Manila
Mostly a gateway; Makati and BGC price like a different country.
- Lean
- $31
- Comfort
- $156
Cheaper. Tracks Philippines as a whole.
Pricier than the national figure of $65 a day.
The short answerIn US dollars, as of November 12, 2026
As of November 12, 2026, a mid-range day in Manila costs about $68 per person, excluding flights: about 5% more than the average for Philippines. For US-dollar travelers it is 6.3% cheaper than a year ago after inflation, in line with Philippines as a whole. Mostly a gateway; Makati and BGC price like a different country.
What your money buys in Philippines
Exchange rates and inflation are national, so the city follows this line. The dashed line is the exchange rate alone; the solid line is after inflation.
Manila, in five questions
City costs are the national model scaled by a premium of +5% that we set by hand. To cite: “Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026.”
- How much does a day in Manila cost?
- About $31 on a lean budget, $68 mid-range and $156 in comfort, per person per day as of November 12, 2026, excluding international flights. These are modeled estimates: the national figure for Philippines, updated daily, scaled by a city premium.
- Is Manila expensive compared with the rest of Philippines?
- Manila costs about 5% more than the national average for Philippines, which is $65 a day mid-range. Mostly a gateway; Makati and BGC price like a different country.
- Is Manila cheaper to visit than last year?
- The exchange rate moved +7.9% for US-dollar holders over twelve months while prices in Philippines rose +5.1%, a real change of +6.3%. City prices broadly follow the country.
- When is the best time to visit Manila for lower prices?
- For Philippines the shoulder months, with workable weather and lower prices, are May, November. Peak season is December, January, February, March, April.
- Is Manila safe?
- The US State Department rates Philippines at Level 2: Increased caution. Country-wide levels can hide large differences between cities and regions, so read the full advisory.