Last Updated: 2/2/2020 | February 2nd, 2020
Today’s guest post comes from Will Hatton from The Broke Backpacker. He’s an adventurer and location independent entrepreneur who has spent a great deal of time in the Philippines.
Sadly, I’ve only been to the Philippines once and it was just for a very short period of time. But it’s such a wonderful place that I want to feature more on this site so I invited Will to share his experiences on how to travel the country on a budget.
The Philippines is one of the most incredible budget travel destinations in the world due to its perfect white-sand beaches, enchanting seas, mesmerizing sunsets, friendly locals, and relaxed, tropical vibes.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel through the Philippines multiple times and have spent nearly six months exploring this amazing corner of the world. The country has everything, from towering volcanoes and pristine coral reefs to lush jungles, underground rivers, mammoth caves, and some of the most enchanting waterfalls in the world. You can snorkel around WWII wrecks, camp out in the jungle, and head deep within the earth through limestone cave systems.
And, on top of it all, The Philippines is ridiculously cheap!
Rum is cheaper than most soft drinks, and delicious Filipino foods like lumpias (fried spring rolls) or pancit (fried noodles), or halo-halo dessert (ice shavings, condensed milk, small chunks of sweet boiled kidney beans, coconut gel, and tapioca) are often less than a dollar. You can sleep in a hammock for less than five dollars a night in many hostels (or for free if you simply set up on the beach).
The Philippines is a country you can travel on for as little as $20 USD a day if you’re doing it on a broke-backpacker budget — and it’s possible to travel much cheaper than that if you really push it by hitchhiking and camping. Obviously, your budget can balloon, especially if you’re staying at luxurious beachfront resorts, eating out at fancy restaurants, and taking expensive tours.
Here are some typical costs for backpacking the Philippines in 2018:
- Dorm bed in a hostel: $5–7 USD per night
- Public ferry ride: $4–6 USD per ride
- Jeepney ride: 20–50 cents
- Street food: $1–3 USD
- Restaurant meals: $4–6 USD
- Long-distance bus: $8–10 USD
- Domestic flight: $40–70 USD
- Local beer: $1–2 USD
- 1.5L bottle of water: 75 cents
- Island-hopping: $14–25 USD
- Diving with whale sharks: $25 USD
Accommodation – Posh backpacker hostels can be pretty expensive in the Philippines, setting you back as much as $18 a night for a dorm bed. Luckily, there’s plenty of budget accommodation available once you are out of Manila; for example, you can find dorm beds for as little as $5 a night in Palawan. Most hostels include patchy Wi-Fi and air conditioning. Local guesthouses and shacks on the beach are even cheaper than hostels; you can sometimes score a shack for just $2 a night.
Food and drink – Street food can cost as little as $1 for a plate of tasty mystery meat. If you decide to eat in tourist-centric restaurants, prices will be higher with meals costing between $5 – $20 in most tourist-aimed restaurants. In Manila and other posh parts of the Philippines, you can end up spending a lot on food and drink, especially on a night out, so try to pregame (drink some beers on the street) before heading out for a night on the town. A coconut, for that inevitable hangover, will cost less than a dollar.
Transportation – Flights can quickly eat into your budget, so it’s best to stick to ferries if you are long on time but short on cash. There are pretty decent long-distance buses running across some of the bigger islands, such as Luzon, but inevitably you’ll end up on a ferry… It’s simply the only way to get to many of the islands.
Activities – The Philippines is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive; a dive can set you back as little as $25 in some places. Snorkeling is even cheaper; you can hire snorkeling gear for $3–5 a pop on many beaches.
How much it costs to travel in The Philippines really depends on your travel style and where you go. Manila (especially) and Boracay are significantly more expensive than other parts of The Philippines and once you are out of the tourist hot-spots it’s relatively easy to thrive on a budget of $35 a day.
$35 a day will enable you to stay in a decent shared room if you’re splitting the cost with a buddy or a comfortable dorm in a cool hostel if you’re on your own. You’ll have plenty left over to eat in decent restaurants three times a day, get around by Uber and drink some beers in the evening.
