In short
Manila is not a city but sixteen cities merged into one metropolis. Makati and Bonifacio Global City are the modern business districts; Intramuros, the Spanish walled town, is the only historic centre.
It is the country's air hub: almost every domestic flight to Palawan, Cebu or Bohol goes through it.
What it really costs
Living costs are low for an Asian capital of this size, but housing in the liveable districts — Makati, BGC, Ortigas — costs markedly more than the rest.
English is an official and administrative language, which makes settling here simpler than elsewhere in South-East Asia.
What nobody tells you
The traffic is among the worst in the world. Twenty kilometres can take two hours, and that governs the choice of district far more than rent does.
Intramuros was flattened in 1945 during the Battle of Manila: what stands is partly rebuilt. San Agustin is the only original church.
Safety varies sharply between districts. Makati and BGC are walkable; elsewhere you move by car and avoid the night.
