Cambodia on a Budget (2024): Travel Cost & Saving Tips (2024)

Discover Cambodia, a highlight of our Southeast Asia journey. Beyond the renowned Angkor Wat, there’s much to explore. Are you wondering about the cost of a trip to Cambodia? I’ll show you how to experience Cambodia on a budget.

I’ve detailed all our Cambodia travel costs to help you plan your budget. You’ll also find the latest prices and money-saving tips to avoid overspending and maximize your budget.

What does a trip to Cambodia cost?

Average daily costs in Cambodia

The average traveler spends around $50/€45 per day in Cambodia. Of course, it all depends on your travel style. As a backpacker, you can easily live on around $21/€19 a day while traveling through the country. If you prefer to travel in luxury, you should expect to spend around $165/€150 a day.

Our Cambodia Trip Cost (27 days)

Author’s note: All the prices below have been paid in the country’s main currency (Riel & US-Dollar). The prices only have been converted into Euro and US dollars for better understanding. Any discrepancies may result from rounding and converting.

Total Cambodia Travel Cost in 27 days

Total: 396,74€/ $466,24 per person

Expenses in Cambodia per day (27 days)

Total: 14,64€/ $17,48 per person

Update: As our trip was a little while ago, you should expect costs to rise by around 4% due to inflation. It’s best to use our cost calculator with updated prices and costs.

Cambodia Prices – How much do things cost in Cambodia?

• Budget accommodation (private double room) per night: ca. $ 8-16
• Lunch Street food or local Restaurant: ca. $2-3
• Dinner Street food or local Restaurant: ca. $2-3
• A meal in an upscale Restaurant for two people: ca. $20
• 1,5 Liter Water: ca. $0.8
• Fresh fruit juice: ca. $ 1
• 0,3 l Beer in Restaurant: ca. $ 1
• 0,5 l Beer in Supermarket: ca. $ 1
• Visa for 30 Days: $ 30 (ca. 28 €)
• Ticket for Angkor Wat 1-Day Pass: $ 37 (ca. 35 €)
• Ticket for Angkor Wat 3-Day Pass: $ 62 (ca. 58 €)

Currency in Cambodia

The official currency in Cambodia is the Cambodian riel (KHR). However, the US dollar is also used in the country. Especially in tourist facilities, paying with US dollars is common. However, it is more common to pay in riel in local stores and street food stalls.

At the time of the last update of this article, one dollar is equivalent to around 4,000 Riel.

Saving tips: How to visit Cambodia on a Budget

While we used many “tricks” to save money in Japan, such as Couchsurfing and hitchhiking, we traveled more traditionally in Cambodia. As always, we didn’t miss out on anything and saved a lot of money.

General Cambodia money-saving tip

You can sometimes save a few dollars by paying with the local currency, the riel, instead of US dollars. The prices in US dollars are often higher than in the local currency. If the converting rates are bad, though, paying in US dollars can actually be recommended.

Transport Saving Tips

Getting to Cambodia

Just getting to Cambodia can account for up to 50% of your travel costs. Therefore, this is the first step to reducing your travel costs. Look for flights several weeks (ideally six weeks or more) in advance.

I recommend using a flight price comparison tool like Skyscanner to get an overview of the various offers. (Don’t forget to delete your cookies before searching!)

The average flight price between Germany and Cambodia (Frankfurt – Phnom Penh) is just under €550 and €1,200 for a return flight. From New York, expect to pay around $ 1,000. It may be worth connecting different Southeast Asian countries to save on flight costs.

Another option is to consider a transfer flight. It is often cheaper to fly to Bangkok or Singapore first.

Follow our tips for booking flights online to find the best deal.

Note: Please note that the flight costs are not included in our cost breakdown.

Check flights on Skyscanner

Bus

Buses are usually the most accessible and most affordable means of transportation when traveling through Cambodia, although they don’t cover every route. Minivans are another standard option.

The first rule for getting your ticket is to shop for the best prices. You can do this online through platforms like 12Go Asia or visiting various local travel agencies.

There’s often a significant price difference between agencies. It’s wise to check with several, as accommodations like hotels may offer tickets at a higher price. Sometimes, there’s a choice between different service levels, with the more luxurious options being pricier.

Remember that night buses typically cost more than those running during the day.

Tuk-Tuk and Taxi

Bargaining is key when taking a tuk-tuk or taxi in Cambodia. If you accept the first price quoted, you’re likely paying much more than the journey is worth. A general guideline is to pay no more than $1 per kilometer. You can check prices on travel blogs or ask your hotel for an appropriate fare for popular routes.

Negotiating Effectively

Even if you’re not a natural at haggling, like myself, give it a try. Start with a lower offer than what you’re willing to pay. In the best case, the driver will agree immediately. If not, they’ll probably counter with a higher price. The goal is to meet in the middle, hopefully leaving both parties satisfied.

Cambodia Food Saving Tips

Regarding food, there are two main ways to save a lot of money when traveling to Cambodia. And the best part is that they are pretty easy to follow.

Avoiding tourist restaurants

In Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, in particular, you will find that many restaurant prices are not at all what you would expect in Southeast Asia. On the contrary, some dishes almost reach the price level you are used to at home. But is that really necessary? No, not at all.

If you simply go one street further, a little off the main road, you will find plenty of options for a reasonably priced meal.

Even if you generally avoid street food, there are also affordable restaurants with a quality comparable to tourist restaurants. So just keep your eyes open. Most restaurants in Cambodia have their menus displayed outside the door so that you can look and compare at your leisure before entering the restaurant.

