Are you planning a trip South East Asia and wondering whether Cambodia is cheap? Want to know expected travel costs for the biggest attractions, activities, accommodation and transport?

You’ve come to the right article!

We heard countless people tell us that South East Asia is so much cheaper for travellers than Latin America - and so we expected to visit and be blown away by its affordability (especially after a very budget-friendly trip to South India a couple of months before).

And whilst it is by no means expensive, if you choose to stay at nice hotels/hostels - especially on the Koh Rong islands - and eat in tourist restaurants, you may be surprised.

So, for any travellers on a budget, it's good to understand your key travel costs in Cambodia before you visit. This helps you plan out exactly how long you can stay in the country, what sort of travel style you can opt for, and the big ticket items to be aware of before you arrive!

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The costs below are the average we encountered during our time in Cambodia (February - March 2020), and the individual items have been chosen for their popularity amongst travellers here. Note that prices may vary according to seasonality, particularly accommodation.

Currencies are $USD / £GBP / €EUR, with conversion rates accurate at time of publication.

Please note that we are including prices in USD primarily, rather than the local Riel currency, as this is a more stable measure of prices and is used more commonly in Cambodia for travellers - at time of writing, the rate was $1 = 4,000. If you didn't know that Cambodia used the dollar alongside its own currency, then find out more in our 23 Things to Know Before You Visit Cambodia post.

Dorm Bed in hostel

Cambodia has long been a favourite on the South East Asia backpacker trail, and you will find an abundance of hostels on offer across the country.There’s something to suit absolutely every taste - from party-centric, and plush flash-packer, to locally-run and responsibly led.

Dorm beds are pretty cheap, starting at just a few dollars, and private doubles can be had for between $7 and $10 a night.

$6 / £4.80 / €5.50

Double Room Mid-Range Hotel

Of course, not everybody wants to stay in a hostel.

Quality, facilities and price vary considerably dependent upon the level of tourism and location (for example, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have some very fancy options) but you will never have a problem sourcing a bed for the night, even last minute.

Expect to pay more for a decent bungalow or room on the islands (we really treated ourselves on Koh Rong Samloem for example at $60 / night, and prices were generally more than on the mainland).

$15 - 25 / £12 - 20 / €13.50 - 23

Six Hour Bus Ride

Transport throughout Cambodia is not without its issues (nothing ever leaves when it should do, and journey time is a best guess) but it is plentiful and really rather well priced.

In comparison to other countries we’ve travelled with a good public bus network, the most common way for independent travellers to get around Cambodia is with a small minibus, with the option of booking express (no stops) or standard services.

We recommend you book tickets online in advance on BookMeBus, a Cambodian transport website.

$9 / £7.20 / €8.20

Tuk Tuk from Phnom Penh airport to city centre

There are a number of ways to get from the airport to the centre of Phnom Penh, including tuk tuk, taxi and private transfer - but most people choose the former.

It’s pretty well set up at the airport with standard rates so, providing you go with a tuk tuk in the terminal, you should always pay the same amount.

$9 / £7.20 / €8.20

Tuk tuk in Phnom Penh

We always like to confirm prices before we hop into a taxi or tuk tuk, but it soon become apparent that wherever we were going in Phnom Penh, the quoted rate would be $3.

Sometimes this was way too much, for other journeys it felt like a really good deal. We figured it all balanced out in the end! You can also use the Grab or Pass ride-hail apps in the city for secure tuk-tuk journeys.

$3 / £2.40 / €2.75

One Day Entrance to Angkor Wat

The reason that 99% of travellers are coming to Cambodia in the first place is to visit this masterpiece of humanity.

Given its popularity amongst visitors, and UNESCO World Heritage status, it should come as no surprise that it's a significant source of revenue for the country.

Ticket prices start at $37 per person for a one-day pass (enough to see sunrise and the main temples), however, as it's such a vast site, tickets are also available for three days ($62) and one week ($72).

There are reduced rates for low season.

Read more | Our guide to visiting Angkor Wat (published soon!)

$37 / £29.50 / €33.50

Entrance to Choeung Ek Killing Fields

Any first-time visit to Phnom Penh will be underpinned by a sense of grief and melancholy.

Through the brief yet barbaric actions of the communist Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, Cambodia was devastated, with a loss of at least 1.7 millions lives through mass torture, starvation and murder.

Learning about the dark underbelly of Cambodia's relatively recent past is therefore not simply an optional activity in Phnom Penh - it is absolutely vital.

Two sites which are essential on every itinerary are therefore the killing fields at Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre and the Tuol Sleng S-21 Prison.

$6 / £4.80 / €5.50

Ferry from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong

No trip to Cambodia would be complete without at least a handful of days relaxing upon the beautiful beaches of Koh Rong or Koh Rong Samloem.

Pick a hut, a stretch of sand, and your favourite sunset tipple and while away the hours in absolute paradise.

Accessible only by boat from the broken city of Sihanoukville, tickets can easily be bought online, in advance (we’d recommend doing this at least a couple of days before you plan on travelling) for $22 return.

$22 / £17.50 / €20

30 day visa

The standard Cambodia tourist visa lasts 30 days, and you are able to purchase it in advance or upon arrival.

