💰 My 2024 Cambodia Trip Cost: A Budget Breakdown

Cambodia, a country known for Angkor Wat and the tragic history of Khmer Rouge, can be visited with a budget of $40 to $90 a day.

My three-day trip to Cambodia cost a total of $602, and it could have easily been less than $500 had I not splurged. In this post, I share:

• 💰 Expected travel costs
• 💡 Budgeting tips
• 💵 How much cash to bring
• ✈️ My trip’s costs by category

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Is Cambodia Expensive To Travel To?

Cambodia ranks as one of the most affordable destinations in Asia. It has a relatively low cost of living that drives accommodation, food, and transportation costs down. Bargaining is also a common practice, lending to cheaper prices.

Along with Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, Cambodia is often considered an inexpensive destination in Southeast Asia.

Among the two major cities, Siem Reap is more expensive than Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Siem Reap’s primary industry is tourism due to Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world, which increases the cost of living.

💰 Trip Daily Budget for Destinations in Asia

For comparison, I visited these countries in Asia within a year of visiting Cambodia, and here’s how much I spent per day at each one:

Destination	My Budget
🇯🇵 Japan	$145
🇰🇭 Cambodia	$123*
🇸🇬 Singapore	$122
🇹🇼 Taiwan	$102
🇻🇳 Vietnam	$89
🇹🇭 Thailand	$77

*My Cambodia daily budget is high because I splurged on accommodation.

See all my daily budgets.

How Much Is a Trip to Cambodia?

This section covers estimated trip costs depending on your travel style. I share my actual travel expenses further below.

🎒 Budget Travelers – Cambodia Trip Cost

A budget traveler can expect to spend approximately $40 per day or $280 for one week of travel in Cambodia, excluding flights.

Here’s what a budget traveler’s cost breakdown can look like:

Category	Cost per Day
🏠 Accommodation	$8
🐟 Food	$12
🚗 Transportation	$10
⭐️ Entertainment	$10
Total	$40

Traveling Cambodia on a Budget

To travel to Cambodia on a budget, here are some things you’ll need to do:

• 🏠 Accommodation – For the cheapest option, stay at a dorm-style hostel for as low as $7 a night in cities like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Booking private rooms in a hostel will increase the price to roughly $12 a night. A budget hotel room is not much more expensive than a hostel at around $15 a night.
• 🚗 Transportation – Walk and bike as much as possible to get around. Both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are small cities with walkable areas, especially around the city center. You can also negotiate tuk-tuk rides, but they are usually already very cheap.
• 🐟 Food – Eat at inexpensive, local restaurants serving Cambodian food (aka Khmer cuisine) for $3 to $5 a meal. Tourist-focused restaurants will have an upcharge.
• ⭐️ Entertainment – The famous Angkor Wat has a $37 entrance fee, but that cost jumps to over $50 with a guided tour. While Angkor Wat’s history is worth a guide, you can visit it on your own if you’re on a tight budget.
• ☀️ Travel Season – The best time to travel to Cambodia for the best deals on accommodations is during the low season (aka the wet season), which runs from May to October.

💰 Mid-Range Budget Travelers – Cambodia Trip Cost

A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend approximately $90 per day or $630 for one week of travel in Cambodia, excluding flights.

I consider myself a mid-range budget traveler, but you’ll see below that my daily budget in Cambodia is higher because I splurged on accommodation (which I rarely do).

About My Cambodia Trip

To give context to the expenses below, here’s what you need to know about my trip:

• 📍 Siem Reap – The top two destinations in Cambodia are Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. I visited Siem Reap, which is typically more expensive than the capital city.
• 🗓️ Three days – Most people visit Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat, so I didn’t spend more than three days there like many others.
• ☀️ Low season – I went to Cambodia in November, which is considered the low season.

Cambodia’s high season runs from December to January, coinciding with the dry season.

• ✌️ Group travel – I traveled with one other person, so we were able to split some costs, such as housing.
• 💰 Mid-range budget – I consider myself a mid-range budget traveler, and these expenses reflect that. I don’t aim to travel on a budget, but I’m thoughtful about how and where I spend.
• 🍀 Self-funded – My trips are self-funded, so I paid for everything listed below. None of my excursions or experiences are sponsored.
• 💵 US dollars – All costs listed in this post are per person and in US dollars, converted from Cambodia’s local currency, Cambodian Riel.

The exchange rate was $1 USD = 4,105 KHR at the time of writing.

Total Cost for a Cambodia Trip: $602

My three-day trip to Cambodia cost a total of $602, including flights.

See the highlights of my trip in this Siem Reap itinerary.

💰 Cost Breakdown for Cambodia

Here’s a quick overview of my expenses by travel category:

Category	Cost	% of Total	Daily Budget
✈️ Flights	$235	39%	–
🛃 Visa	$30	5%	$10
🏠 Accommodation	$163	27%	$54
🐟 Food	$49	8%	$16
🚗 Transportation	$8	1%	$3
⭐ Entertainment	$119	20%	$40
Total	$602	100%	$123

🗓️ Daily Budget in Cambodia: $123

My Cambodia trip cost $123 per day, excluding my flights from Thailand and to Malaysia.

	Daily Budget
Excluding flights	$123
Including flights	$201

A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend $90 per day in Cambodia. This generally means staying at accommodations that cost $30 per night, eating at $ to $$ restaurants, paying for tuk-tuk rides, and going on popular tours.

✈️ Flight Cost to Cambodia: $235

I usually take round-trip flights from the United States, but I flew into Cambodia from Thailand and out to Malaysia for this trip. Here are my flight costs:

Flight	Cost
Thailand → Cambodia	$136
Cambodia → Malaysia	$99

A round-trip flight between the US and Cambodia that costs under $800 is considered cheap; international flights typically cost over $900.