You can go high or lower than that depending on how cheap (or expensive) you want to get with your accommodation, how much you drink, and how many Western meals you consume.
How to Save Money in the Philippines
The country is already super cheap to visit but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to cut your expenses even further without sacrificing too much comfort or local experiences.
Stay with locals – Couchsurfing is very popular in the Philippines, and it’s a great way to meet people and save on accommodation costs. If you don’t fancy Couchsurfing, stay at a locally run guesthouse; they are often cheaper than hostels.
Keep an eye out for Air Asia sales – Air Asia is one of the cheapest airlines servicing The Philippines and has fairly frequent sales where you can snap up cheaper than normal fares – it’s worth signing up to the Air Asia newsletter to be kept in the loop on these so that you can pre-book all your internal Philippines flights next time there is a sale.
Buddy up – Most of the best activities are a lot cheaper if you can get a group together to split the cost.
Hitchhike – Hitchhiking is also pretty popular in the Philippines and a fantastic way to meet new people, have an adventure, and save some money at the same time. Hitchhiking does carry a certain degree of risk in every country but, in my opinion, The Philippines is one of the safer countries in the world to stick out your thumb. The big risk is drunk drivers so if you think somebody has had a few too many, don’t get in the car with them. (Matt says: I don’t know enough about the Philippines to say if this is also good for women too. Maybe some with experience can comment!)
Stick to food locals eat – There are plenty of tourist-trap restaurants that are very expensive. Avoid these and follow the locals — they know where the best value and tastiest food is! I like to ask hostel and guesthouse staff where they themselves like to eat – this is a great way to find hole in the wall restaurants aimed at local Filipinos with cheap pricing.
Camp – If you’re really on a budget, I recommend taking a tent; there are lots of epic places to camp, and nobody will mind. You can camp for free on many beaches in The Philippines and plenty of hostels will also let you pitch in their garden when they have one if you’re buying drinks at their bar.
General Travel Tips for the Philippines
Avoid Manila – Manila hasn’t got much to offer other than traffic, scams, pollution, poverty, expensive hotels, and midget wrestling. Your time in the Philippines is better spent elsewhere.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to completely avoid Manila, as most flights around go through it. However, you can avoid scams while stopping over in Manila. The main scam concerns transportation to a different terminal in the airport and when leaving the airport.
If you have arrived at a particular terminal but fly out of another, use the free shuttle bus that runs throughout the airport.
There are no metered taxis in the arrivals section, only private transfers. This is where the majority of travelers get ripped off, as they jump into a car without thinking, overlooking the exchange rate and how much it will actually cost. It’s the Philippines, so it’s going to be cheap, right? Wrong. When I first arrived in the Philippines, I very nearly ended up paying $50 USD for a private transfer to my hostel in downtown Manila! Thankfully, I knew the exchange rate and how ridiculous that was so I didn’t use that taxi and instead caught a metered taxi.
If you’re trying to get downtown, take a public metered taxi on the departure level instead. The lines are usually quite long, but they tend to go fast, as there are tons of cabs in Manila. Just make sure that you take into consideration peak-hour traffic. Manila is one of the most congested cities in the world; sometimes a ten-minute ride can take up to two hours. So avoid the 5pm–10pm crazy rush hour(s) and plan accordingly.
Expect your flights to be delayed – I took about seven domestic flights and not one of them was on time. The weather can be a tad unforeseeable, especially during typhoon season. So expect delays and canceled or postponed flights in the wet season, which is from May to October.
Bring sunscreen – Sunscreen is three times more expensive in the Philippines as locals don’t wear it, therefore they charge an arm and a leg to tourists who desperately need some protection from the sun.
“What do you mean the ATM is out of money?” – My thoughts exactly. You should have seen the look on my face when I arrived in El Nido with no money and couldn’t get cash out. I had to wait two days until they restocked the ATM machine, and the line was huge! Apparently, it’s quite normal for it to run out of cash, as it’s the only one in town in this popular tourist destination. Moral of the story: always carry some spare USD or PHP with you in case the ATMs run out of money or you visit a small town, like Port Barton, where there are no ATMs.
