Spanish bones, American grid, Pacific energy.
At $151/day mid-range, Manila runs 46% under the $279/day global median across 68 cities.
10% cheaper than the Southeast Asia regional average of $168/day mid-range. Regional rank: #7 of 9.
Ranks #13 of 68 cities — roughly cheaper than 81% of the destinations we track.
Manila lands in the cheaper third of the global index — a $151/day mid-range figure that undercuts the $279/day median by 46%. Inside Southeast Asia it's ranked #7 of 9 on daily cost, 10% below the regional average of $168/day. Individual cost lines all track close to the regional norm, so Manila's daily figure is a fair proxy for the region as a whole. Season effect is roughly 48% between low and peak, in line with the global average (~47%), which is why timing the trip to dec–feb shows up on nearly every itinerary that hits the numbers on this page.
On a shoulder-season day in Manila, a budget traveller spends about $65, a mid-range traveller about $151, and a luxury traveller about $421 — per person, covering accommodation, food, local transport, activities, and miscellaneous costs. At $151/day mid-range, Manila is noticeably cheaper than the global median of $279/day.
Time your visit for Dec–Feb and the daily figure stays near the baseline; shift into peak and you'll see roughly a 48% swing between low and peak season for the same mid-range trip ($128 → $189 per day).
Compared with nearby Southeast Asia destinations, Bali is the cheaper neighbour ($128/day), while Kuala Lumpur trends pricier ($171/day).
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| accommodation | $35 | $77 | $228 |
| food | $12 | $32 | $84 |
| transport | $4 | $10 | $25 |
| activities | $9 | $21 | $56 |
| Misc & fees | $5 | $11 | $28 |
| Total per day | $65 | $151 | $421 |
Per person · USD · shoulder-season baseline
| Season | Budget / day | Mid / day | Luxury / day |
|---|---|---|---|
| low | $55 | $128 | $358 |
| shoulder | $65 | $151 | $421 |
| peak | $81 | $189 | $526 |
Best-value window: Dec–Feb
| Length | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $195 | $453 | $1,263 |
| 7 days | $455 | $1,057 | $2,947 |
| 14 days | $910 | $2,114 | $5,894 |
On-the-ground totals · shoulder season · excludes flights and visas