We chose the latter, mainly because it was $7 cheaper than doing it online (both types of visa cost $30 USD, but you pay a $7 processing fee for the e-visa). And given the number of tourists queueing up with us at Phnom Penh airport, it was pretty clear that this is the option that most people chose - and it was super simple to do.

Read more | Find out more about the visa in our post ‘23 Things to Know Before You Visit Cambodia’.

$30 / £24 / €27

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dinner in a tourist restaurant

Eating out was one of the areas where we felt that costs for a trip to Cambodia could really add up, with many restaurants in the most touristic of destinations charging quite a bit more than we had assumed would be the case.

We had some wonderful meals at pricier expat run restaurants (especially plant-based / vegetarian options), but some equally bad ones at places that could charge a higher rate simply by virtue of being located in a super touristic area.

$7 / £5.50 / €6.50

plate of fried noodles in local place

Cambodia is a nation that really loves meat, so as vegetarians, eating in local restaurants was a little more difficult (although we did find a few gems, especially in Battambang).

One thing we could always rely upon however was a greasy plate of fried noodles. Filling, usually a decent portion of veggies included, came out quickly and often the cheapest meal on the menu! Street food at local restaurants with red or blue plastic chairs on the pavement is always a great option, and always very affordable.

$2 / £1.60 / €1.80

Motorcycle Rental per day

Motorcycles are absolutely everywhere in Cambodia, and rentals are a popular way for tourists to get out and explore the countryside without having to rely on tuk tuks.

With that said however, given that the roads are notoriously bad in many parts of the country, it’s imperative that you know how to ride one, are confident doing so, always wear a helmet, rent from a reliable source and have good travel insurance that will cover you for any accidents or injuries.

Read more | Everything you need to know can be found in ‘13 Common Mistake to Avoid With Travel Insurance’

$7 / £5.60 / €6.40

60 minute massage

Massage parlours are literally everywhere in Cambodia; the important thing to work out first is whether it’s the sort of establishment that specialises in ‘happy endings’ or not. As we’ve mentioned in a few posts, sex tourism is rife here - in restaurants in Kampot, bars in Siem Reap, hostess clubs in Phnom Penh, and yes, massage parlours everywhere. It’s pretty sickening, and the western men who fuel this trade are disgusting.

A good rule of thumb to distinguish, aside from obvious indicators, is the price charged i.e. the more expensive, the increased likelihood that it’s a legit massage place. That, and its location, with most sex tourism in towns and cities located within specific areas.

If you are unsure, it’s probably best to ask your accommodation for their recommendation on a good place to get a massage.

Prices varied depending on destination, but expect to pay between $6 and $12 for a 60 minute massage.

$6 -12 / £4.80 - 9.60 / €5.50 - 11

Local SIM card + data plan

Whilst you could almost certainly survive on hostel and restaurant wifi and google maps downloaded, having a local data package certainly makes travelling around Cambodia easier.

SIM cards and data bundles are available from phone kiosks on every street corner but as there were specific offers in Phnom Penh airport when we arrived, we decided to get ours there instead.

We paid $12 for 100 GB which lasted 30 days.

$12 / £9.60 / €11

1 Litre bottled water

Cambodia has a pretty horrendous plastic pollution problem, a water supply that largely isn’t safe to drink and temperatures that mean it’s essential to keep hydrated.

But instead of buying countless single-use plastic bottles of water and adding to this, get yourself a travel filter water bottle before setting off on your adventure.

It’ll save you a bunch of money, it’s infinitely better for the environment, and it’s the best damn travel product you’ll own.

Keep Reading | Find why you need to buy a travel filter water bottle and our pick of the bunch in this post.

$0.50 / £0.40 / €0.45

Latte in hip coffee shop

Where there are expats, there are exceptionally good coffee shops - and Cambodia has both in relatively large numbers.

Excellent news for those that can only tolerate a few cups of Nescafe before they start craving the good stuff!

Keep Reading | Find out our favourite coffee shops in Phnom Penh, Kampot and Battambang.

$3 / £2.40 / €2.75

ATM Withdrawal Fees

As firm believers and frequent users of Monzo and Starling, we were disappointed to arrive in Cambodia and realise that there was simply no way to avoid the $5 withdrawal fee charged by most bank ATMs.

Our advice to to take out as much money as possible each time (safely, of course), so as to minimise the number of times that you need to pay this.

Read more | Discover how we manage to avoid ATM charges and bank fees when we travel.

$5 / £4 / €4.50

Local beer in bar

If an ice cold beer in stifling heat sounds like a good idea to you, then you’ll be pleased to know that local beers (in bottles, draft and cans) are pretty cheap here - and that happy hours are exceedingly common place!

Top tip | In our experience, draft is always the cheapest option, with some places offering a cold one for 50 or 75 cents.

$1 / £0.8 / €0.9

1 KG of laundry

Unless you hunt around, doing laundry in Cambodia can prove pretty expensive, with some of the highest per kilo rates we’ve experienced on our travels.

If you’re fortunate to be in a town with very few tourists you may find a local place charging as little as 50 cents a kilo, but in general, expect to pay between $1.5 and $2.

It’s quite common to find tourist-centric laundries charging much more than this (the highest we saw was $3.50/kilo), but we’d encourage you to avoid them.