Wi-Fi connections are limited – Wi-Fi in the Philippines is similar to finding a needle in a haystack. Your chances are pretty damn slim, especially if it’s raining. If you rely on the internet, the Philippines will be a nice vacation for you — away from the online world. What internet is available, moreover, is slow and sporadic. If you’re visiting remote parts of the country, don’t count on being connected at all. Your best bet is to purchase pocket Wi-Fi — the best provider I found was Globe.
Get away from the tourist crowds – If you really want an authentic Philippines experience, venture away from the typical tourist spots and backpacker meccas. Holiday hotspots like Boracay and El Nido are amazing, but it’s the less touristy places like Sagada, Port Barton, and Siargao that give you a glimpse of real Filipino culture, traditions, and ways of life.
Use Uber – Uber has now come to the Philippines and is a much cheaper way to get around cities than by taxi! In general, an Uber will cost you 30% less than catching a taxi.
Bring a portable battery – When you head away from tourist hotspots and major population centers, you may struggle to find reliable electricity. If you are hiking in Sagada or Kalinga, it’s well worth bringing a portable battery charger to keep your phone and camera charged up!
The Philippines is still one of Southeast Asia’s best-kept secrets and many backpackers don’t make it here. My time in the Philippines was truly memorable, I met a lot of incredible people, was blessed with a Kalinga tattoo by a living legend and had my first proper experience snorkeling. I hope to return to this epic land in the near future and take to the high seas, with rum supplies aplenty, to explore isolated islands by boat. The Philippines is my favorite country in all of Southeast Asia. Get there before the secret is out and the backpacker hordes descend!
Adventurer and vagabond, entrepreneur, and hustler, Will has been backpacking around the world for a decade and likes to explore truly wild places. He blogs about budget travel and online entrepreneurship at The Broke Backpacker and enjoys a cheeky smoke, a good book, and a perfect sunset to round off the day.
Book Your Trip to the Philippines: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My favorite places to stay are:
- Mad Monkey (Boracay)
- Manila-Z-Hostel (Manila)
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
M
Uber is no longer available in the Philippines, similar to most Southeast Asian cities. Currently, we only have one ridesharing option which is called Grab.
Will
Yep – Grab took over about a month back all over SEA – I’ve been using them a lot though and have found them just as good as Uber! 🙂
Geoff
Avoid Manila? It may not be everyone’s favourite place but I personally think it’s well worth a stop. There is a hell of a lot more to the place than traffic, scams and pollution. Manila has a unique history in South East Asia – the mix of hundreds of years of Spanish colonisation followed by a half century of American domination and then independence has given it a cultural mix very different to elsewhere in the continent.
Sadly much of the historical Manila was destroyed in the war, but the bits that remain, including many historic churchs and old buildings, in the historic bits of Intramuros are fascinating, and it’s a great place to learn about Filipino history.
Also, if you’re a lover of big, bustling cities, you’ll find that Manila has great nightlife, chaotic but brilliant markets (and the biggest malls in Asia if you like to do any shopping). If you’re not in the country long it’s not worth along stay, but if you like cities at all you’d be a fool not to do a little exploring.
Will Hatton
Don’t get me wrong – Manila certainly has it’s charms, but if you’re on a budget, it’s the most expensive place in The Philippines.
Melissa
You say there aren’t any metered taxis at Arrivals. Is that all terminals? Because when I flew into Manila’s terminal 3 last January, we were able to walk out the door and right into a metered taxi. There was a stand of them right there.
Will Hatton
There ARE metered taxis – you just need to head down to the bottom departure level rather than the top arrivals level.
Jayson Suzon
The Philippines is really a beautiful place to have your self-relaxed and just get lost in the beauty of the islands.
Martina
It’s so good to have an insight regarding the costs in Ph! It’s known that it can be more expensive than other Asian countries. Camping here sound as a great option as well, that would be my go to I guess. Would 4 weeks be a good time frame for exploring?
