Manila on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes. Manila is easy on a budget: allow about ₱2,300 per person per day, with about ₱1,200 for a shared room, ₱600 for food, ₱300 for sights and ₱200 for transport. Free national museums and cheap street food help.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | ₱1,200 | ₱3,000 | ₱7,000 |
| Food & drink | ₱600 | ₱1,500 | ₱3,500 |
| Sights & tickets | ₱300 | ₱800 | ₱2,000 |
| Local transport | ₱200 | ₱600 | ₱1,500 |
| Per person, per day | ₱2,300 | ₱5,900 | ₱14,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Manila day-cost table.
Free things to do
- National Museum of Fine Arts, with Juan Luna's Spoliarium (free; reserve online, closed Mondays).
- National Museum of Anthropology, across the road (free).
- Rizal Park and the Rizal Monument.
- Sunset over Manila Bay along Roxas Boulevard.
- Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati.
- Quiapo Church, home of the Black Nazarene, and Escolta's old commercial street.
Cheap eats
- Pork-and-chive dumplings, fried siopao and hopia on Ongpin Street in Binondo: ₱80-250 a stop.
- Sisig or grilled pork in Malate: ₱250-450 a plate.
- Pancit canton and lumpia in Binondo: ₱300-500 for a meal.
- Longganisa, lechon and mango at the Salcedo or Legazpi weekend markets: from about ₱150.
- Turo-turo (point-point) canteen meals of rice and a dish: about ₱100-200.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Malate and Ermita, near Manila Bay and a short ride to Intramuros, at about ₱1,500-3,000 a double; check reviews, as standards vary. Hostels also exist in Makati's Poblacion.
Getting around cheaply
Use the LRT-1 (₱15-35) along Taft Avenue past Ermita and Malate, and the MRT-3 along EDSA through Makati. Jeepneys cost about ₱13-15 for short hops. From NAIA, Grab or yellow airport taxis are the easiest; airport buses also run to some city points more cheaply.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Fort Santiago (about ₱75) and San Agustin Church in Intramuros.
- Lunch: canteen meal in Intramuros or Ermita (about ₱200).
- Afternoon: free National Museums and Rizal Park.
- Evening: Manila Bay sunset and sisig in Malate (about ₱350), with a budget room nearby.
- Total: about ₱2,300
More ways to save
- Do Intramuros' outdoor walls early and the museums after 11:00, when it is hottest.
- Use LRT-1 between Malate, Rizal Park and Binondo's edge to avoid Grab fares.
- Visit the weekend markets in Makati for a cheap, excellent breakfast.
- Carry small notes and coins for jeepneys and street food.
- Skip the Bambike tour (about ₱1,200) and walk the walls if budget is tight.
- Travel outside rush hour; it saves both time and Grab surge fees.
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Common questions
Is Manila good for budget travellers?
Yes: free national museums, cheap street food and ₱15-35 train rides make it easy.
Are the National Museums free?
Yes. The Fine Arts and Anthropology museums are free; reserve a slot online and note they close on Mondays.
Where do budget travellers stay?
In Malate and Ermita, at about ₱1,500-3,000 a double, or hostels in Poblacion.