Best Place to Exchange Money in Manila

Where to change money in Manila

Changers are easiest to find in Makati, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and the Ermita and Malate streets near Manila Bay. Use an established counter in a mall rather than a street dealer, and compare the rate at two or three. We found no single changer backed by two independent sources, so this guide names none.

• Makati, around the Ayala malls - The business district has the widest choice of counters and bank branches; check the rate and any commission first.
• Bonifacio Global City (BGC) - Handy if you are staying in the district, with counters in the malls and cash machines in the office towers.
• Ermita and Malate - The tourist streets south of Intramuros have several changers; Intramuros itself is mainly for walking, so get your pesos before you go in.

Changing money at the airport

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) is now run by a private company, New NAIA Infra Corp (NNIC). Its website lists ATMs and foreign exchange across Terminals 1 to 4 but gives no desk names, hours or fees, so change only enough for the ride into town.

Since 28 September 2026 an airport taxi charges PHP 115 for the first 500 metres, with the steps for each further 300 metres and two minutes unchanged. An ordinary metered taxi has a provisional flag-down of PHP 65, and ride-hailing cars (TNVS) start at PHP 55 for a hatchback, PHP 65 for a sedan and PHP 75 for an AUV or SUV. The FCDO advises using only taxis from a reputable company, including from the airport, or arranging a hotel transfer.

ATMs and cards in Manila

None of the bank pages we checked (BDO, BPI, Metrobank and Security Bank) states what a card issued abroad pays to withdraw, so this guide quotes no figure. Read any charge the machine displays and cancel if it looks too high. A Philippine Daily Inquirer report on Wise data named three costs: the machine owner's fee, your card provider's fee and a mark-up hidden in the rate. A UK card with no foreign-use fees removes the second.

Given the option of pounds at a cash machine or card terminal, stick with pesos. GCash, the country's main e-wallet, has a GTourist account that lets visitors use it for 30 days, but it can only be activated after you arrive, so bring some cash for your first day.

Paying for transport in Manila

Manila's three elevated railways, LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3, all run on beep, a reloadable stored-value card. At LRT stations it costs PHP 30 plus at least PHP 14 of credit, and it holds up to PHP 10,000. beep says more P2P (point-to-point) buses and other public vehicles around the country now take it too. For a one-off trip, a beep QR ticket bought in the BPI, PayMaya or GCash app works once and is usually valid for 24 hours. Since 23 March 2026 fares on LRT-2 and MRT-3 have been halved for everyone.

From 28 September 2026 a traditional jeepney costs PHP 14 for the first 4 km and PHP 2 for every extra kilometre; a modern jeepney costs PHP 17 plus PHP 2.40. Metro Manila city buses start at PHP 15 without air conditioning and PHP 18 with it, covering the first 5 km. The FCDO warns that armed hold-ups on jeepneys and buses can happen in Manila, so keep phones and wallets out of sight.

Good to know

• Cash limits: up to PHP 50,000 in pesos may go in or out of the country; more needs BSP authorisation. Foreign cash worth over USD 10,000 must be declared in full on the Currencies Declaration Form.
• eTravel: registration is free, can be done within 72 hours of arrival and gives you a QR code; some airlines will not board you without it. The only official site is etravel.gov.ph, so ignore look-alikes that ask for payment.
• Service charge: under the Philippine rules, hotels, restaurants and similar places must pass the whole service charge to their staff in equal shares, so check the bill before tipping on top.
• Carry coins and small notes for jeepneys and street food, and check the fare guide posted in the vehicle.