Will Hatton
I think 4 weeks is a great amount of time to explore a part of The Philippines; just choose one area and hone in on that though! 🙂
Will
Ron Henderson
What’s the best time to travel to the Philippines and what travel agency is recommended?
Ashfina
I have been planning to visit Philippines this is what i was looking for. Love all your tips and the above mentioned comments are helpful too. Thanks Matt
Ryan Biddulph
Will’s da man at doing budget travel! So happy to see my friend here Matt. This nation is first rate for doing travel on the cheap, and its people are incredibly warm, friendly and genuine. Gotta visit one day. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ryan
Alex
I think that’s a really good summary about the Philippines. I’ve been there last year and I traveled for a couple of weeks around. Like the most incoming tourists, I also traveled via Manila.
Nevertheless, I had enough time to stay in this megacity for some days. It isn’t my favorite metropolis of South East Asia, but it’s worth a visit.
My recommendation is to visit the National Museum.
Why do I recommend that? Well, I think that Manila has a bad image as city and therefore many people will skip the place.
There was the destruction in the second world war, less reconstruction in colonial style after WWII. The first impression for many people is a capital of chaos, poverty, and lack of culture.
In contrast, this museum changed my point of view and let me think different about this really crowded city.
So, if you’re looking for a good place in Manila to get an in-depth view of the Philippine culture from local art to the galleon trade, just start there!
Actually, I think that Manila is still the cheapest place I’ve visited. Boracay would have been expensive, but even there I was still able to find a cheap hostel.
Since I toured the Philippines last year in September, I do not know how it looks in the main season with the room occupancy in hostels. But during the wet season, it’s recommendable to just walk in and ask for a bed. I did not pay more than 10 “EUR” per night in both places (for a simple hostel stay).
I cannot wait to go back to the Philippines and explore Palawan:)
Grecel
What! No mention of jeepneys and tricycles? These are the best and even cheapest public transportation there is in the Philippines especially at the urban areas.
Will Hatton
Jeepneys are mentioned in the post 😉 – Great way to get around! If you’re a foreigner though, Grab is cheaper than a trike every time as prices go up amongst trike drivers when they spot a foreigner.
Sarah
You can get around the trike price-hike by saying “no special!” (special = private journey) when you see them – your journey may take longer as that means they’ll stop on the way to pick up locals heading in the same direction, but you should only pay PHP7 (within Cebu, anyway). Also if you’re riding a tricycle – private or public – NEVER ask “how much”? because that’s when you get scammed. Ask a local ahead of time how much it should cost, then hand over the exact change when you disembark without saying anything.
Also if you’re paying 20-50c for a jeepney, you’re probably paying too much! Within Cebu and Iloilo they only cost PHP7-10.
I should also mention the option of “habal-habal” i.e., riding pillion – we were forced into this once due to the lack of taxis to the airport in the middle of the day, but were pleasantly surprised to find it only cost us PHP100 each.
Cebu International Airport is a great alternative to Manila if you’re flying from SEA – I’ve flown there from Taipei and Siem Reap and it’s far less stressful than Manila.
Love this article – I’m half Filipina and it makes me so proud seeing Philippines on Nomadic Matt at last!
Gabriel K Jones
We went to Cebu, back in 2017. We became inspired so much we decided to turn it into a project for future generations to benefit from the value we learned in our trip.
Cebu sites were lovely and very enriching. We were able to do most of the site seeing within in two days. What made the trip even more enjoyable was the travel to Alcoy and Bohol. We swam with Whale sharks, had our own private beach, then flew to Boracay to have a mini vacation within our vacation.
Very exciting experience. We didn’t get a chance to do Manila, we figured that everyone does Manila due to the fact that it is the Capital. Based on these reviews kind of glad we did. When we head back to the Philippines we’ll definitely check out Palawan next.
