Which place is cheaper, Cairns or Manila?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Manila or Cairns?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Manila and Cairns can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Manila or Cairns?
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.
Cairns
Most travelers go to Cairns specifically to visit Great Barrier Reef. The city itself is surprisingly large and cosmopolitan with a population of approximately 140,000. The city's economy is almost exclusively based on tourism, although you will find some jobs centered around agriculture, or more specifically sugar cane, bananas, coffee, tea, wine, and some tropical fruits. The city itself is surrounded by rainforest and makes a great base for exploring Kuranda, with the Barron Gorge National Park and the Daintree offering a quieter tropical getaway than Cairns.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Philippines, The Best 4-Week (1-Month) Tours in Australia, and The Best Budget Tours to Australia.
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Manila Prices
Philippines PricesCairns Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayManila $106Cairns $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $106, while the average daily cost in Cairns is $116. 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 Manila and Cairns in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManila $54Cairns $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManila $108Cairns $86
Compare Hotels in Manila and Cairns
Looking for a hotel in Manila or Cairns? 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 and Cairns Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Manila $14Cairns $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Manila HTL-APT (MNL): $30
- Transfers from Manila, Makati, Taguig and Pasay Hotel to Airport: $50
- Tagaytay-Pagsanjan Falls combo tour with transfers** updated 2024: $180
- Safe and secure Airport Transfer Best in Manila: $216
- Quality Safe and Reliable Manila Airport Transfers: $49
- Private Transfer from Manila Cruise Port to Manila Airport (MNL): $29
- Private Transfer from Manila Airport (MNL) to Manila Cruise Port: $29
- Private One-way Transfer From Manila To Manila Airport: $24
- Private Departure Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
- Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $98
- Private Arrival Airport Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
- MNL Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairns
Also for Cairns, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Airport Transfer to/from City and Beaches: $15
- Cairns Airport: Shared Transfer: $15
- Cairns Airport Shared Transfer to Cairns: $15
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Cairns City: $15
- Shuttle Bus Transfer - Kuranda to Cairns City: $20
- Airport Transfers between Cairns Airport and Palm Cove: $24
- AIRPORT TRANSFER between Cairns Airport & Port Douglas (6am-5pm): $40
- Cairns airport to cairns city private Transfers ( one way ): $40
- CNS Airport to Cairns City Centre Private Transfer: $47
- Cairns Airport (CNS) to Cairns hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $52
- Cairns hotels to Cairns Airport(CNS) - Departure Private Transfer: $52
- Australian Armour & Artillery Museum with Transfers: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or Cairns?
Prices for flights to both Cairns and Manila 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 dayManila $31Cairns $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.
- Ugbo Manila Street Food Tour with Tuktuk Ride: $60
- ⭐ 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
- Guided Food Tour of Binondo with Tastings: $65
- Street Food tour & Local Jeepney, Tuktuk Ride: $68
- Binondo Chinatown Food Tour with Free Food Samples: $70
- Manila Chinatown Food Tour with Local Guide: $73
- Authentic Manila Chinatown Food Tour Exploration : $75
- Intramuros and Chinatown Food Tour with Food Samples: $80
- Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
- Day Tour in Manilas History and Savor a Cultural Dinner: $175
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairns
For Cairns, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with optional 3 Course Dinner : $66
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with optional 2 Course Dinner: $66
- Dinner Cruise Experience: $92
- Cairns Catamaran Harbour and Dinner Cruise: $93
- Night at the Aquarium Guided Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $96
- Aquarium Guided Twilight Tour with 3-Course Dinner: $118
- Ancient Egypt Sunset Tour with 3 Course Dinner: $124
- Ancient Egypt Night Tour with 2 Course Dinner: $124
- City Sights Tour with Evening Dinner Cruise: $171
- Small-Group Afternoon Cairns City Tour with Harbour Dinner Cruise: $174
- Paronella Park Rainforest Full-Day Tour with Dinner: $65,930
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Manila $19Cairns $37
Tours and Activities in Manila
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:
- (Excursion) Day tour in Manila: $265
- A Day in Paradise at Villa Escudero Coconut Plantation Adventure: $150
- A Night in Old Intramuros Walking Tour: $24
- Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
- Amazing Taal Volcano Tour (Boat Included): $125
- Antipolo Day Tour with Cloud 9 and Pinto Art Museum: $82
- BAGUIO CITY DAY TOUR (FROM MANILA): $365
- BANAUE:BATAD Rice Terraces with Sagada 4D3N PRIVATE TOUR: $7,305
- Bataan Death March Memorial Historical Tour : $208
- Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $73
- Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $85
- Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairns
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cairns's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Scuba Diving$36
Tours and Activities in Cairns
