Which place is cheaper, New York City or Manila?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Manila or New York City?
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 New York City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Manila or New York City?
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.
New York City
The most populated city in the United States, New York City, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River and encompasses both the island of Manhattan as well as the surrounding land on Long Island, most of which is known as Brooklyn. It's a cultural, culinary, theatrical, and art center that has much to offer domestic and international travelers alike. The city covers an area of 305 square miles and has a population of about 8.2 million people in the city proper with 18.7 million in the metropolitan area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, and The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayManila $93New York City $326
The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $93, while the average daily cost in New York City is $326. 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 New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManila $54New York City $175
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManila $108New York City $350
Compare Hotels in Manila and New York City
Looking for a hotel in Manila or New York City? 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 New York City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manila $14New York City $49
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 New York City
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New York City are as follows:
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Subway$4.50
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Taxi Ride$8.00
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Subway$2.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New York City
Also for New York City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Manhattan: Bus Transfer from/to Newark Airport: $21
- New York: 1-Way Transfer to/from JFK & Grand Central Station: $27
- Midtown/Lower Manhattan -JFK: Private Airport Departure Transfers: $29
- Newark Liberty International Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to / from NYC: $34
- Private Departure Transfers from Upper Manhattan to JFK Airport: $34
- EWR to Manhattan: One Way Shared Arrival Transfer: $34
- Manhattan to EWR: One Way Shared Departure Transfer: $34
- Manhattan to JFK: One Way Shared Departure Transfer : $34
- JFK to Manhattan: One Way Shared Arrival Transfer : $34
- LGA to Manhattan: One Way Shared Arrival Transfer: $34
- Manhattan to LGA: One Way Shared Departure Transfer: $34
- NYC: One-Way Shared Transfer to or from Newark Airport: $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City 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 $18New York City $50
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 New York City
For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Gelato$7.50
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Snacks for Two at Yankees Game$34
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Coffee$6.53
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Smoothie$6.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New York City
For New York City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- New York, Queens Culinary Stroll : Food Tour on Foot: $26
- Lower East Side and Essex Market Multicultural Food Tour: $39
- Half-Day Private Pizza Crawl in Manhattan: $40
- Ultimate Greenwich Village NYC Food Tour: $63
- NYC: Greenwich Village Guided Food Tour: $63
- Pizza Walking Tour of Downtown Brooklyn: $65
- Greenwich Village NYC Pizza Walking Tour: $65
- West Village Pizza Walk: $65
- East Village Pizza Walk: $65
- Downtown Brooklyn Pizza Walking Tour: $65
- East Village NYC Pizza Walking Tour: $65
- Gastro Pub Pre/Post Theater Dinner in Times Square: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Manila $19New York City $180
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 New York City
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New York City's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Comedy Show Tickets$56
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City Map$8.00
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Broadway Musical$111
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Broadway Show Program$10
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Magazine$6.99
Tours and Activities in New York City
For New York City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Central Park NYC: First Discovery Walk and Reading Tour: $3.23
- Brooklyn Bridge Self-Guided Bike or Walking Tour Application: $5.00
- Self Guided Central Park Bike or Walking Tour Application: $5.00
- Central Park: Self-guided Bike Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Marvel Universe in New York In-app Audio Tour in English: $5.00
- New York City's Financial District: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.34
- New York World's Fair Site: Explore its utopian future on an audio tour: $5.39
- Broadway: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of the World's Iconic Theatre District: $5.39
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in New York: $5.45
- Central Park Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
- Self Guided "Central Park Movie Tour" Solo Walking Tour in New York City: $6.75
- Private Haunted and Historic Audio Tour in Greenwich Village: $6.95
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Things to do in New York City with Kids, Things to Do in Central Park in NYC, and The Best Museums in New York City.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManila $9.88New York City $29
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
- NYC West Village Pub Crawl: $22
- Pub Crawl and Rooftop Clubbing Experience: $29
- New York Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $34
- NYC: Brooklyn Nightlife Pub Crawl: $34
- New York Rooftop Pub Crawl: $39
- NYC: Tour Manhattan's Only Whiskey Distillery with Tastings: $42
- Lower East Side & Alphabet City divebar crawl w the Bar Buds: $48
- Little Italy Prohibition Pub Crawl: $64
- Lower East Side Prohibition Pub Crawl: $74
- New York Wine Tasting Experience : $98
- Guided Brooklyn Craft Brewery Tour: $99
- Hudson Valley Craft Brewery Bike Tour: $145
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manila and New York City, we can see that New York City 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 New York City is in North America, 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 New York City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New York City 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 New York City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manila or New York City?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 30% larger than the population of New York City. When comparing the sizes of Manila and New York City, 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 New York City?
New York City 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 New York City in the Summer?
Both New York City 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. Also, most visitors come to New York City for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Manila is around the same temperature as New York City. Typically, the summer temperatures in Manila in July average around 27°C (80°F), and New York City averages at about 77°F (25°C).
New York City gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Manila. Manila usually gets more rain in July than New York City. Manila gets 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain, while New York City receives 4.5 inches (114 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyManila 27°C (80°F)New York City 77°F (25°C)
Should I visit Manila or New York City in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Manila and New York City. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Manila year-round. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to New York City because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Manila is generally much warmer than New York City. Daily temperatures in Manila average around 26°C (79°F), and New York City fluctuates around 57°F (14°C).
Manila gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Manila usually receives more rain than New York City. Manila gets 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain, while New York City receives 3.1 inches (78 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberManila 26°C (79°F)New York City 57°F (14°C)
Should I visit Manila or New York City in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Manila as well as New York City. Manila attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine are the main draw to New York City this time of year.
It's quite cold in New York City in the winter. Manila is much warmer than New York City in the winter. The daily temperature in Manila averages around 24°C (76°F) in January, and New York City fluctuates around 31°F (-1°C).
Manila usually gets less rain in January than New York City. Manila gets 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while New York City receives 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryManila 24°C (76°F)New York City 31°F (-1°C)
Should I visit Manila or New York City in the Spring?
Both New York City 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, many travelers come to New York City for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Manila is much warmer than New York City. Typically, the spring temperatures in Manila in April average around 29°C (84°F), and New York City averages at about 52°F (11°C).
In April, Manila usually receives less rain than New York City. Manila gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while New York City receives 3.8 inches (98 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilManila 29°C (84°F)New York City 52°F (11°C)
Typical Weather for New York City and Manila
| Manila | New York City | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (76°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 31°F (-1°C) | 3.4 inches (86 mm) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 33°F (1°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) |
| Mar | 27°C (80°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 42°F (6°C) | 3.9 inches (98 mm) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.8 inches (98 mm) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 4.1 inches (105 mm) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 303 mm (11.9 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.2 inches (82 mm) |
| Jul | 27°C (80°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.5 inches (114 mm) |
| Aug | 27°C (80°F) | 452 mm (17.8 in) | 76°F (24°C) | 3.9 inches (99 mm) |
| Sep | 27°C (80°F) | 357 mm (14.1 in) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 47°F (8°C) | 3.9 inches (99 mm) |
| Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 36°F (2°C) | 3.4 inches (88 mm) |
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.