A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manila vs. Aoraki Mount Cook for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Manila or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Manila and Aoraki Mount Cook can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Manila or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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.

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Manila?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $94, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $105. 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 Manila and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manila $55
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manila $110
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Manila and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Manila or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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.

Hotels in Manila


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


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: Manila Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manila $14
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27

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
  • Escape to Enchanting Hidden Valley Springs! with Transfers***: $170
  • Adventure Awaits: Spelunking at Cavinti Cave Complex w/ Transfers: $160
  • Active Taal Volcano experience 2024 (with transfers): $140
  • Amazing Pagsanjan Falls with Authentic filipino lunch Plus Transfers frm manila*: $139
  • Nagpatong Rock Day hike + Tungtong Falls(with transfers**) 2023: $130
  • Day Hike Mt. Batulao 811 meters with transfers from Manila** 2024: $130
  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120
  • ⭐ Manila International Airport Car Transfer To & From City⭐: $72
  • Half Day Historical Manila City tour and much more with transfers: $70
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
  • Manila Airport (MNL): One-way Private Transfers: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Manila 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 day
    Manila $18
    Aoraki Mount Cook $26

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.

  • Manila Night Market and food tour Experience: $58
  • Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $63
  • ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $63
  • Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
  • Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
  • Food Tour at the World's Oldest Chinatown: $75
  • Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $81
  • Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
  • Cultural Dinner and Show in Manila: $145

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manila $20
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23

Tours and Activities in Manila

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:

  • Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
  • Bataan Death March Memorial Historical Tour : $188
  • Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $72
  • Corregidor daytour Via Manila to Bataan: $298
  • Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $80
  • Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
  • From 4-Day Sagada and Banaue Rice Terraces Tour: $338
  • From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
  • From Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure: $160
  • From Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $106
  • From Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour: $150
  • From Taal Volcano Island & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $135

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Fox Glacier Nature Tour: $54
  • Franz Josef Nature Tour: $54
  • Mt. Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (1-way) : $106
  • From Christchurch: Mount Cook One-Way Discovery Tour: $118
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch via Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour 1 way: $120
  • Mount Cook to Queenstown Day Tour: $148
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $151
  • Mt Cook Small Group Tour from Queenstown with Optional Activities : $151
  • Mt Cook & Hooker Valley Hike Small Group Tour from Queenstown: $151
  • (MT) Mount Cook & Lake Tekapo Day Tour from Christchurch: $178
  • Gold Hunting Adventures: $223
  • 45-Minute Mount Cook Ski Plane and Helicopter Combo Tour: $289

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manila $9.97
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Kinross Winery: Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $27
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


When comparing the travel costs between Manila and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Manila is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Manila Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.