Which place is cheaper, Manila or Pretoria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pretoria or Manila?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Pretoria or Manila? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Pretoria or Manila?
Pretoria
Located in Gauteng Province, Pretoria is the administrative capital city of South Africa, making it home to many government buildings and three universities. It is actually one of three capital cities, being home to the executive branch, with Cape Town as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Within South Africa, Pretoria is also known as the "Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of jacaranda trees lining its streets, parks, and gardens.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best Sightseeing Tours in South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPretoria $50Manila $93
The average daily cost (per person) in Pretoria is $50, while the average daily cost in Manila is $93. 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 Pretoria and Manila in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPretoria $25Manila $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPretoria $50Manila $108
Compare Hotels in Pretoria and Manila
Looking for a hotel in Pretoria or Manila? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pretoria $12Manila $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pretoria
Also for Pretoria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Gauteng, South Africa: Airport transfers, shuttle services: $27
- Shuttle Transfer from Gauteng to Greater Kruger: $61
- One Way Private Transfer from Airports and Hotels in Sandton: $89
- Sun City Private Transfer: $250
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Pretoria or Manila?
Prices for flights to both Manila and Pretoria 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 dayPretoria $15Manila $18
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pretoria $14Manila $19
Tours and Activities in Pretoria
For Pretoria, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- History Bicycle Tour of Soweto: $40
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg from Pretoria, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg, every FRIDAY afternoon: $51
- Soweto and Johannesburg Tours: $55
- Soweto Township Tour from Johannesburg - Friday Special: $58
- Soweto & Johannesburg - walking, Bike , E-scooter, Tuk Tuk Tour : $58
- Pretoria Tour-Voortrekker Monument, Town, Union Buildings: $59
- Cullinan Diamond Mine Surface Guided Tour from Pretoria, every MONDAY: $61
- Soweto Pub-Crawl Tour: $61
- Taste of Africa Food tasting Experience & Optional Beer Tasting: $61
- Johannesburg exploration tour(Jo-burg/Soweto & Apartheid museum): $66
- Private Johannesburg and Soweto with Apartheid museum tour: $69
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPretoria $31Manila $9.88
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pretoria and Manila, we can see that Manila is more expensive. And not only is Pretoria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pretoria is in Africa and Manila is in Asia, 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 Pretoria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pretoria 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 Pretoria.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pretoria Expensive? and Is Manila Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pretoria or Manila?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Pretoria. When comparing the sizes of Pretoria and Manila, 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.