Discover the best housing options, read reviews from those who've already done this exchange, and connect with peers from universities worldwide!
Discover the best housing options, read reviews from those who've already done this exchange, and connect with peers from universities worldwide!
Raphael
From: FGES catho Lille
To: Ateneo
2025 • Fall
Cost of living ok, good transportation, but too much noise, and not a lot of things to do..
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
How much was the rent per month?
175e per month
Where was it located?
One burgundy plaza, 307 katipunan avenue, quezon city
How can someone find this place?
Daemonus Farco on Facebook
Would you recommend it?
A bit simple, but quite ok for the price
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
Urbn, pop up, clubhouse...
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
Not recommend OPMAN 120, Too difficult
Do you have some tips?
Eat in the university, it’s cheap
Best trips to do?
Everything is cheap !!! Best place = La Union (2hrs from manila)
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
Cost of living ok, good transportation, but too much noise, and not a lot of things to do
Use move it for taxis ! Use Moreta to be able to Use Gcash
Céleste
From: Ateneo de Manila
To: Ateneo de Manila
2025 • Fall
The trips in the Philippines are AMAZING. You can have beautiful beaches, montains, ricefiels... in less than 3 hours in bus. If you want to go to the islands…..
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
How much was the rent per month?
Around 200
Where was it located?
Quezon City, 2 min from school
How can someone find this place?
Facebook contact : Daemonous Farco
Would you recommend it?
Not expensive because we are five. It's at the 22nd floor so very nice view but I think the apartment is minim 30 years, nothing is new in it but it does the job.
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
There are few free clubs and bars near the University. The best ones are better clubs and bars in Makati but you need to pay for it (but they are really good).
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
Marketing super easy. Maths are easy as well. Do not take OPMAN (loooot of work to do). Finance is a lot of work as well but depending on the teacher.
Do you have some tips?
The campus is enormous there is a lot of things. Not quite new (nothing is really new in the Philippines as it is a very poor country) but in the Philippines is the best campus.
Best trips to do?
The trips in the Philippines are AMAZING. You can have beautiful beaches, montains, ricefiels... in less than 3 hours in bus. If you want to go to the islands (beauuuutifuuul), you take either take the ferry or the plane depending on how far it is. But the travels are nothing like Manila. Manila is a big city with pollution and trafic. The rest of the Philippines are amazing, we all love it so much. My advice would be to put your classes on 2 or 3 days (it is possible with Ateneo) and travel around every weekend (so afordable and so so nice).
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
The public transport are not good but there are mototaxi and cabs on the app GRAB (very cheap). Manila has a lot of air pollution, traffic and noise but it is also super secure.
The people here are so nice. You have to pay almost everything by cash. Everybody talks through Messenger or Whatsapp. If you need any more information, do not hesitate to contact me!Do not forget to have fuuuun ! The Philippines are so great, enjoy !!
Manon
From: Leiden University
To: Ateneo de Manila
2025 • Fall
Go out of Manila the city can feel very heavy sometimes. There is a lot of noise, it is very crowed and messy. The city is not very clean of course but I was…..
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
How much was the rent per month?
300euros
Where was it located?
At Infina towers a residence in Quezon City not far from the university
How can someone find this place?
The landlord number +639569622950
Would you recommend it?
Yes I shared it with another french girl that I did not know and it allowed us to become really close friend. A lot of others exchange students were also in this residence so I made plenty of friends there. The accommodations are great we had a pool, gym and a lot of staff and the price is more than okay.
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
Manila is not the best city to go out but you still have numerous bars and club at makati and also next to the university in Quezon City.
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
European cinema (we only watched films and the homework were very chill). Introduction to media studies. Feminism in media
Do you have some tips?
The campus is great the administrative part (when registering to your class) can be long and complicated but once it’s over everything was smooth.
Best trips to do?
Every weekend we traveled in the Philippines or abroad. The best places in the Philippines were Boracay, Siargao, Banaue and Tagaytay. Abroad we went to Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea and I really recommend those four countries.
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
Go out of Manila the city can feel very heavy sometimes. There is a lot of noise, it is very crowed and messy. The city is not very clean of course but I was not surprised by that. I liked the city because it was very different from Europe but I know that a lot of my friends hated it so travel as much as you can.
Mathilde
From: Sciences Po Lille
To: Ateneo de Manila University
2025 • Fall
manila is a perfect destination if you want to travel in south east asia. the philippines is a very wonderful and beautiful country lot of trips and things to…..
What kind of place was it?
Coliving / Shared House
How much was the rent per month?
230
Where was it located?
10min away by foot from university
How can someone find this place?
Would you recommend it?
Yes very nice, easy to meet people, closed to university
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
super cool
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
Chinese class very good we don’t have a lot of classes so we have a lot of free time very good to travel!!
Do you have some tips?
nice campus
Best trips to do?
manila is a perfect destination if you want to travel in south east asia. the philippines is a very wonderful and beautiful country lot of trips and things to do
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
horrible traffic very big city nice people
Noémie
From: Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLy)
To: Ateneo de Manila
2025 • Full year
take the time to travel in the Philippines, there is so much to see: Bohol, Siargao, Palawan, Banaue, La Union…. otherwise pretty cheap to travel in other…..
