February
Best time
30°C / 22°C
2 rain days
hot, dry
- very low rainfall (only 2 rain days)
- outside peak hazard season
- warm evenings without humidity overload
Best time to visit Manila
Manila, Philippines — ranked month by month from data: temperature, rainfall, snow, and peak hazard seasons. The standouts: February, January, December.
About Manila
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.
— condensed from Wikipedia
"
Sprawling and intense. Use Grab, eat the street food, accept the traffic. The country is the beaches; the city is the trade-off for getting to them.
— how Manila really feels, in two sentences
Best months to visit
January
Best time
30°C / 22°C
4 rain days
hot, dry
- very low rainfall (only 4 rain days)
- outside peak hazard season
- warm evenings without humidity overload
December
Best time
30°C / 22°C
8 rain days
hot
- manageable rain (8 days)
- outside peak hazard season
- warm evenings without humidity overload
OK — shoulder months
March
OK
32°C / 23°C
2 rain days
hot, dry
- very low rainfall (only 2 rain days)
- outside peak hazard season
April
OK
34°C / 24°C
3 rain days
hot, dry
- very low rainfall (only 3 rain days)
- outside peak hazard season
November
OK
31°C / 23°C
13 rain days
hot, rainy
- outside peak hazard season
May
OK
34°C / 25°C
9 rain days
hot
- manageable rain (9 days)
- outside peak hazard season
June
OK
32°C / 25°C
16 rain days
hot, very wet
- outside peak hazard season
Months to skip
July
Skip
31°C / 24°C
22 rain days
hot, very wet
- very hot (31°C)
- extremely wet (22 rain days)
October
Skip
31°C / 23°C
18 rain days
⚠ peak season
hot, very wet
- very hot (31°C)
- extremely wet (18 rain days)
- peak typhoon season
September
Skip
31°C / 24°C
21 rain days
⚠ peak season
hot, very wet
- very hot (31°C)
- extremely wet (21 rain days)
- peak typhoon season
August
Skip
31°C / 24°C
23 rain days
⚠ peak season
hot, very wet
- very hot (31°C)
- extremely wet (23 rain days)
- peak typhoon season
How we ranked these
Each month is scored on temperature comfort (18–27°C avg high is the sweet spot), rainfall (more rain days = lower score), snow days, and peak hazard seasons (hurricanes, monsoons, etc.). Green-tier months are within ideal range with no major issues. Yellow are workable but with trade-offs. Red has at least one significant problem — extreme heat or cold, heavy rain, or peak storm season.
On-the-ground reality — Manila
The practical stuff most travel sites won't say plainly. Use this to set expectations before you book.
❌ Tap water
Bottled only
🚶 Walkability
Fair
🛡 Safety
Elevated
🚕 Ride-hailing
Widely available
🗣 English
75% transactable
On the ground: Tagalog and English coexist. Traffic is legendary; Grab everywhere. Watch your phone in crowds.
What does Manila cost?
Estimated daily budgets per person across three travel tiers. Use these as rough starting points — actual spend varies with season and neighborhood.
| Per person per day | 🎒 Budget | 🏨 Mid-range | 🥂 Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging | $20 | $75 | $245 |
| Food | $10 | $28 | $95 |
| Transit | $3 | $7 | $30 |
| Activities | $10 | $25 | $70 |
| Daily total | $43 | $135 | $440 |
Calculate your trip total
Plug in how long you'll go and how many people you're with. We'll show the total in USD and — if you've set a home city — automatically convert it to your home currency.
Estimated trip cost
—
Estimates as of 2025-2026, in USD per person per day. Excludes long-haul flights.