What budget to travel Philippines? Money and currency

What budget for activities and outings Philippines?

Many museums are free of charge, including the national museums and some local museums. For others, admission is never very expensive, costing between PHP20 and PHP100 (less than €2). Nature reserves, parks and attractions (caves, waterfalls, beaches) are either free, or you have to pay an environmental tax or entrance fee of between 10 and 50 PHP. For island hopping (a tour of islands and natural spots), very popular in El Nido and Coron but also on other islands, count €20-30 (PHP 1,200 - 1,800) for an all-inclusive tour on a boat with around 20 people. If you're traveling with several people, we strongly advise you to opt for a private tour, which allows you to avoid the crowds and stop off at more intimate spots; count around €50 per person (PHP 3,000). For all activities, there are often discounts for seniors, children and students on presentation of proof.

Free activities include basketball (the national sport, there are courts absolutely everywhere), volleyball on some beaches, and of course swimming in the sea or pool and hiking (although there aren't that many marked hiking trails).

Snorkeling tip: if you've got room, pack a mask and snorkel so you're independent and don't have to spend 150-300 PHP at each location to rent snorkeling gear.

Diving rates vary according to the formula (half-day with or without equipment, open-water, padi, etc.). Expect to pay around €50 (PHP 3,000) for a half-day dive, and between €300 and €600 for a full package over several days (PHP 18,000 - 35,000). Some hotels and resorts have their own diving centers and offer attractive packages.

For surfing, board hire costs around €6-15 (400 - 900 PHP) per day (regressive rate). For 2 hours with a local instructor (board included), you should expect to pay between €6 and €17 (400-1,000 PHP).

There's something for every budget. Buying clothes or shoes in the malls is not particularly advantageous if they are international luxury brands or big names (imported and therefore subject to taxes). Prices will be similar to those in Europe. If you want to bring back souvenirs, the best thing to do is to shop at local markets. For small budgets, Filipino snacks make excellent souvenirs (dried mangoes, banana chips, sweets, etc.). Prices range from 1 to 10 euros (50 to 500 PHP). For handicrafts such as hammocks, rattan baskets or mats, pottery, carved wooden objects, etc., depending on size and quality, prices range from 500 PHP to 5,000 PHP. The best place to shop is in local stalls outside the tourist centers.

Payment methods. Apart from stores in malls where credit cards are accepted, the vast majority of your purchases will be made in cash.

To get into a nightclub in Manila or Cebu, you'll need between Php200 and Php1,000 (sometimes including a drink). Some clubs are free, or offer free entry to women at certain events.

What budget to eat Philippines?

Cash is accepted everywhere, except in luxury hotels and restaurants where credit cards are accepted. Food is generally cheap. If you want to eat for next to nothing, you'll have to head for street food stalls or small local kiosks. Philippine food is logically less expensive than Western food. However, it's not very varied, and after a few days you may well tire of it, in which case you should know that the Filipinos are renowned for their know-how in terms of Western cuisine, which they produce very well.

Some guide prices: a coffee from 20 to 80 PHP; a meal in the street from 50 to 100 PHP; a meal in a restaurant from 150 to 600 PHP.

For a coffee (Americano), count between 50 and 150 PHP. They are served in cafes and coffee shops. If you have a coffee in a sari-sari or street-food stand, it will cost you 20 PHP but these are powdered coffees and be aware that if you order a blackcoffee, you will probably receive a coffee full of milk and sugar.

For beers, the Philippines has some well known local beers like San Miguel or Red Horse. In a bar, count between 60 and 120 PHP. For imported beers like Corona or Heineken, count a little more. For the little anecdote, the Belgian beer Stella Artois is very appreciated by the golden youth of Manila and is reputed to be expensive (count more than 150 PHP), whereas in Belgium, it is the low-end beer par excellence.

Payments are made in cash and sometimes the 12% service charge must be added to the price indicated. Tipping is not mandatory but always appreciated.

What is the budget for accommodation Philippines?

The range of accommodation available in the Philippines is extensive, with something to suit every budget. Most accommodations can be booked and paid for online in advance by credit card. Some of the more basic accommodations only offer cash payment on arrival (please allow for this). For mid-range and top-of-the-range hotels, you can also pay by credit card on the spot, but this is not always the case - check in advance.

