In the title complex, [Mn(C8H7O3)(2)(H2O)(2)], the Mn-II atom is located on a twofold axis and is coordinated by two vanillinate anions and two water molecules in a distorted octahedral geometry. The vanillinate ligand chelates to the Mn-II atom through its methoxy and hydroxy O atoms, with greatly differing Mn-O bond distances [2.3506 (14) and 2.0901 (12) angstrom].