Southeast Asia

Money, cards and tipping in Philippines

Capital: ManilaFilipino, EnglishUpdated October 2026

PHPPeso

Money in Philippines

Mostly cash Carry plenty of pesos: island destinations have few ATMs. Cards work in malls, hotels and chains; jeepneys, tricycles and small eateries want cash. US$1 ≈ ₱62.61 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Not obligatory; many restaurants add a 10% service charge. Otherwise round up or leave 5–10%; tip guides and boat crews.
ATMs: Most ATMs charge foreign cards 200–250 PHP; limits often 10,000–20,000 PHP. Island ATMs (El Nido, Siargao) often run dry.
Paying by phone: GCash and Maya QR dominate but need a local SIM; contactless cards and phone wallets work in malls and chains.
Price level: about 33% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Manila	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and GCash in malls, hotels and chains; cash for jeepneys, markets, carinderia eateries and small shops. ATMs are everywhere.
Boracay	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards at resorts and many restaurants; cash for tricycles, boat trips and beach vendors. ATMs exist but queue and sometimes run dry.
Palawan	Mostly cash	Carry plenty of pesos. Cards work at bigger hotels and dive shops in El Nido and Coron; ATMs are few and often empty.
El Nido	Mostly cash	Bring pesos from Puerto Princesa. The few ATMs often run dry; cards work at some hotels and dive shops, usually with a fee.
Cebu	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for jeepneys, markets, small eateries and island trips. ATMs are plentiful in the city.
Siargao	Mostly cash	Carry pesos. General Luna has few ATMs that often run out of cash; cards work at some resorts and cafés, usually with fees.
Coron	Mostly cash	Bring pesos. A few ATMs often run out; cards work at dive shops and bigger hotels, often with a surcharge.
Bohol	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts, malls and some restaurants; cash for tricycles, tours, markets and small eateries.
Panglao	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in resorts and many Alona restaurants; cash for tricycles, boat trips and markets. ATMs on Alona sometimes run dry.
Makati	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and GCash work in malls, restaurants and bars; keep small bills for jeepneys, markets and street food.
Moalboal	Mostly cash	Bring pesos from Cebu City. The few ATMs run dry; dive shops and some hotels take cards, often with a surcharge.
Baguio	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and some cafés; cash for jeepneys, the market, street food and small shops.
La Union	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards at bigger cafés, hotels and surf shops; cash for tricycles, markets, small eateries and boards. ATMs in San Juan sometimes run dry.
Davao	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for jeepneys, markets, fruit stalls and small eateries. GCash is widely accepted if you have a local SIM.
Dumaguete	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and some restaurants; cash for tricycles, markets, dive shops and small guesthouses. ATMs are plentiful in town.
Siquijor	Mostly cash	Few ATMs on the island and they can run dry; bring cash from Dumaguete. Small resorts and eateries take cash or GCash.
Puerto Galera	Mostly cash	ATMs exist in the center but may run dry on weekends; resorts take cards, while trikes, markets and bars want cash.
Malapascua	Mostly cash	ATMs are few and often empty; bring enough pesos from Cebu. Dive shops and bigger resorts take cards, usually with a surcharge.
Port Barton	Cash only	Bring all the pesos you need from Puerto Princesa; the one or two ATMs can be empty or offline. Most places take cash only.
Tagaytay	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in restaurants, resorts and malls; cash for tricycles, markets, fruit stalls and viewpoint vendors.
Sagada	Cash only	Bring pesos from Baguio; ATMs are scarce and often empty. Guesthouses and eateries mostly take cash only.
Banaue	Cash only	Bring pesos; ATMs in Banaue are few and often empty. Guesthouses, homestays and eateries take cash only.
Vigan	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in some hotels and restaurants; cash for calesas, markets, empanada stalls and small guesthouses. ATMs in town.
Iloilo	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for jeepneys, markets, batchoy shops and small guesthouses.
Angeles City	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards in malls, hotels and chains; cash for bars, jeepneys, tricycles and local eateries.
BGC	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in malls, cafés and chains. Keep cash for taxis, small eateries, tipping and street food.
Bantayan	Mostly cash	Mostly cash. Resorts and some restaurants take cards; ATMs are few and can run empty, so bring pesos from Cebu.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Philippines?

Not obligatory; many restaurants add a 10% service charge. Otherwise round up or leave 5–10%; tip guides and boat crews.

Is Philippines cashless?

Mostly cash. Carry plenty of pesos: island destinations have few ATMs. Cards work in malls, hotels and chains; jeepneys, tricycles and small eateries want cash.

What currency does Philippines use?

The Peso (PHP). US$1 ≈ ₱62.61 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.