Hostels/Youth hostels. Hostels are everywhere. For a bed in a dormitory, expect to pay less than 10 euros a night (500-800 PHP). For a private room (with or without bathroom), expect to pay around 15-20 euros (1,000-1,300 PHP). These hostels are aimed at backpackers on a budget. Comfort is often minimal, and wifi and hot water are often absent. But the atmosphere is often friendly, and they're ideal for solo travelers looking to meet new people.

Guesthouse/Homestay. This type of accommodation, somewhere between a bed & breakfast and a small family-run hotel, is very common in the Philippines. It generally consists of just a few rooms (with or without private bathroom) and includes breakfast. They are ideal for travelers looking for a little privacy on a limited budget. Expect to pay between 20 and 40 euros per room (1,300 - 2,300 PHP).

Hotels. When it comes to regular hotels, it all depends on the standard you're looking for. For a hotel with limited comfort and services, prices start at 20 euros. If you're looking for the standard of Western hotels (comfortable bedding, available wifi, hot water), you'll have to pay a little more, from 40 euros up to 150 euros a night (2,300 - 9,000 PHP).

Resorts. For travellers who don't count and who want to live the dream of a resort on a remote island, you'll have to pay between 8,000 and 15,000 PHP (or even more) per room (130-250 euros, rising to over 1,000 euros for palaces). Add to this the cost of transfers, catering and activities, and the bill quickly climbs.

Good deals. By using booking platforms such as Booking.com or Agoda.com (which work very well in Asia), you'll often get discounts on your reservations, plus other advantages (customer service, free cancellation, etc.).

Travel budget Philippines and cost of living

Cost of living. The cost of living is low compared to European countries, but you shouldn't always compare it to your home country, or you'll soon find yourself spending recklessly. On the other hand, tourists often make use of expensive services: car rentals, tours organized by travel agencies and hotels with the same level of comfort as those in Western countries. In such cases, the bill quickly climbs! For backpackers who use local transport and want to live like Filipinos, this country remains an inexpensive destination. Generally speaking, it's worth noting that any tourist site or tourist attraction is more expensive than elsewhere (especially Boracay).

Budget per day. On the whole, it's an inexpensive destination compared with France, of course, but compared with other Southeast Asian countries, it's rather expensive. This is particularly true of transport: you can expect to pay between 30 and 100 euros for an internal flight, and between 10 and 40 euros for a ferry trip, or special activities such as diving (between 50 and 400 euros) and organized tours. The average budget per day depends on each traveler's expectations, the time of year and the places visited.

- Low budget (less than 2,000 PHP/day): hostel dormitory (less than €10/night), street food (less than €5/day), public transport and free activities.

- Medium budget (between 2,500 and 4,000 PHP/day): guesthouse or mid-range hotel (15-30 €/night), restaurants (10-15 €/day), cabs or tricycles, paid activities.

- Big budget (between 8,000 and 15,000 PHP or more/day): European-standard hotels (min. 40-50 €/night) or luxury resorts (+ 150 €/night), high-end restaurants (min. 1,000 PHP/day), private and exclusive activities, private transport.

- Scooter hire costs between 300 and 500 PHP/day, depending on location, and petrol 20 PHP/day.

Money-savingtips: book your flights and ferries in advance, use public transport or scooters to get around, prefer less touristy islands and local restaurants. And avoid the high tourist season (December-April) and major festivals. In the off-season, it rains, but hotels offer very attractive price reductions.

Tipping. The practice is a little vague. Filipinos will tell you that there are two types of tip: the one you give when the service you're paying for is more than up to your expectations, in which case you can give around 10-15%, and the one you give out of pity. Some small cafés and restaurants have a tip box on the counter where you can leave a tip. In practice, you can always round up and leave change when you pay. In short, tipping is not compulsory, but appreciated and left to your discretion.

Taxes. In restaurants and cafés, service charge (12%) is not always included in the price and is added at the time of the bill. There is also often a 12% tax, which is not always clearly indicated when booking a room.

Haggling. This is virtually non-existent in the Philippines. In large stores, restaurants and tour operators, prices are displayed. In smaller stores, sari-sari, street-food stalls or markets, prices are not displayed, but Filipinos rarely inflate their prices for tourists, and if they do (sometimes in very touristy places), you'll quickly realize it, and after a few days on the spot, you'll have an idea of the fair prices. In this case, you can negotiate calmly and reasonably.