Scuba diving cost in the Philippines: Moalboal, Malapascua & why it's so cheap
The Philippines is world-class diving at backpacker prices. Here's the honest all-in cost — from Moalboal's sardine run to Malapascua's thresher sharks.
If value is your priority, the Philippines is hard to beat. You get warm water, staggering biodiversity, thresher sharks, a famous sardine run and turtles — all at prices that rival or undercut the cheapest places in Southeast Asia. The diving is spread across many islands, which means the headline price is genuinely low, but inter-island travel is the cost that creeps up. Here's the honest all-in picture for 2026.
Fun dives: outstanding value
The Philippines is a fun-diver's bargain. In hubs like Moalboal (on Cebu) and Malapascua, single fun dives commonly land in the rough range of €20–€35 each, with multi-dive packages pushing the per-dive cost lower still. Many of Moalboal's best dives — including the spectacular sardine run — are shore dives, which keeps costs down because you are not paying for a boat every time.
Why the Philippines stays cheap
Low local costs, fierce competition between dive shops, and a lot of accessible shore diving keep prices among the lowest in the world. The variable that adds up is getting between islands. Always price the whole trip, and check live verified dive prices on DiveCost.
The signature dives
Moalboal's sardine run
Moalboal is famous for a year-round sardine run — millions of fish swirling just off the shore — plus turtles and reef life, much of it accessible as a shore dive. That makes it one of the cheapest places anywhere to see a genuine spectacle.
Malapascua's thresher sharks
Malapascua is one of the few places you can reliably see thresher sharks, on early-morning boat dives to a cleaning station. These are boat dives at depth, so they cost a little more than a casual shore dive, but they remain excellent value for such a rare encounter.
Getting certified in the Philippines
The Philippines is a strong, low-cost place to learn. Open Water courses commonly run in the rough range of €250–€400, competitive with the cheapest Southeast Asian destinations. Combined with cheap accommodation and food, a certification trip here can be remarkably affordable.
| Single fun divecheaper in packages | €20–€35 |
| Thresher shark dawn dive (Malapascua) | boat dive, slightly higher |
| Open Water Diver course | €250–€400 |
| Equipment rental (full set, per day) | €8–€20 |
| Inter-island transfers | the variable to watch |
| Budget diving week, all-in | often €400–€700 |
The costs that creep up
- Inter-island travel — ferries and domestic flights between dive hubs are the real budget variable.
- Marine sanctuary / local fees at some sites, usually small.
- Boat-dive surcharges versus cheaper shore dives.
- Nitrox and specialty courses, if you want them.
- Tips for guides and crew, customary and modest.
The Philippines sits right alongside the other great-value names in Asia. Compare our Thailand & Koh Tao cost guide and our Bali cost guide to see where your money goes furthest.
If you are choosing where to certify on a budget, read our best budget destinations to get certified and how much certification really costs first.
The DiveCost view on the Philippines
The Philippines has some of the lowest dive prices on earth, and a lot of it is honestly shore-based. The thing a headline price hides is the cost of island-hopping. We price the whole trip so a multi-island itinerary is compared fairly against a stay-put one.
Bottom line: for value-per-dive and sheer biodiversity, the Philippines is one of the best destinations in the world. Keep your itinerary tight to control inter-island travel, lean on shore diving in places like Moalboal, and you will dive world-class sites on a backpacker budget.