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Phnom Penh Travel Cost Guide 2026

From budget $35/day to luxury $200/day — full daily expense breakdown

Phnom Penh can be done on a wide range of budgets. Hostels, local restaurants, and public transport keep daily costs around $35 / ¥5,250. A 3-star hotel with sit-down meals averages $90 / ¥13,500. Luxury travelers in 4-5 star hotels with fine dining should expect $200 / ¥30,000+ per day. Below: detailed breakdown by category, total budgets for 3/5/7-day trips, and local saving tips.

Daily Budget at a Glance

Per person, per day for Phnom Penh in three travel styles.

Budget
$35
¥5,250 · per day
  • Accommodation$12
  • Food$10
  • Transport$5
  • Activities$8
Hostels, dorm rooms, local eateries, public transit
Most Popular
Mid-Range
$90
¥13,500 · per day
  • Accommodation$40
  • Food$22
  • Transport$11
  • Activities$17
3-star hotels, sit-down restaurants, mix of transit and taxis
Luxury
$200
¥30,000 · per day
  • Accommodation$100
  • Food$45
  • Transport$20
  • Activities$35
4-5 star hotels, fine dining, private transport and tours

Phnom Penh is among Southeast Asia's cheapest capitals — comparable to Vientiane but with more restaurant range. Stay in BKK1 for walking access to most restaurants and S-21; Daun Penh (Sothearos Boulevard) for walking access to the Royal Palace and the colonial sites. PassApp ride-hail is $1-3 per city ride and $7-10 to the airport; the Killing Fields round-trip is $10-15 with PassApp or $15-25 by tuk-tuk with wait. Cambodia visa $30-36; pre-book Cuisine Wat Damnak and Khema La Poste 3-5 days ahead.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Per person, per day in USD (Japanese yen equivalent in parentheses).

Category Budget Mid-Range Luxury
Accommodation $12 $40 $100
Food $10 $22 $45
Transport $5 $11 $20
Activities & Attractions $8 $17 $35
Daily Total $35 $90 $200

Total Trip Cost by Duration

Including round-trip flight estimate · per person · estimated flights: $300-500 from Seoul direct (Korean Air, Asiana); $150-400 from Bangkok / Singapore / KL / HCMC connecting; $1,200-2,200 from US/EU via Doha, Singapore, or Hong Kong; $900-1,500 from Sydney via Singapore

3-Day Trip 3 nights
Budget
$180
Mid-Range
$380
Luxury
$880
5-Day Trip 5 nights
Budget
$280
Mid-Range
$600
Luxury
$1,400
7-Day Trip 7 nights
Budget
$380
Mid-Range
$820
Luxury
$1,900

* Flight prices vary widely by origin and booking timing. Numbers above are average return economy fares.

How Does It Compare?

Mid-range daily cost compared to other popular destinations.

City
Daily (mid-range)
vs Phnom Penh
Bangkok
$80
Phnom Penh is ~56% cheaper
Vientiane
$50
Phnom Penh is similar (slightly pricier)
Siem Reap
$95
Phnom Penh is ~5% cheaper
Hanoi
$55
Phnom Penh is ~36% cheaper
Ho Chi Minh City
$65
Phnom Penh is ~46% cheaper
Yangon
$45
Phnom Penh is similar

* Exchange rates as of April 2026. Mid-range daily cost per traveler.

Payment & Money

How to pay and what to know about money in Phnom Penh.

Currency

Cambodia uses the US dollar as its primary daily currency — prices are quoted in USD, ATMs dispense USD bills, you'll spend USD for almost everything. Cambodian Riel (KHR, 1 USD ≈ 4,100 KHR) is used only for change under $1. Bring USD cash in clean $5, $10, and $20 notes (some restaurants and tuk-tuks refuse torn or heavily marked bills).

Card Acceptance

4-5 star hotels (Raffles Le Royal, Rosewood, Sofitel, NagaWorld) + mid-range and upscale restaurants (Malis, Khema La Poste, Cuisine Wat Damnak, Romdeng, FCC, The Common Tiger) + Aeon Mall + large supermarkets. Cash USD for everything else — street food, markets, tuk-tuks, temples, guesthouses, day-trip operators. AmEx and Discover are rarely accepted.