For Cairns, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Admission Ticket: $10
- Skip the Line: Cairns Museum Single Admission Ticket: $10
- Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket: $13
- Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket: $15
- Kuranda: Riverboat Tour: $20
- Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld Admission Tickets: $26
- Hipster and Street Art Walking Tour: $29
- Tomb of the Pharaohs Entry Ticket: $32
- Cairns Tomb Of The Pharaohs General Admission Ticket: $32
- Cairns Pub & Club Tour: $34
- Cairns Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket with Koala Photo: $37
- Cairns Aquarium General Admission Ticket: $38
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManila $9.90Cairns $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairns
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cairns:
- Cairns Party Bus Pub Crawl Night Out Experience: $44
- From Atherton Tablelands Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $168
When comparing the travel costs between Manila and Cairns, we can see that Cairns is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Manila is in Asia and Cairns is in Pacific, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Manila Expensive? and Is Cairns Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Manila or Cairns?
Manila has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Cairns. When comparing the sizes of Manila and Cairns, 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.
When is the best time to visit Manila or Cairns?
Cairns has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Manila experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Manila or Cairns in the Summer?
Both Cairns and Manila during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Manila because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Cairns because of the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
Manila is around the same temperature as Cairns in the summer. The daily temperature in Manila averages around 27°C (80°F) in July, and Cairns fluctuates around 29°C (84°F)in January.
Cairns gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Manila. Manila usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cairnsin January. Manila gets 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 429 mm (16.9 in) of rain this time of the year. November to March is the rainy season in Cairns.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryManila 27°C (80°F)Cairns 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Manila or Cairns in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Manila and Cairns. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Manila year-round. Also, the hiking trails and the shopping scene are the main draw to Cairns this time of year.
In the autumn, Manila is around the same temperature as Cairns. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Manila in October average around 26°C (79°F), and Cairns averages at about 27°C (80°F)in April.
Cairns receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Manila gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Manila usually receives less rain than Cairnsin April. Manila gets 240 mm (9.4 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 273 mm (10.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn. April to October in Cairns is the dry season.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilManila 26°C (79°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Manila or Cairns in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Manila as well as Cairns. Manila attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many travelers come to Cairns for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Manila is generally around the same temperature as Cairnsin July. Daily temperatures in Manila average around 24°C (76°F), and Cairns fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
Manila usually gets less rain in January than Cairnsin July. Manila gets 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyManila 24°C (76°F)Cairns 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Manila or Cairns in the Spring?
Both Cairns and Manila are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Manila throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Cairns in the spring for the beaches.
Manila is around the same temperature as Cairns in the spring. The daily temperature in Manila averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Cairns fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in October.
In April, Manila usually receives less rain than Cairnsin October. Manila gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Cairns receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Cairns is April to October. The rainy season in Cairns is November to March.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberManila 29°C (84°F)Cairns 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Cairns and Manila
| Manila | Cairns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (76°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 429 mm (16.9 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 469 mm (18.5 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (80°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 471 mm (18.5 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 273 mm (10.8 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 303 mm (11.9 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (80°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (80°F) | 452 mm (17.8 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (80°F) | 357 mm (14.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 240 mm (9.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 211 mm (8.3 in) |
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.