Eating Street food

If you want to save a lot of money on food in Cambodia, there’s a magic word: street food! It’s not only inexpensive but usually also super tasty. I know many travelers shy away from street food and have heard some horror stories. But I myself have never felt sick after eating street food in the country.

It’s actually relatively easy to find out which food is good. Just look around you. Do many locals eat here? Then they must indeed have had a good experience here in the past. So there’s probably nothing for you to worry about, either.

Just try it, and you’ll probably want to eat street food more often afterward.

Water

Staying hydrated is essential, especially in the hot weather in Cambodia. Unfortunately, there are few ways to save money when buying water here. Some accommodations offer to refill your bottle for free or for little money. This not only saves money but is also good for the environment.

In general, however, water in Cambodia is relatively expensive compared to its neighboring countries, Thailand and Vietnam. So try to buy large rather than small bottles to save a few cents.

Or how about not spending money on water at all?

Yes, you read that right. You can travel through Cambodia without buying water. Not only can you spare your Cambodia budget, but you can also do something good for the environment. And no, I don’t want you to die of thirst…

The trick? Tap water! That’s not drinkable in Cambodia, you’re probably thinking… That’s true, but there is a way to make the tap water drinkable. And that is with a so-called Lifestraw. This disinfects and filters the water so that you can drink it.

Vicki’s note: Make sure ONLY to drink tap water if it is filtered with a trusted filter! Otherwise, tap water in Cambodia is not drinkable.

Saving on Entries & Activities in Cambodia

Unfortunately, you cannot do much about the entrance fees in Cambodia. If you want to see something, you have to pay for it. As a rule, however, the entrance fees in the country are not that high. Exceptions are Angkor Wat, which tries to get everything out of the tourists with an entrance fee of $37, the Royal Palace, and the National Museum in Phnom Penh for $10 each.

Whether these prices are worth the entrance fee is something everyone has to decide for themselves. Of course, we couldn’t do without Angkor Wat, so we paid $62 for three days. As you can see, this makes up most of the $91 we spent on entrance fees and activities.

It can be worth reviewing various attractions and tours beforehand (e.g., on TripAdvisor). This will help you decide whether a visit is worth the entrance fee.

Savings Tips for Accommodation

Accommodations in Cambodia are surprisingly affordable. You can easily find a basic double room with a fan in a hostel starting at just $7. In places like Battambang, we even managed to snag a double room with a private bathroom for a mere €5 per night – less than €2.5 per person!

For groups of two or more, opting for a double room often makes more financial sense than choosing beds in a dormitory. Solo travelers can look into room-sharing options, maybe by connecting with fellow travelers in backpacker groups on Facebook or directly at the location.

For those who prefer their own space, there’s good news: even private rooms are quite budget-friendly, making them a viable option for solo travelers.

Should you book your accommodation in advance?

At many destinations in the country, we chose our accommodation locally rather than booking online. However, in hindsight, I honestly don’t think it was worth the local search and lugging our backpacks around after the long bus rides.

Even though you might save a dollar or two by searching on the spot, you’ll save a lot of valuable time if you simply book online beforehand. The price difference between deciding on the spot and booking online is only minimal, and you can honestly make better use of your time.

The best way to do this is to use a booking site like Booking.com, where the reviews of other travelers alone can benefit your search for accommodation.

Vicki’s extra tip: Honestly, price isn’t everything. We learned this the hard way after spending a night in a poorly rated hostel surrounded by co*ckroaches and bedbugs. Since then, I’d rather pay an extra buck a night than spend the night in a run-down hostel. Never book accommodation without reading the reviews first.

Check accommodation in Cambodia at Booking.com

Other travel expenditures

The rest of our money we mostly spent on fresh coconuts and fruit juices.

We just couldn’t get enough of it. The fruits in Cambodia taste so much better than the ones I am used to from Central Europe. And also, it is just so cheap. Well, it adds up anyway within 27 days.

Another significant expense was the After-sun-lotion we had to buy after we returned from our Island hopping tour in Sihanoukville with a big sunburn. Sunscreen and After-sun-lotion are super expensive in Cambodia as the main customers are tourists. If possible, bring enough of it from your country.

Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks can be pretty cheap in Cambodia. You can buy cheap co*cktails and long drinks, especially at the night market in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. But also in other cities, such as Kampot, you can find cheap options like 2-for-1 or Happy Hour offers.

But please keep in mind that when you buy for low prices, you will most probably not receive high-quality alcohol.If you want a beer with your food, it is usually relatively cheap in any restaurant or supermarket.

SIM Card

A local SIM card can help you stay mobile and find your way around. Practically, SIM cards in Cambodia can be pretty affordable.

Depending on the length of your stay, you can find providers with 5 GB data volume for 30 days for just about $5. So, you don’t need to worry that mobile data will eat a big hole in your Cambodia budget.

Where are you heading to?

Also, check out my Top 10 Guide to Phnom Penh and my 3-Day Angkor Tour Guide.

Interested in Cambodia?

See all our Cambodia Posts

• The best things to do in Battambang, Cambodia – Highlights in the Bamboo Train citySeptember 16th, 2017 || 5 comments

• October 3rd, 2023 || 4 comments

• The best things to do in Kampot, Cambodia – A Highlight in the South of CambodiaAugust 21st, 2017 || 19 comments

About the AuthorVicki

Hi, we are Vicki & Eduardo, an international travel couple on a mission to help you save money for priceless travel experience. Follow us through the miracles of this world and you will be rewarded with a bunch of practical travel tips.

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