If you are planning your honeymoon in the Philippines and wondering the cost of food and eating out in the Philippines, this article is for you. As a country well-known for its beaches, volcanoes, and historical places, the Philippines is also known for its unique dishes like Adobo, Sinigang, and Kare-Kare. What makes Filipino food more special is the combination of rice in almost everything they eat, from breakfast to dinner, rice is essential.
Whether you’re visiting the city of Manila, flying to an island like Palawan or Boracay, the variety of foods in the Philippines are a mix of local ingredients with the procedure of countries that once conquered the Philippines, history taste delicious as they say.
How to Calculate your cost of food and eating out in the Philippines?
So if you are planning your trip to the Philippines and trying to calculate how much money you will be spending for food and eating out, here’s an updated list of things you’ll need to know before visiting the country:
- Street Food Prices in the Philippines
- Fast Food Restaurant Prices in the Philippines
- Prices at Casual Dining Restaurants in the Philippines
- Cost of Eating at Fine Dining Restaurants in the Philippines
- Average Cost of Traditional Filipino Breakfast
- Prices at Cafes and Bakeries in the Philippines
- Prices at Seafood Restaurants in the Philippines
- Alcohol Prices in the Philippines
- Supermarket Prices in the Philippines
- Tipping at Restaurants in the Philippines
1. Street Food Prices in the Philippines
Filipino street foods are one of the most interesting things you’d never want to miss out while visiting the Philippines. The rare and exceptional taste of these cheap foods is a must-try most especially for those tourists who loves the thrill. Street foods in the Philippines are snacks that are usually eaten in-between meals, and on-the-go foods for the Filipinos. Here’s a list of the most popular street foods in the Philippines and their prices:
- Isaw (Grilled chicken intestine): PHP 5 per stick
- Kwek-kwek/Tukneneng (Deep fried quail or duck egg): PHP 3 per piece
- Fishball (Fried fish paste): PHP 5 per stick
- Squid ball (Fried squid paste): PHP 10 per stick
- Kikiam (Fried minced pork with prawn): PHP 3 per piece
- Balut (Egg embryo): PHP 20
- Turon (Wrapped banana with jackfruit): PHP 15
- Banana cue (Sweet barbequed banana): PHP 20
- Cheese Sticks (Wrapped cheese): PHP 15 per cup
- Sorbetes : PHP 5 to PHP 20 depending on cone size
- Taho (Soft tofu with caramel and sago pearls): PHP 10 to PHP 20 depending on cup size
- Gulaman Juice (Caramel juice with jelly texture): PHP 15 per cup
2. Fast Food Restaurant Prices in the Philippines
If you roam the main streets of the Philippines, you’ll notice that most Filipino fast-food restaurants are consist of well-known western fast-food chains, but aside from these restaurants, there are a lot more local and cheaper options where you can experience authentic Filipino foods, they are called Carinderia. Carinderias are small establishments with different variety of classic Filipino dishes that usually come with rice, the cost of one meal is PHP 30 to PHP 100. Here’s a list of the most popular fast-food meals in the Philippines and their prices:
- Adobo: Chicken/Pork with soy sauce, vinegar, and other spices. This meal is the most and safest ordered meal in a fast-food restaurant. Usually cost PHP 40 to PHP 80.
- Sinigang: Fish/Shrimp with vegetables, it has a sour taste soup and usually comes with rice too. The price ranges from PHP 40 to PHP 80.
- Pansit: Noodle dish with meat or seafood and vegetables, price ranges from PHP 30 to PHP 60.
- Kare-Kare: Beef with vegetables and peanut butter sauce, this one comes with rice too. Price ranges from PHP 60 to PHP 100
- Tortang Talong: Eggplant omelet, usually combined with banana ketchup, the cheapest dish that also comes with rice for only PHP 30.
- Ginilng: Minced pork with vegetables and tomato sauce. It only cost PHP 40 to PHP 80.
- Nilaga: Pork stew that comes with Filipino vegetables, this one is a classic too, it only cost PHP 50 to PHP 80.
- Liempo – Grilled pork belly with a hint of sweetness, one large slice cost PHP 30 to PHP 50 only.
3. Prices at Casual Dining Restaurants in the Philippines
Just like any other south-east Asian country, most Filipino casual dining restaurants can be found in malls if you’re in a city like Manila and Cebu. But on provinces and islands like Palawan and Boracay, these restaurants can be found just along the highways.
If you are traveling as a group, the cost of eating at casual dining restaurants in the Philippines is usually between PHP 1,000 to PHP 2,000. For couples, it would be somewhere between PHP 500 to PHP 1,500.