Tipping

Not strictly customary but increasingly appreciated. 5-10% at sit-down restaurants if no service charge is added, $1-2 for tuk-tuk drivers on long routes, $1 per night for hotel housekeeping, $1 for porters, $5-10 per day for tour guides, $2-3 for spa therapists. No tipping at street stalls or markets. Cambodian wages are low and small tips have real meaning.

ATM

ABA Bank, ACLEDA, and Canadia ATMs in the city center charge $4-5 per foreign withdrawal plus your home-bank fees, dispense USD in new notes, and have a $500-1,000 per-transaction limit. Avoid street money changers and small unmarked booths near the Central Market (counterfeit reports). Bring USD cash from home in clean small denominations for the best resilience.

Recommended Tours & Activities

Booking tours in advance is typically 15-30% cheaper than walk-up rates.

Phnom Penh Hotel Search

Find rooms in your style — budget $12 to luxury $100+ per night.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a day in Phnom Penh cost?
It depends heavily on travel style. Budget travelers using hostels, local restaurants, and public transport spend around $35 / ¥5,250 per day. Mid-range travelers in 3-star hotels with sit-down meals run $90 / ¥13,500. Luxury travelers in 4-5 star hotels with fine dining should expect $200 / ¥30,000+ per day. Accommodation (budget $12 / mid $40 / luxury $100) is the largest single cost.

What's the budget for a one-week trip to Phnom Penh?
Including round-trip flights, 7 days runs: budget $380, mid-range $820, luxury $1,900. Average return flights: $300-500 from Seoul direct (Korean Air, Asiana); $150-400 from Bangkok / Singapore / KL / HCMC connecting; $1,200-2,200 from US/EU via Doha, Singapore, or Hong Kong; $900-1,500 from Sydney via Singapore (varies by origin and booking timing). Excluding flights, the on-the-ground total (lodging + food + transport + activities) for 7 days: budget $245, mid-range $630.

What's the biggest expense in Phnom Penh?
For mid-range travel, accommodation is the biggest cost at $40 / ¥6,000/day. Order: accommodation $40, food $22, transport $11, activities $17.

Where should I exchange money for Phnom Penh?
Cambodia uses the US dollar as its primary currency — prices are quoted in USD, ATMs dispense USD bills, and you'll spend USD for almost everything. Cambodian Riel (KHR, 1 USD ≈ 4,100 KHR) is used only for change under $1. Bring USD cash in clean $5, $10, and $20 notes — some restaurants and tuk-tuks refuse torn or heavily marked bills. The best ATMs are ABA Bank, ACLEDA, and Canadia, each charging $4-5 per withdrawal and dispensing new USD notes. Avoid street money changers and small unmarked booths near the Central Market (counterfeit reports). Credit cards (Visa/Mastercard) work at 4-5 star hotels, mid-range and upscale restaurants, and large supermarkets; cash for everything else. AmEx and Discover are rarely accepted.

Do I need to tip in Phnom Penh?
Tipping practices vary widely by country. Check the cultural tips section for Phnom Penh specifics. Generally: 10-15% in restaurants where it's expected, round up taxi fares, small tip per bag for hotel porters.

How can I save money on transport in Phnom Penh?
Use public transit (subway/bus) to keep transport at $5 / ¥750/day. Day passes and IC cards offer discounts vs single tickets. Use ride apps (Uber, local equivalents) instead of street taxis to avoid overcharging.

Where can I eat cheaply in Phnom Penh?
Local markets, family-run restaurants, and convenience stores can keep food costs at $10 / ¥1,500/day. Tourist-zone restaurants often run 2-3x what you'd pay 10 minutes away. Look for places where locals eat.

Is Phnom Penh expensive overall?
Costs are moderate by global standards — comparable to mid-tier European cities. Budget travelers can do it on $35 / ¥5,250 per day. The big variables are accommodation ($12–$100), food ($10–$45), and transport ($5–$11) — your style choices matter more than the destination.

Why you can trust cost guide

Jimmy Kong TripPick founder · Travel content creator

Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.

8+ years analyzing travel data 30+ countries visited Live exchange rate verified
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