🛂 Tourist Visa Cost in Cambodia: $30

You need a tourist visa to visit Cambodia from the United States.

• A 30-day visiting visa for Cambodia costs $30.
• An eVisa to Cambodia that you can apply for in advance costs $36.

You can get a Cambodia tourist visa upon arrival at the airport, and it’s cash-only. When I visited, they had one ATM with a long line, so it’s best to have cash on hand.

🏠 Accommodation Cost in Cambodia: $163

My average cost of accommodation in Cambodia was $54 per night. I was able to split accommodations with one other person at all times.

I usually book basic accommodations, but I booked a villa while staying in Siem Reap to celebrate my anniversary. My villa included:

• A private swimming pool in a private backyard
• Full kitchen
• Modern bathroom with a rain shower head
• A private washing machine and dryer

Accommodations in Siem Reap are incredibly cheap. A mid-range accommodation in Siem Reap starts at $30 a night. Luxury hotels range from $200 to $1,000 per night.

🍜 Food Cost in Cambodia: $49

My average cost of food in Cambodia was $16 per day.

A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend about $15 per day on food in Cambodia.

Cheapest Meals in Cambodia

Here are the most affordable meals I ate during my trip:

Meal	Location	Cost
Noodle and drinks	Phare Circus	$3.50
Fish amok (Khmer dish)	Madam Moch	$4.50

Local food in Cambodia is very affordable. You can expect to spend anywhere from $3 to $10 per meal, and you likely won’t spend more than $15 per meal unless you’re eating at high-end restaurants. A local beer is usually less than $1.

Most Expensive Meals in Cambodia

Here are the most expensive meals I ate during my trip:

Meal	Location	Cost
Seafood and premium beef	Ox Club	$65
Num banh chok (Khmer dish)	POU Restaurant	$13
Curry dish	Sambo	$10

Khmer cuisine is flavorful and delicious. If you’re not familiar with it, you can sample different dishes at an affordable street food tour.

🚙 Transportation Cost in Cambodia: $8

My average cost of transportation in Cambodia was $3 per day.

• The average price of a tuk-tuk ride was $2.60 per ride.
• The cost of a tuk-tuk from the airport to my accommodation five miles away was $6.

Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are small cities, so a very convenient and affordable way to get around is by tuk-tuk, which you can call through the Grab app (iOS, Android).

Cambodia doesn’t have extensive public transportation, but one of the best ways to travel between major destinations is by bus. You can take a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap for less than $15.

⭐️ Entertainment Cost in Cambodia: $119

My average cost of entertainment in Cambodia was $40 per day. This total includes a 5% to 15% tip at certain places.

A typical mid-range traveler in Cambodia can expect to spend about $35 a day on entertainment.

Costs of Activities and Attractions in Cambodia

Here are all the activities and attractions I paid for and how much each cost:

Activity	Cost
Angkor Wat entrance fee	$37
Angkor Wat sunrise tour	$26
Full-day countryside bike tour	$38
Phare Circus entrance ticket	$18

One of the most unique and underrated things to do in Siem Reap is biking through the countryside.

Entrance Fees for Cambodia’s Top Tourist Attractions

Tourism is one of Cambodia’s biggest industries, so you’ll find that many of the country’s top attractions, ancient temples, and national parks have entrance fees.

Below are the entrance fees for some of the most popular attractions in Cambodia:

• Angkor Wat – A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Cambodia’s most famous temple, Angkor Wat, has an entrance fee of $37. The fee gives you a one-day pass to Angkor Archaeological Park, which includes famous temples like Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm.
• The Killing Fields – One notable site that I wasn’t able to visit in Cambodia but recommend due to its educational significance is the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center in Phnom Penh, which has a $6 entrance fee.
• National Parks – Cambodia has several national parks, and the most famous one, Phnom Kulen National Park, has an entrance fee of $20.

Check out great things to do in Siem Reap.

Do You Need Cash in Cambodia?

Cambodia’s economy is largely based on cash transactions, especially in non-tourist areas, so bring some cash. I needed to use cash almost everywhere when I visited.

Below are tips on bringing and using cash in Cambodia.

💵 1. The US dollar is widely accepted in Cambodia.

USD and the Cambodian Riel are widely used in Cambodia, so you can withdraw cash in either currency. However, if you use USD, expect to receive change in riel and remember that you may not get a favorable exchange rate.

ATMs are widely available in the tourist areas of Cambodia, but they generally have large bills for USD (e.g., $50 or $100 bills), so I recommend withdrawing in riel instead if you want to avoid carrying large bills.

🏧 2. Bring about $20 worth of cash per day to Cambodia.

On a typical day, a mid-range budget traveler in Cambodia will need at least $20 in cash to cover food, transportation, and attractions. A daily cash expense breakdown can look like this:

• $10 at a local restaurant
• $5 to $10 to tip drivers, tour guides, or other service providers
• $2 at a juice stand or bar for a drink

I keep my cash in my crossbody bag, but if you want extra protection against pickpocketing, carry it in a hidden money belt instead.

💳 3. Very few places in Cambodia take credit cards.

Being able to use a credit card in Cambodia is the exception, but below are some places that accepted credit cards during my trip:

• Grab app rides
• Larger established hotels
• Touristy restaurants

💵 4. Tipping is not customary in Cambodia.

Tipping is very appreciated in Cambodia, but it’s optional. Since it is one of the poorest countries in the region, service workers always appreciate tips.

Food, accommodations, and services are so cheap that a 10% to 15% tip would not significantly impact your wallet but would make a difference to a local.

💰 5. You need cash to get a Cambodia visa (unless you pay online).

Visitors from the United States need a Cambodia tourist visa. The visa is cash-only if you get it at the airport after you land.