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Guide · Money

Philippine peso — where and in what order to change money

Money on a Philippines trip is decided less by what you carry than by where and in what order you change it. This page, current as of 2026-08-25, sets out the exchange routes used in Manila and Clark as a structure. Rates and fee percentages move daily, so no figures are written here — what is written is what gets added at each route.

Updated 2026-08-25

First — pesos are hard to buy before you arrive

Buying pesos at home is possible in many countries, but few banks hold much of it and the spread against your own currency is wide. Because of that, a lot of travellers change into US dollars at home and into pesos once they land.

That double conversion is not automatically better, because a spread is applied at each of the two steps. What makes it common is that changing your own currency straight into pesos locally is handled by few counters, and often on poor terms.

Written variants: peso · PHP · ₱. This site prints prices with the ₱ symbol and writes peso in running text.

Five routes and what each adds

  • Airport counters — usable the moment you land. The convenience normally costs a worse rate than in town, so a common approach is to change only what you need for transport and a first meal at the airport, and the rest in town.
  • Exchange counters in town — usually the best terms, but the variation between them is wide. Check both the count and whether they are actually open.
  • ATM withdrawals — local currency straight away, but several separate charges stack up (see below).
  • Card payment — accepted at hotels, larger restaurants and malls. Not usable for small shops, transport or tips.
  • Hotel and casino cages — the easiest to reach. In a land-based casino the cage is the same window that handles chips and currency together.

An ATM charges you in more than one layer

  • The local bank withdrawal fee — charged per transaction by the bank that runs the machine.
  • Your card issuer's overseas usage fee — charged separately by whoever issued the card.
  • The currency conversion charge applied by the international card network.

Because the fees are per transaction, several small withdrawals cost more than one larger one for the same total. Weigh that against the risk of carrying a lot of cash and whether your room has a safe.

Dynamic currency conversion — where people most often lose money

An ATM or card terminal may ask whether you want to be charged in your home currency or in pesos. That question is dynamic currency conversion.

Choose your home currency and the conversion is done by the local operator, at a rate that is normally worse than the one your card network would have applied. Seeing a familiar currency on screen is reassuring, but the amount you actually pay is larger.

There is one rule: always choose to be charged in the local currency, pesos.

Why you keep small notes

  • Tips — hotel porters, caddies, spa therapists and others are handed cash.
  • Transport — small vehicles and traditional transport often cannot break a large note.
  • Small shops — outside convenience stores, many do not take cards.

If a counter gives you only large notes you will be hunting for somewhere to break them. Ask for a mix when you are handed the money.

What to check at the counter

  • Count what you are handed on the spot. Once you leave the window it is difficult to correct.
  • Ask whether the posted rate is the rate actually applied and whether a separate fee is added.
  • Do not deal with anyone who approaches you on the street offering to change money.
  • Some counters ask for a passport or ID, and may want the original rather than a copy.

FAQ

Should I bring US dollars and change them into pesos?
Buying pesos at home is often held in small amounts at a wide spread, so bringing US dollars and changing locally is common. A spread still applies twice, so it is not automatically better. Check what your own bank offers for pesos before you decide.
Can I just change everything at the airport?
Airport counters normally give a worse rate than in town, as the price of convenience. Most travellers change what they need for transport and the first meal there, and the rest in town.
Is changing money inside a casino expensive?
Cages differ in which currencies they take and on what terms, so there is no single answer. We list the currencies handled only for venues where it has been confirmed, on the casino pages, and leave the rest blank. We do not fill in estimates.
Can I exchange my own currency for chips directly?
It varies by venue, and we list the currencies handled only where confirmed. If it has not been confirmed, bringing pesos or US dollars is the safer plan.
Are exchange counters open late at night?
Counters in town keep set hours and most are closed in the early morning. Which venues run a 24-hour window differs, so for a late-night arrival, changing a minimum at the airport is the safer plan.
Can I get by on cards alone?
Hotels, larger restaurants and malls take cards, but small shops, transport and tips need cash. Cards alone will not carry you through a trip.
Is it better to withdraw a large amount at once?
Withdrawal fees are charged per transaction, so fewer withdrawals cost less for the same total. That raises how much cash you are carrying, though, so decide it alongside where you can store it.

Not verified

  • · Exchange rates between pesos and any other currency
  • · Spreads and fee percentages at individual banks and counters
  • · ATM per-transaction withdrawal fees
  • · Currencies handled at each venue cage — listed on the casino pages only where confirmed

Not stated by the official source. We do not fill these in with estimates.

Related

Manila casinosClark casinos

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