Slavi
I agree with everything besides the tasty food. One of the worst food scenes in Asia if you ask me. I have some things to add actually. The best budget airlines i found was Cebu Pacific and I was surprised by the quality of their service – It’s way better that the European budget carriers. And one more thing, if you want to see native Philippines without the tourist crowds research Caramoan. Just make sure they are not shooting Survivor when you visit 😀
Staci
Some things about the Philippines that I loved and it happens to be in Manila, which everybody says to avoid. Cubao Expo is my favorite place to hang in the evening and I befriended the owner of a vintage store there and I went to visit him when I was in Manila the first few days and the last few days I was in the Philippines. Walking around the area and I had no problems. Checking out some giant malls and saw a ping-pong competition occur in one of the malls. Oh, you’ll definitely have to go through security when entering a mall. Found an independent store with Philippines made products and I got so many things for my family since I had spare cash to spend on my last full day there and it directly supports the artisans of everything I got.
Best way to get around: Grab. I also used the above ground trains as well without any issues. At the airport terminals, there’s a stand where you can get Grab and if you don’t have an account yet, the workers who work for Grab help you get one as well. Since I’m deaf, I had the workers answer my phone if a driver contacts me via phone and it was easy. Also due to my deafness, I always had assistance for flights to and from islands and it was weird for me because I’m independent, but it was definitely useful in one of Manila’s airport terminal.
Favorite island in the Philippines I visited: Bohol. It’s not strictly all about beaches, which I appreciated since I get bored of beaches easily. I got to see many awesome things there and it was exactly what I liked. I did enjoy the Palawan as well, especially island hopping.
Overall, it was a very cheap but amazing country and one I want to return for a longer time.
Susan
The Philippines is a beautiful country, not only because of the sites but most especially because of its people. Filipinos are very hospitable and will really make out of their way to make you comfortable and make your visit worthwhile.
Diana
hi!
My name is Diana and i love travel and photography, i have a question.
What vaccines are needed to enter the country?, because the diseases are different.
sorry for my english, i study and this is my homework jeje.
thanks and good vibes in your travel
Lydia
The Philippines are an exceptional travel destination to visit without breaking the bank, Matt! Your give is more than useful. I warmly recommend visiting Bicol when being there and hiking in the Bulusan Lake area!
ian
I don’t know what date this was really written but Uber is gone throughout southeast asia. Also, Such harsh words for Manila. Have you been to BGC for the “Orderliness” you are searching for? Did you visit the city of Manila it self? Did you check out Intramuros? The National Museum? The Malls? Manila has a unique urban culture where people create pockets of paradise in a chaotic metropolis. Also Manila will be your base if you want to explore Tagaytay (scenic views), Batangas(beaches and mountains), Rizal(mountains and falls)….
Bart
My holiday to the Philippines (4 weeks during summer 2017) costed me more than a similar holiday in Thailand. I don’t like staying in hostels/dorms, because I don’t feel relaxed not knowing my stuff will be safe when I’m on route during the day. So I prefer to stay in nice clean hotels/guesthouses, and those weren’t quite cheap.
From Manila I directly had a connecting flight to Davao, Mindanao, where I felt quite safe against all warnings not to visit this Island because of the conflict between the rebels and the government army.
Here I visited Samal Island (a very relaxed Island) where i hardly met any other tourists, what I love! I hired a motorcycle and visited some remote villages, waterfalls, rice fields, elementary schools, I did some snorkling and enjoyed the beaches.
I also took a local bus to Pagadian, a long bus ride with many checkpoints. I didn’t like the aircon on the bus which made the journey unpleasant, cause it was freezing cold!
From Pagadian I took a flight via Manila to Palawan, where I stayed at a beautiful remote beach in El Nido, in one of the best beach resorts 🙂 I really enjoyed the Island tour to several lagoons with clear blue waters and white sandy beaches; a real beautiful place!
From Palawan I took a flight to Cebu with a boat trip to Bohol, where I visited the Chocolate Hills and the tagier park. After Palawan, Bohol was kind of disappointing.
Last stop was Manila, a big city with not much to do except shopping. I stayed in the Bayleaf, a beautiful hotel inside the Intramuros, very expensive but well located to visit the old town with it’s sightseeings. I met a very kind guide who showed me all around on his bike and knew all about of the city’s history.