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
How much was the rent per month?
320€/month with fees
Where was it located?
Aurora Boulevard, 30-40min walk from the school
How can someone find this place?
phone number (or search Infina Tower)
Would you recommend it?
It’s nice and convenient but the avenue where we live is really noisy and polluted. The area is really not nice. Otherwise the building is ok
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
chill rooftop, Makati, BGC, Pop up, Black Box…
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
depends on what you study
Do you have some tips?
nice campus, lot of vegetation, lot of sports area and food area. Maybe the registration wasn’t well organized so it took so much time and also the Visa took almost 3 months
Best trips to do?
take the time to travel in the Philippines, there is so much to see: Bohol, Siargao, Palawan, Banaue, La Union…. otherwise pretty cheap to travel in other country (less than 150€ flighticket to Japan, to south Korea, 80€ to Taiwan….)
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
transport really unconvenient, you have to take Grab all the time (same as Uber). Not much to do, very overwelhming city so we basically leave every weeks
Clémentine
From: ESPOL - Université Catholique de Lille
To: Ateneo de Manila University
2025 • Fall
We traveled almost every weekends from thursday nights to sunday night ! It’s so easy to travel around the Philippines by bus, ferry and planes. Also it’s…..
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
How much was the rent per month?
325
Where was it located?
In Infina Towers at Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, 15min from school but a bit car from Makati (where the bars are)
How can someone find this place?
Airbnb / landlord’s number / residence website maybe
Would you recommend it?
I liked the fact that I was with other students from my university so we were always hanging out together and we see each other as family now. Also the place is clean et there is a big pool, which is very cool considering the temperature in Manila. Also the residence is really secured and if you need help with anything you can ask the reception.
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
It’s not in Manila that you will find the best bars or clubs. To be honest you will never do a cafe terasse at the end of class bc there is none in Manila. But Makati is a good place to go out. You should trust filipinos and go where they advise you to go.
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
Classes are really simple here, and also the classes are often put online because of the météo or just because the professor prefers to do it online. Also the « Cross cultural communication » class is so cool ! Like you’re just talking and playing with the professor and your classmates to learn about cultural differences and adaptation.
Do you have some tips?
The campus is cool but also sooo big. Like you can be drop off by a taxi inside the university if you want to. Also there is a buddy system so you’re gonna be in touch with a filipino and they are so cool and nice, they are gonna help you for everything !
Best trips to do?
We traveled almost every weekends from thursday nights to sunday night ! It’s so easy to travel around the Philippines by bus, ferry and planes. Also it’s super easy to travel abroad ! We did 10 days in South Korea and Japan, 10 days in Indonesia, and at the end of the semester 3 weeks in Thailand and 3 weeks in Vietnam. Ateneo allows that you miss 6 classes per semester for the 1h30 classes (by class) and that you miss 3 classes for the 3h classes. So at the end you can miss 3 weeks of classes.
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
To be honest Manila is not a good city to live in. The traffic is terrible, it’s noisy, it’s not clean, it’s not really enjoyable to live in Manila. But if you try to adapt and don’t except to much from the city you can live a good experience. It’s also that we didn’t spend so much time in Manila except for school and going out with some friends so we didn’t really experience the life in Manila.
Just don’t be afraid of the locals, they are super nice and often just want to help you. Say yes to every opportunity, even if it’s not that organized ! This is where you’re gonna live the best experiences ! Live day to day
Max
From: Kedge business school
To: Ateneo de Manila
2025 • Spring
Manila is very cheap if you compare to France so it was easy for me to eat everywhere and anytime. For the transportation you can easily take a grab ( asian…..
What kind of place was it?
Coliving / Shared House
How much was the rent per month?
200
Where was it located?
In Quezon City, 10m from the school by walking
How can someone find this place?
Facebook : contact Daemonus Farco
Would you recommend it?
Yes, it was very Nice and cheap, but you have to book it as soon as possible as it is well known by French students
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
A lot of other exchange student who are ready to share party with you
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
Teachers are very interessting and very open to exchange students so it was a pleasur
Do you have some tips?
Select the best courses in terms of timetable and try to place the courses on 1 or 2 days so that you can travel the rest of the week
Best trips to do?
From Manila it is easy to go all around the Phillipines and it is very cheap so enjoy and discover the country ( SIARGAO,El NIDO, Banaue, Puerto Galera, Zambales, Ilo Ilo ….)
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Manila?
Manila is very cheap if you compare to France so it was easy for me to eat everywhere and anytime. For the transportation you can easily take a grab ( asian Uber ) but be ready for the long trafick Jam. Manila is a city which never sleep and Where people are very open and curious about stranger so don’t be affraid to talk and discover people
Filipinos are the kindest people, be open as much as possible and travel a lot Even in some area without any tourist ( that’s often the best memories)
