Which place is cheaper, San Diego or Manila?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Manila or San Diego?
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 San Diego can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Manila or San Diego?
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.
San Diego
For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas.
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Manila Prices
Philippines PricesSan Diego Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayManila $98San Diego $233
The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $98, while the average daily cost in San Diego is $233. 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 San Diego in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManila $50San Diego $115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManila $100San Diego $230
Compare Hotels in Manila and San Diego
Looking for a hotel in Manila or San Diego? 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 San Diego Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manila $13San Diego $23
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego
Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer from San Diego Airport SAN: $48
- San Diego hotel/address to San Diego Airport (SAN) - Departure Private Transfer: $64
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Marcos, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $65
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Carlsbad, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $65
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Hot Springs/Ocotillo, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $65
- One Way Airport Hotel Shuttle Transfer: $68
- Private Transfer from San Diego City Hotels to San Diego Port: $70
- Private Transfer from San Diego Port to San Diego Airport (SAN): $70
- Private Transfer from San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Diego Port: $70
- Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) – Departure Private Transfer: $70
- Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Tijuana hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $70
- Private Transfer from San Diego (SAN) Airport to San Diego City: $86
Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or San Diego?
Prices for flights to both San Diego 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 $29San Diego $77
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
Typical Food Prices in San Diego
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:
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Mexican Lunch for Two$27
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Breakfast at Starbucks$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2-Hour Pasta Cooking Class at a Local Brewery: $75
- 2-Hour Ravioli Cooking Class With Local Chef: $75
- Tijuana Walking Street Food Tour for Foodies: $79
- Pizza and Ice Cream Walking Tour: $80
- Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $84
- San Diego Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- Vegan Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour: Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $89
- Christmas Eve Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $95
- Christmas Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $95
- Gaslamp District Food Tour with 6 Modern Dishes: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Manila $18San Diego $48
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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San Diego Zoo$15
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Sea World Parking$12
Tours and Activities in San Diego
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.
- Self-guided Bike Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Tijuana Downtown Self Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of San Diego’s Scenic Waterfront: $9.99
- Gaslamp Quarter Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
- La Jolla Coast & Cove Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $9.99
- Pies & Pickaxes: A Historic Walking Tour of Julian, CA: $9.99
- Self-Guided Walking Tour of San Diego's Historic Old Town: $9.99
- Sights of San Diego Harbor: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $11
- San Diego Natural History Museum Ticket: $12
- Whaley House Museum Self-Guided Tour: $14
- San Diego Gas Lamp: At your leisure & pace. An audio walking tour.: $15
- Embarcadero Waterfront Ghost Walking Tour: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManila $9.17San Diego $21
Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- An Epic Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Downtown Bar Crawl Party Pass: $25
- History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter: $30
- San Diego Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Hillcrest Drag Queen 5 Bar Crawl with Shots: $45
- Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
- Vino! Vino! Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $119
- The most fun wine tour of the Guadalupe Valley: $121
- Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- $99 Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tours - DayTrip to baja from San Diego: $130
- Cruise & Booze Brewery tours: $149
- Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manila and San Diego, we can see that San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Diego 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 San Diego Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manila or San Diego?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of San Diego. When comparing the sizes of Manila and San Diego, 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 San Diego?
San Diego 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 San Diego in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Manila as well as San Diego. Manila attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, most visitors come to San Diego for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Manila is generally a little warmer than San Diego. Daily temperatures in Manila average around 27°C (80°F), and San Diego fluctuates around 71°F (22°C).
Manila receives a lot of rain in the summer. Manila usually gets more rain in July than San Diego. Manila gets 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain, while San Diego receives 0 inches (1 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyManila 27°C (80°F)San Diego 71°F (22°C)
Should I visit Manila or San Diego in the Autumn?
Both San Diego and Manila are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Manila throughout the year. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to San Diego because of the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Manila is a little warmer than San Diego in the autumn. The daily temperature in Manila averages around 26°C (79°F) in October, and San Diego fluctuates around 68°F (20°C).
It's quite rainy in Manila. In October, Manila usually receives more rain than San Diego. Manila gets 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain, while San Diego receives 0.4 inches (9 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberManila 26°C (79°F)San Diego 68°F (20°C)
Should I visit Manila or San Diego in the Winter?
Both San Diego and Manila during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Manila because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to San Diego this time of year.
In the winter, Manila is much warmer than San Diego. Typically, the winter temperatures in Manila in January average around 24°C (76°F), and San Diego averages at about 57°F (14°C).
Manila usually gets less rain in January than San Diego. Manila gets 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while San Diego receives 1.8 inches (46 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryManila 24°C (76°F)San Diego 57°F (14°C)
Should I visit Manila or San Diego in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Manila and San Diego. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Manila year-round. Also, many travelers come to San Diego for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.
In April, Manila is generally much warmer than San Diego. Daily temperatures in Manila average around 29°C (84°F), and San Diego fluctuates around 62°F (17°C).
In April, Manila usually receives less rain than San Diego. Manila gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while San Diego receives 0.8 inches (20 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilManila 29°C (84°F)San Diego 62°F (17°C)
Typical Weather for San Diego and Manila
| Manila | San Diego | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (76°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.8 inches (46 mm) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 59°F (15°C) | 1.5 inches (39 mm) |
| Mar | 27°C (80°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 59°F (15°C) | 1.8 inches (45 mm) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.8 inches (20 mm) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 303 mm (11.9 in) | 67°F (19°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) |
| Jul | 27°C (80°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) | 71°F (22°C) | 0 inches (1 mm) |
| Aug | 27°C (80°F) | 452 mm (17.8 in) | 73°F (23°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Sep | 27°C (80°F) | 357 mm (14.1 in) | 71°F (22°C) | 0.2 inches (6 mm) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.4 inches (9 mm) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.5 inches (37 mm) |
| Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.6 inches (40 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.