Which place is cheaper, El Nido or Manila?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Manila or El Nido?
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 El Nido can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Manila or El Nido?
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.
El Nido
El Nido is a coastal destination on the Philippine island of Palawan. It consists of about 45 islands and islets all with beautiful beachfront scenery and plenty of opportunities for experiencing nature above and below the water. Some of the island's best features include limestone karst cliffs, coral reefs, lagoons, coves, and waterfalls.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best Adventure Tours to Philippines, and The Best Eco Tours in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayManila $95El Nido $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $95, while the average daily cost in El Nido is $40. 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 El Nido in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManila $55El Nido $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManila $110El Nido $28
Compare Hotels in Manila and El Nido
Looking for a hotel in Manila or El Nido? 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: Manila Hotel Prices and El Nido Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manila $15El Nido $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Manila HTL-APT (MNL): $19
- Transfers from Manila, Makati, Taguig and Pasay Hotel to Airport: $50
- Round-trip Coron Airport Transfer + Town Tour (Shared): $31
- Quality Safe and Reliable Manila Airport Transfers: $49
- 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: $47
- Private One-way Transfer From Manila To Manila Airport: $22
- Private Departure Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
- Private Departure Airport Transfer in Manila Bay and Makati Area: $23
- Private Car Airport Transfer: $108
- Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Nido
Also for El Nido, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- El Nido Town: Transfers to/from Nacpan Beach: $12
- Private Transfer From El Nido Lio Airport To El Nido Hotels: $20
- Lio Airport to/from Hotel Transfers: $36
- El Nido (Lio) Airport Transfers: $50
- Island Hopping TOUR A with Lunch, Transfer & EDTF: $52
- Private Van Transfer : From El Nido to Puerto Princesa Palawan: $150
- Private Transfer from El Nido to Port Barton Palawan: $150
- El Nido Big Lagoon and Tropical Island Private Tour with Transfer: $179
- EXPEDITION HAPPINESS PRIVATE TRANSFER: $196
Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or El Nido?
Prices for flights to both El Nido 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
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Food Meals for one dayManila $18El Nido $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.
- ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $64
- Ugbo Manila Night Market and Street Food Tour: $64
- 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: $65
- Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $69
- Authentic Manila Chinatown Food Tour Exploration : $75
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $82
- Intramuros and Chinatown Food Tour with Tuktuk Ride: $99
- Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
- Day Tour in Manilas History and Savor a Cultural Dinner: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Manila $20El Nido $5.43
Tours and Activities in Manila
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:
- Shared Cruise Shore Excursion of Manila Old and New City Tour: $70
- A Full Day Tour Adventure From Manila’s History to Volcano Views: $180
- Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
- Alluring Floating Cottage and Island Tour : $180
- Amazing Taal Volcano Tour (Boat Included): $125
- Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $73
- Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $85
- Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
- Experience Manila's Heritage: Intramuros & More in Half a Day!: $75
- From 2-Day Buscalan Tour with Apo Whang-od: $125
- From 4-Day Sagada and Banaue Rice Terraces Tour: $390
- From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
Tours and Activities in El Nido
For El Nido, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Nido Island Tour A: $21
- El Nido Island Tour D: $21
- Sharing/Joiner Island Hopping Tour A w/BUFFET LUNCH: $22
- El Nido Island Tour A: $22
- One-Way Zipline Adventure with Sea & Cliff Views: $22
- Island Hopping Tour A Lagoons and Beaches: $23
- Tour A with Big Lagoon: $23
- Shared El Nido Tour A: $23
- Shared El Nido Tour D: $23
- El Nido Island Tour B: $23
- Hidden Beaches and Lagoons Boat Hopping Tour D: $23
- Island Hopping Tour B Cudognong Cave & More: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManila $10El Nido $8.45
Sample the Local Flavors in Manila
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Manila:
- Makati Pub Crawl with Venus: $52
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manila and El Nido, we can see that Manila is more expensive. And not only is El Nido much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to El Nido would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Nido 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 Manila would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manila than you might in El Nido.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Manila Expensive? and Is El Nido Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manila or El Nido?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 1340 times larger than the population of El Nido. When comparing the sizes of Manila and El Nido, 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.
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.