As you can see, if you eat at fast food and casual dining restaurants, you don’t have to have a thick wallet. If you know where to eat, cost of food and eating out in the Philippines is not something you should worry about.
4. Cost of Eating at Fine Dining Restaurants in the Philippines
Most fine dining restaurants in the Philippines are categorized by country of origin. So if you’re still up for Filipino foods, you better stick with Asian fine dining restaurants. The best fine dining restaurants in the Philippines are located on a roof deck or by the sea with a beautiful view and great ambiance. These restaurants offer a wide range of unique Filipino dishes with a twist.
The cost of eating at a fine dining restaurant in the Philippines is PHP 3,000 to PHP 5,000 for couples and PHP 8,000 to PHP 10,000 for groups.
5. Average Cost of Traditional Filipino Breakfast
The cost of eating out in the Philippines will vary according to the time you’re eating, and as for breakfast, you will eat like a king for breakfast in the Philippines for it is the most affordable time of eating compared to lunch and dinner.
Typically, Filipino breakfast is consists of egg, marinated meat, and fried garlic rice, these meals are called Silog. So a traditional Filipino breakfast including the beverage usually costs PHP 80 to PHP 150 only good for one person.
6. Prices at Cafes and Bakeries in the Philippines
If you’re in a city like Manila and Cebu in the Philippines, most cafes will be quite cheaper than those on the top tourist destinations like Palawan and Boracay. Most of these cafes will be along the beach that’s perfect for couples who want to experience a peaceful honeymoon with a great view. Cafes in the city will at least cost PHP 300 for a cup of coffee and a dessert and PHP 500 on the island.
On the other hand, most bakeries anywhere in the country don’t have sits and usually just stalls since Filipinos are not a huge fan of bread. A western bakery would be at the mall which cost more expensive than the ones outside where you can buy one big bread for only PHP 20, while the one with the great ambiance is PHP 50 to PHP 80.
7. Prices at Seafood Restaurants in the Philippines
For a tropical country surrounded by sea, the Philippines has a large variety of seafood available in almost any season of the year. Seafood restaurants usually offer one large serving of different seafood good for a group of people since it cost lesser than one serving. This serving costs PHP 1,000 to PHP 2,500 while one serving is around PHP 300 to PHP 500.
8. Alcohol Prices in the Philippines
Alcohol in the Philippines costs much cheaper compared to any other south-east Asian country. Although bars and restaurants that offer alcohol might sell a glass of drink for a bit more expensive price, it would still be a reasonable price to enjoy your honeymoon trip or group travel in the Philippines. Here’s an updated list of how much alcohol cost in the Philippines:
- Beer: PHP 45 for 330 mL
- Spirits: PHP 150 for a glass and around PHP 800 for a 1L bottle
- Wine: PHP 180 to PHP 200 for a glass and PHP 280 to PHP 1,000 for a bottle depending on the brand
- Cocktails and Liqueurs: PHP 250 to 350 for a glass
9. Supermarket Prices in the Philippines
Most supermarket prices in the Philippines are the same wherever you go. Whether it’s inside a mall or a small establishment nearby residencies, the cost is reasonably fair. If you’re planning to stay longer in the Philippines and on a tight budget, the best place to visit is the public market also known as Talipapa, where fresh meats and vegetables are delivered every day from local farms. Here’s a list of the most common foods and their prices in the Philippines supermarket:
- Milk: PHP 90 for 1L
- Cooking Oil: PHP 130 for 1L
- Loaf of bread: PHP 50
- Eggs: PHP 120 for a dozen
- Cheese: PHP 80 for 160g
- Yogurt: PHP 60 for 125g
- Chicken breast: PHP 190
- Ground beef: PHP 440 for 1Kg
- Rice: PHP 50 for 1kg
- Pasta: PHP 50 for 400g
- Apples: PHP 20
- Tomatoes: PHP 5
- Potatoes: PHP 15
10. Tipping at Restaurants in the Philippines
Most Filipino restaurants especially the fine dining ones expect a tip from their customers particularly from the tourist. However, keep in mind that this is not obligatory. Usually, the cost of a tip in the Philippines is the smallest amount of paper bill which is PHP 20 and PHP 50 in any restaurant.
Conclusion
As you can see, when it comes to cost of food and eating out in the Philippines the budget you need depends entirely on your preferences. While most tourists prefer to eat in local budget friendly restaurants in the Philippines, it is also possible to pamper yourself in fine dining restaurants with amazing foods and drinks.
If you are planning your honeymoon in the Philippines, we suggest you to take a look at our main article to find out everything you need to know about the Philippines. If you have any questions or comments, please share with us in the comments section below.