Philippines · Visit or make it home

Manila

Manila is a city in Philippines. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Manila — Cityscape of Manila, 2025 (01)

Get to know Manila

A sense of the place

Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,902,590 people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified as a highly urbanized city. With 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer , Manila is one of the world's most densely populated cities proper. By 1258, a Tagalog-fortified polity called Maynila existed on the site of modern Manila. On June 24, 1571, after the defeat of the polity's last indigenous ruler, Rajah Sulayman, in the Battle of Bangkusay, Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi began constructing the walled fortification of Intramuros on the ruins of an older settlement from whose name the Spanish and English name Manila derives. Manila was used as the capital of the captaincy general of the Spanish East Indies, which included the Marianas, Guam, and other islands, and was controlled and administered for the Spanish crown by Mexico City in the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

Weather through the year

When to visit Manila

Temperature

May has the warmest monthly average (27.9°C); January is coolest (23.5°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

December averages about 393 mm of rain, compared with 102 mm in April. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C23.524.025.427.227.927.126.326.126.225.825.224.3
Rain, mm148148119102171248312289301341345393

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Manila

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Manila

What is the average rent in Manila?

A verified average rent for Manila is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Manila

What is the average salary in Manila?

323.4 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2024. It describes Philippines, not average salary in Manila. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2024 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Manila with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Manila, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Manila in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Manila at a glance

Philippines: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Manila. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators

Other places to compare in Philippines

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Manila with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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