Overall I loved my holiday to the Philippines; the people are very kind, I loved eating among locals, the food was nice. I met many locals. I really enjoyed my stays at the islands with clear blue waters and white sandy beaches!! For sure I’ll return to the Philippines someday and would love to explore the more remote islands.
Jello
Its funny how this post is so detailed about traveling Philippines especially your tips about Manila, uber, wi-fi connection and delayed flights which are usually expected (Filipino Time lol) Thanks for this post. Very helpful! We just went to the Philippines first week of May and how I wished I’ve meet you in person there 🙂
Jello
Hi Alison, its nice that Philippines is on top of your list now. I hope you don’t mind me suggesting it would be better to be in the Philippines around summer months in Feb-May. Rainy season starts in June til later of the year. Sometimes weather can be nice around September-October. But, you would want to avoid typhoon which is very usual around December or sometimes early January. Looking forward to read your wonderful adventure in the Philippines! 😀
Raisa
Hi Will, thanks for sharing the experience. We are planning to visit in December. Can you please tell me when Boracay will be open for tourist in 2018?And also, Is it safe for traveling Balabac? If yes then how can we visit?
Thanks in advance.
Grace
Hi Raisa,
I’m from the Philippines. Boracay will be open by October 26 or atleast the last week of October. Balabac is a great place to go besides that its not crowded or under rated. You would love the place as much as El Nido. 🙂
PS; just expect a much longer travel time.
Vo, Tan T.
Any tips about how to fly from Norfolk, Virginia to visit Coron, Malawan, specifically the lagunas. I read about it and fell in love with the clear blue water.
I am American, 1st year retired. Never done this before. Looking to stay in hostels and taste local foods, snorkelling, etc… I plan to stay around 4 weeks. Thanks!
Grey
Take a flight going to Manila or cebu then take a local flight going to Palawan , if you go from America to cebu , then you can have a local boat ride to coron. Check all US flights to cebu , then search cebu coron travel package tour on google .When you reach Philippines every one speaks English so try to be friendly, they don’t bite , meet fellow foreigners and ask for advice some have hidden gems to share . It’s better to buy your own snorkeling gear but if your light weight back packing just rent it on the snorkeling site. foods are not bad, they have the best American / Chinese /Asian fusion / Italian / French style fancy restaurants in my opinion if you go to the big malls (if you like fancy high end stuff). Maybe the street food is not so great tasting but I liked kwekkwek “and street tempura .and the small stalls as well, but it’s local food for you , we all have different cultural tastes, best Filipino cheap restaurant is “MANG INASAL ,and I liked JOLLIBEE a fast food chain ” Tips are not required so you can tip or not , Filipinos don’t bother. Waiters have fixed income . Please check “becoming Filipino “ and Syrian wanderer on YouTube , there is a lot more vloggers that give you head start on cheap areas as well as fancy posh areas according to your liking. Cebu coron bohol boracay is a good combination , for4 weeks then explore more nearby islands if u like, cebu and bohol have international flights going back and forth America
Sandro
Just a warning, although it is a lot more affordable to eat at local restaurants some places can be sketchy when it comes to hygiene and where they source their produce from. Meat from smaller bbq places can also be quite sketchy, so on arrival to such places have a look around and assess the hygiene standards in the area before you decide to eat there.
Justin
Great guide, Matt! We were going to go to the Philippines, but it’s cancelled because of Coronavirus. Luckily we’re healthy, but know a lot of people who aren’t doing so great. Here’s hoping you make it through everything well, and we hope you recover soon!
kristen
Hi Matt,
Thanks for sharing the most incredible budget travel destinations. I only heard of two of the islands you’ve mentioned so I’m glad I found your post!
The Philippines sounds amazing right now, especially since it’s winter time in Europe.
Angel Concepcion
El Nido is probably my next destination only after the pandemic. Still want to go there even its so expensive, however, safety first. I hope that vaccine will be in-market soon so I can start traveling for the first time in my life.
By the way, I live in Manila, and I still enjoy places here as every tourist did.
But as you said, just take extra care because there’s a lot of people that will take advantage of you. Samples are abusive taxi drivers right from the airport. and many more. But still, take care.
Thumbs up for the article…