How Much To Expect To Spend For A Vacation?

[Danimal]

So I'm thinking of heading on over to Manila some time over the summer, but I can't for the life of me figure out how much it's going to cost me. Aside from air fare and a hotel room, how much does it cost to do the whole tourist thing? Assuming no Angeles city-style tourism, but going to nice restaurants restaurants most of the time, hitting the major tourist spots, that sort of thing. Can anyone guess at a range it might cost me per week? 

[MikeB]

Just Manila? I would guesstimate about $25 a day for meals and sightseeing. Keep in mind if you're coming by yourself and traveling alone you will be at the mercy of predatory taxi drivers, most of whom will try to overcharge you.   

[MacBubba]

I would budget $100 a day. Some days will be more, some days less. If you're going all that far, you might as well splurge.

[BrettGC]

$25 a day minimum to eat well and see the sights every now and then.  I'd go a little bit higher just for padding. 

 

BTW, not all Tourism in AC is based around Fields Avenue ;-)

[gmb8585]

in my opinion $25 per day is too low. Budget for a minimum of $50 per day unless your comfortable eating in Mcdonalds or street food a lot, which btw i eat street food all athe time and love it.  It is easy to live on 25 per day, but be on holiday for that amount, see sites etc will be a stretch.

[MikeB]

I used $25 per diem as a baseline, the sky's the limit on what you can spend. Makati, Chinatown, Intramuros-Rizal Park, Mall of Asia cost nothing to visit. Of course you can blow $1000 in about 5 minutes at MOA. For $25 in Manila you can easily eat 2 meals a day in decent restaurants and still have taxi fare to get around. But the OP probably doesn't intend to spend his entire vacation in Manila. 

[davewe]

But the OP probably doesn't intend to spend his entire vacation in Manila. 

I hope he doesn't. If he does he is missing much of the allure of the Philippines. And of course outside of Manila costs are usually a bit cheaper.

[pokermike]

I guess everyone is different depends on how you want to vacation,  each trip i make i learn to cut my expenses, but still want to travel and figure out where i might settle. All the while enjoying everything there is to offer and i mean everything , from toursit attractions to ladies.

 

Figured in $300 a day and came out on the money for my last two weeks visit , which ended December 5, 2013.

 

I took $9000 for my two visits , each two weeks and burned through it like it was water.  party! party!

 

I am now married to a Filipina and she has slowed me down a lot. I like living somewhat of a western style of living and figure it is going to cost me, everything included about $4000 per month. Looking at Cebu or Angeles City right now as a strating point for living there.

 

Cebu is not cheap,recently i went to use the beach at an upscale hotel there and the day use was $70 US Dollars per person.

 

Jet ski was $80 per hour

 

Stayed at a very nice hotel Radisson Blu, right next door to the SM mall , very good service, it was about $125 for room.

 

Later Poker Mike

 

When someone asks how much can i bet, get ready to throw away your hand!

[BrettGC]

Like so much else it is very subjective.  I have a lot of Filipino friends so tend to live their lifestyle while I'm there with the occasional splurge - like a resort trip for SAO (Short Angry One) and myself for a couple of days, her daughter and "helper" adds to that cost; her daughter finishes high school this year then off to university so those trips will become cheaper.  I'm not very Westernised there, and more often than not live as if I will when I move there permanently.  We cook local dishes most nights, out to dinner 1-2 nights a week with an excursion every couple of weeks somewhere.

 

I guess my point is that it's more like my second residence than a holiday for me - other than the fact I'm not working when I'm there - but have done the full tourist thing in the past and it's a very easy thing to budget at any level and still enjoy yourself in PI.  As with any overseas travel, just have a reserve fund for emergencies. 

[davewe]

I guess everyone is different depends on how you want to vacation,  each trip i make i learn to cut my expenses, but still want to travel and figure out where i might settle. 

 

Agreed. My 1st trip I was in Manila and Cebu and spent between $80-100/night on hotels. Each trip since has been less. This upcoming trip we will be staying at a nice place off Alona Beach for P1900/night, a new hotel in Dumaguete for P1500/night and renting an apartment for a week in Alcoy for P500/night (with private swimming pool). Some people feel that they need to spend more but you don't need to.