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

Should you visit Manila or Edinburgh?

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 Edinburgh can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Manila or Edinburgh?

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.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.


Which place is cheaper, Edinburgh or Manila?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $93, while the average daily cost in Edinburgh is $178. 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 Edinburgh in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manila $54
    Edinburgh $93
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manila $108
    Edinburgh $186
Compare Hotels in Manila and Edinburgh

Looking for a hotel in Manila or Edinburgh? 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 Edinburgh


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 and Edinburgh Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manila $14
    Edinburgh $21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:

  • ⭐ Manila International Airport Car Transfer To & From City⭐: $73
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Manila APT-HTL (MNL) : $30
  • Tagaytay + Hidden Valley Springs: A Scenic Escape w/ Transfers: $200
  • Round-trip Coron Airport Transfer + Town Tour (Shared): $31
  • Puerto Princesa Airport to El Nido Transfer: $25
  • Private Transfer from Manila Airport (MNL) to Manila Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Clark Airport (CRK) to Subic Bay Port: $46
  • Private Departure Airport Transfer in Manila Bay and Makati Area: $23
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
  • Private Arrival Airport Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120
  • Nagpatong Rock Day hike + Tungtong Falls(with transfers**) 2023: $130

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:


  • Local Bus
    $4.52

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh

Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Edinburgh Airport: Bus Transfer: $5.65
  • Private Transfer from Edinburgh Airport to South Queensferry Port: $28
  • Private Transfer from Edinburgh Hotels to Newhaven Cruise Port: $28
  • Private Transfer from South Queensferry Port to Edinburgh hotels: $28
  • Private Transfer from South Queensferry Port to Edinburgh Airport: $28
  • Edinburgh Airport: Private Arrival or Departure Transfers: $38
  • Private One-Way Transfer from Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport: $41
  • Private Transfer - South Queensferry Port to Glasgow Airport(GLA): $46
  • Private Transfer from South Queensferry Port to Glasgow Hotels: $50
  • Royal Highland Braemar Gathering, transfer from Edinburgh: $56
  • Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh Accommodation Arrival Transfer: $59
  • Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glasgow - Arrival Private Transfer: $60

Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or Edinburgh?

Prices for flights to both Edinburgh 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
    Edinburgh $49

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
  • ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $64
  • Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
  • Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
  • Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $69
  • Food Tour at the World's Oldest Chinatown: $75
  • Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $82
  • Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
  • Cultural Dinner and Show in Manila: $145

Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh

For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Breakfast
    $11
  • Dinner at Filling Station
    $13
  • Lunch for Two
    $19
  • Sandwich
    $2.32
  • Cheese & bread
    $9.07
  • Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)
    $31
  • 2 Coffees and Scones
    $7.28
  • Turkish Delight
    $1.76
  • Soup at the Pub
    $7.40

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh

For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
  • Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $33
  • Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $88
  • Edinburgh Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
  • Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
  • Edinburgh Food Tour: $100
  • 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
  • 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
  • Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $121
  • The 10 Tastings of Edinburgh With Locals: Private Food Tour: $162
  • Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $188

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manila $19
    Edinburgh $25

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: $73
  • 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: $342
  • From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
  • From Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure: $160
  • From Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $107
  • From Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour: $150
  • From Taal Volcano Island & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $135

Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Show Tickets
    $40
  • Movie Tickets for Two
    $15
  • Donation for Storytellers
    $7.53

Tours and Activities in Edinburgh

For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Escape Game and Tour: $3.77
  • Edinburgh Stand Up Comedy Ticket Show in Scotland: $5.08
  • Audio Tour Royal Mile: del Castillo hasta "The Tron Kirk": $5.37
  • Edinbourgh, Royal mile: walking tour with audio guide: $5.38
  • Edinburgh Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $5.60
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
  • Audio Tour through History of Crime: $7.00
  • Edinburgh Royal mile: Self-guided walking tour: $7.20
  • Must-See In App Audio Tour: $7.61
  • Harry Potter’s A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
  • Edinburgh Royal Mile (New Self Guided Tour) : $8.02

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manila $9.88
    Edinburgh $19

Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:


  • Beer & Wine
    $18
  • Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern
    $2.07

Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh

Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
  • Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
  • Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
  • Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
  • East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
  • Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
  • Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
  • Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
  • Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
  • Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
  • Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
  • The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manila and Edinburgh, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Manila much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Manila is in Asia and Edinburgh is in Europe, 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh 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 Manila Expensive? and Is Edinburgh Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Manila or Edinburgh?

Manila has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Edinburgh. When comparing the sizes of Manila and Edinburgh, 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 Manila or Edinburgh?

Edinburgh 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 Manila or Edinburgh in the Summer?

Both Edinburgh and Manila during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Manila because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many visitors come to Edinburgh in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Manila is generally much warmer than Edinburgh. Daily temperatures in Manila average around 27°C (80°F), and Edinburgh fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Manila. Manila usually gets more rain in July than Edinburgh. Manila gets 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Manila 27°C (80°F) 
    Edinburgh 14°C (58°F)

Should I visit Manila or Edinburgh in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Manila and Edinburgh. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Manila year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Edinburgh for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

Manila is much warmer than Edinburgh in the autumn. The daily temperature in Manila averages around 26°C (79°F) in October, and Edinburgh fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).

Manila gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Manila usually receives more rain than Edinburgh. Manila gets 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Manila 26°C (79°F) 
    Edinburgh 10°C (49°F)

Should I visit Manila or Edinburgh in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Manila as well as Edinburgh. Manila attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to Edinburgh because of the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.

The weather in Edinburgh can be very cold. In the winter, Manila is much warmer than Edinburgh. Typically, the winter temperatures in Manila in January average around 24°C (76°F), and Edinburgh averages at about 3°C (38°F).

Manila usually gets less rain in January than Edinburgh. Manila gets 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Manila 24°C (76°F) 
    Edinburgh 3°C (38°F)

Should I visit Manila or Edinburgh in the Spring?

Both Edinburgh and Manila are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Manila throughout the year. Also, the activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Edinburgh this time of year.

In April, Manila is generally much warmer than Edinburgh. Daily temperatures in Manila average around 29°C (84°F), and Edinburgh fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).

In April, Manila usually receives less rain than Edinburgh. Manila gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Manila 29°C (84°F) 
    Edinburgh 7°C (45°F)

Typical Weather for Edinburgh and Manila

Manila Edinburgh
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 24°C (76°F) 17 mm (0.7 in) 3°C (38°F) 61 mm (2.4 in)
Feb 25°C (77°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 3°C (38°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Mar 27°C (80°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 5°C (41°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Apr 29°C (84°F) 18 mm (0.7 in) 7°C (45°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
May 29°C (83°F) 142 mm (5.6 in) 10°C (49°F) 46 mm (1.8 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 303 mm (11.9 in) 13°C (55°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Jul 27°C (80°F) 408 mm (16.1 in) 14°C (58°F) 56 mm (2.2 in)
Aug 27°C (80°F) 452 mm (17.8 in) 14°C (58°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Sep 27°C (80°F) 357 mm (14.1 in) 12°C (54°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Oct 26°C (79°F) 240 mm (9.4 in) 10°C (49°F) 67 mm (2.6 in)
Nov 25°C (77°F) 121 mm (4.8 in) 5°C (42°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Dec 23°C (73°F) 50 mm (2 in) 4°C (39°F) 64 mm (2.5 in)