
|---|---|---|
| Carinderia lunch | ₱50–150 | $0.80–2.50 |
| Jollibee Chickenjoy meal | ₱120–250 | $2–4 |
| Binondo food crawl, per head | ₱400–500 | $6.50–8 |
| Casual restaurant meal | ₱250–600 | $4–10 |
| Bib Gourmand dinner | ₱600–1,500 | $10–25 |
| One-star tasting menu | ₱3,900–8,500 | $64–139 |
| San Miguel in a shop / in a bar | ₱60–120 / ₱120–250 | $1–4 |
| Cocktail in Poblacion | ₱350–600 | $6–10 |
| Flat white | ₱160–250 | $2.60–4 |
| Grab across a district | ₱150–300 | $2.50–5 |
| Grab NAIA to Makati | ₱250–450 | $4–7.50 |
| LRT-1 ride | ₱15–35 | $0.25–0.60 |
| Fort Santiago entry | ₱75 | $1.25 |
| Manila Ocean Park online / gate | ₱720–1,000 / ₱2,000+ | $12–16 / $33+ |
| Hostel dorm bed | ₱700–1,400 | $11–23 |
| Mid-range double room | ₱1,900–3,800 | $31–62 |
| Four-star double room | ₱6,500–11,000 | $107–180 |
| NAIA international terminal fee | ₱950 | $15.50 |
| ATM withdrawal fee (foreign card) | ₱250 | $4 |
Converted at ₱61 to the US dollar, August 2026. The peso hit an all-time low of ₱63.19 in April 2026; inflation ran 7.2% in April, easing to 6.4% by June. Locals are squeezed by exactly the movement that makes the city cheaper for you.
Five costs that catch visitors out
None of these are scams. All of them are avoidable, and together they are worth a few thousand pesos on a short trip.
Gate prices versus online. Manila Ocean Park is ₱720–1,000 online and over ₱2,000 at the window. The M in BGC is ₱300 online and ₱550 walk-in. Book the night before, every time.
The ₱250 ATM fee. Charged per transaction by essentially every Philippine bank on foreign cards, with withdrawal caps of ₱10,000–20,000. Take the maximum each time and decline dynamic currency conversion.
Grab surge. Rain and the post-midnight bar exodus add 30–80%. If it is raining in Poblacion at 2am, a fifteen-minute wait usually costs less than the surge does.
The dampa cooking fee. At paluto seafood markets you buy by the kilo then pay a restaurant ₱150–400 per kilo to cook it. Agree the fee first and watch the scales — overcharging is the single most common complaint in reviews of Seaside Macapagal.
The kalesa. A legitimate Intramuros ride is about ₱350 for 30 minutes. The unrequested “city tour” version bills per 30 minutes for hours and has produced documented demands of ₱2,000–2,800. Total price and duration in writing, or walk.
Manila costs FAQ
How much does a trip to Manila cost per day?
Backpackers ₱1,800–2,800 a day per person, mid-range travellers ₱4,500–8,500, and luxury from ₱13,000. At ₱61 to the dollar that is roughly $30, $75–140 and $215 upward. Food and transport are cheap; hotels are the line item that moves the total.
Is Manila expensive for tourists?
No, and it is cheaper in dollars than it was in 2024 because the peso sits near a record low. A carinderia lunch is about $1.50, a Grab across town under $5, and a Michelin one-star tasting menu $64–139. Hotel value is the weak point — you get less room for your money than in Bangkok or Hanoi.
How much cash should I carry in Manila?
₱2,000–3,000 a day in small notes. Jeepneys, tricycles, markets, Binondo and street food are cash-only, and “walang barya” — no change — is a national condition. Withdraw the ATM maximum each time because the foreign-card fee is ₱250 per transaction regardless of amount.
Do you tip in Manila?
A 10% service charge is added at most sit-down restaurants and goes to staff by law, so extra tipping is optional. Where there is no service charge, 5–10% is normal. Grab drivers ₱20–50, bellhops ₱50–100, and nothing at all in carinderias or on the street.
What is the NAIA terminal fee and do I have to pay it?
₱950 for international departures and ₱390 domestic, raised in September 2025. It is normally already inside your ticket price, so most travellers never pay it at a counter — check your booking before joining a queue. The separate ₱1,620 travel tax does not apply to short-stay foreign tourists.