Which place is cheaper, Manila or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Athens or Manila?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Manila. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Athens or Manila?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
Manila
A sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 12 million people, Manila is one huge, misunderstood concrete jungle, full of diverse cultures, traffic, pollution, restaurants, shopping malls, noise and nightlife. If you're looking to soak in culture and feel the vibe of a place rather than seeking a city that specifically caters to tourists, Manila is the place to be. Capital of the Philippines, Manila is also the center for education, business, and transportation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines.
-
Athens Prices
Greece PricesManila Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €154Manila €84
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €154, while the average daily cost in Manila is €84. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Manila in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Manila €43
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Manila €86
Compare Hotels in Athens and Manila
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Manila? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Athens Hotel Prices and Manila Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Manila €11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
-
Airport Bus for Two€6.40
-
Metro€1.50
-
Metro€2.00
-
Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
-
Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Airport Athens to Centre Athens: $24
- One way Private Transfer Athens City Center to / from Piraeus Port: $25
- Private Transfer:Athens City to Piraeus Cruise Port: $26
- Santorini: Private Airport and Port Transfer Service: $26
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City Center: $27
- Athens Airport Private Transfer to Piraeus Port with Meet & Greet: $28
- Departure Transfer from Athens City to Piraeus Port: $28
- Athens Hotels to Piraeus Port Private Transfer: $28
- Piraeus port to Athens hotels Private arrival transfer: $29
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens: $30
- Athens Airport to and from Rafina or Lavrio Port Private Transfer: $30
- Mercedes Private Transfer from Athens to Piraeus Port: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:
- Full On 5-7 hours ATV Adventure Rivers-Mountains-Jungle with Transfers Manila: $280
- Safe and secure Airport Transfer Best in Manila: $216
- Escape to Enchanting Hidden Valley Springs! with Transfers***: $170
- Amazing Pagsanjan Falls with Authentic filipino lunch Plus Transfers frm manila*: $150
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120
- Amazing Taal Volcano Island Boat Tour with Transfers: $120
- Airport Transfer from Manila Airport: $96
- METRO MANILA AIRPORT TRANSFERS | VAN: $64
- Manila Int Airport (MNL) to Manila - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $52
- Transfers from Manila, Makati, Taguig and Pasay Hotel to Airport: $50
- Quality Safe and Reliable Manila Airport Transfers: $49
- Private Departure Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Manila?
Prices for flights to both Manila and Athens change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayAthens €64Manila €24
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
-
Ice cream€3.00
-
Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Classic Athens Food Tour with Local Drink & Market Visit: $70
- Acropolis Food Tour with a Local Friend: $77
- Athens Traditional Food Tour: $80
- Athens at Night Enchanting Walking Tour and Dinner Delights: $83
- Taste of Athens Small-Group Food Tour: $83
- Small Group Greek Traditional Food Tour in Athens 20+ Tastings: $83
- Athens Food Tour: Flavors of Asia Minor (private group): $83
- Around Greece in 5 Dishes: Dinner, Theater & Music: $85
- Quick Greek Street Food Cooking Class in Athens: $89
- Greek Cooking Class near Poseidon’s Temple in Sounio with Antonia: $90
- Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.
- Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $60
- Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $60
- Ugbo Manila Street Food Tour with Tuktuk Ride: $60
- ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $62
- Guided Food Tour of Binondo with Tastings: $65
- Street Food tour & Local Jeepney, Tuktuk Ride: $66
- Binondo Chinatown Food Tour with Free Food Samples: $70
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour with Local Guide: $71
- Intramuros and Chinatown Food Tour with Food Samples: $80
- Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $105
- A taste of Manila's History & Filipino Culture with Buffet Dinner: $175
- Subic: Sunset Dinner Yacht Cruise from Manila & Clark: $212
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Manila €15
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- A Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- Athens Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $5.91
- Athens Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h20 and 29 Audio Reviews: $6.98
- The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
- Athens Interactive City Tour: $8.29
- Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket): $9.46
- Traditional Greek Food: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Athens: $9.99
- Athens Olympic Museum ticket: $11
- Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Corinth Tour: $12
- Secret A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Ancient Agora of Audio Tour on Your Phone (no ticket): $14
- Athens Museum of Cycladic Art | AdmissionTicket: $14
Tours and Activities in Manila
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:
- (Excursion) Day tour in Manila: $258
- A Full Day Tour Adventure From Manila’s History to Volcano Views: $180
- A Night in Old Intramuros Walking Tour: $23
- Amazing Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Tour 2in1: $125
- Antipolo Day Tour with Cloud 9 and Pinto Art Museum: $80
- BAGUIO CITY DAY TOUR (FROM MANILA): $357
- BANAUE:BATAD Rice Terraces with Sagada 4D3N PRIVATE TOUR: $7,130
- Banaue-Hapao Rice Terraces (Car Rental W/ Manila Tourist Driver): $300
- Cavite Leisure And Farm Tour: $170
- Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $71
- Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $85
- Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $39
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Manila €7.84
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Greek Honey Tasting Experience at our Old Distillery: $13
- Athens Party Pub Crawl w/ 1-hour Open Bar & VIP Nightclub Access: $17
- The NightCrawlers | Athens Bar Hopping | Pub Crawl: $22
- Saturday Night Pub Crawl for Professionals in Athens, Greece: $25
- Thursday & Friday Night Pub Crawl for Professionals in Athens: $25
- Athens Exclusive Hellenic Wine Tasting Experience at Brettos: $37
- Organic and Vegan Indigenous Wine Tasting Private Experience: $47
- Athens Small Group Wine Tasting with a Sommelier: $53
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting: $58
- Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $58
- Athens Ultimate Bar Crawl: $59
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store: $66
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Manila, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Manila much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Manila is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Manila would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Manila and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Manila.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Manila Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Manila?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Manila, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Athens or Manila?
Athens has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Manila experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Athens or Manila in the Summer?
Both Manila and Athens during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Athens for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Manila year-round.
Athens is around the same temperature as Manila in the summer. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Manila fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
Manila gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Athens usually gets less rain in July than Manila. Athens gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Manila receives 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyAthens 27°C (81°F)Manila 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Athens or Manila in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Athens and Manila. Many visitors come to Athens in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Manila attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Athens is cooler than Manila. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Athens in October average around 19°C (67°F), and Manila averages at about 26°C (79°F).
Manila receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Athens usually receives less rain than Manila. Athens gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Manila receives 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberAthens 19°C (67°F)Manila 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Athens or Manila in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Athens as well as Manila. Most visitors come to Athens for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Manila throughout the year.
In January, Athens is generally much colder than Manila. Daily temperatures in Athens average around 10°C (51°F), and Manila fluctuates around 24°C (76°F).
Athens usually gets more rain in January than Manila. Athens gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Manila receives 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryAthens 10°C (51°F)Manila 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Athens or Manila in the Spring?
Both Manila and Athens are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Athens because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to Manila because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Athens is much colder than Manila in the spring. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 16°C (60°F) in April, and Manila fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
In April, Athens usually receives more rain than Manila. Athens gets 25 mm (1 in) of rain, while Manila receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilAthens 16°C (60°F)Manila 29°C (84°F)
Typical Weather for Manila and Athens
| Athens | Manila | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 10°C (51°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
| Feb | 11°C (51°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (76°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 303 mm (11.9 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 452 mm (17.8 in) |
| Sep | 24°C (76°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 357 mm (14.1 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (67°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) |
| Nov | 16°C (60°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.