Cambodia On A Budget: Detailed Cambodia Travel Budget

Cambodia is a fascinating country in Southeast Asia and a very affordable place to visit. This post shows you how to travel Cambodia on a budget.

This Cambodia travel budget is based on our one-week trip to Cambodia and includes detailed information on how much you can expect to spend on accommodation, transport, food, and activities.

You'll also find plenty of tips on how to save money in Cambodia without missing out on the many amazing sights that Cambodia has to offer. Let's get started!

How to travel Cambodia on a budget

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Prices in Cambodia: infographic

In the infographic below you can find a detailed budget breakdown of our Cambodia trip to give you a quick overview of how much (or actually how little) you can spend during your trip in Cambodia.

Of course, the amount you'll spend depends on your style of travel, the length of your trip, and the type of accommodation you choose.

However, compared to countries such as Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe, Cambodia is a very affordable destination.

Generally speaking, you can travel around Cambodia on a budget of $35-$70 per day (per person). As you can see in the infographic, we spent $73 per day as a couple.

I'll explain more about how much we spent on accommodation, food, transport, and activities further on in the post.

Cambodia travel budget: essential facts and figures

• I traveled to Cambodia with my husband, and all expenses mentioned are for the two of us together. We were backpacking around Southeast Asia and budget travellers, so we really tried to make the most of our money during our entire trip.
• We spent 8 days in Cambodia. We entered the country from Ha Tien (Vietnam) and crossed the Cambodian/Thai border at Poipet.
• I quote prices in US dollars as this is the currency used most in Cambodia. For payments smaller than $1 you’ll get the change in Cambodian Riel (the actual local currency), $1 is about 4000 riel.
• In total, we spent $585 in 8 days, which comes down to an average of $73 a day.
• All expenses in Cambodia are included, plus the transportation costs for the trip from Siem Reap to Bangkok.

How to save money when planning a trip to Cambodia

The good news is: traveling to Cambodia on a tight budget is definitely possible!

That being said, it's important to plan carefully, look for discounts, and be flexible with your itinerary to make the most of your travel budget for Cambodia.

Avoid peak season (travel during shoulder season instead)

Start by researching the best time of year to visit Cambodia as the cost of flights and hotels can vary throughout the year.

The peak season in Cambodia is from December to February. During these months accommodation prices are at their highest.

If you have the option to be flexible with your travel dates and able to travel in low season, this is a great way to save money on your Cambodia trip.

Save money on flights

You can look for discounts on flights to Cambodia on websites like Kiwi.com. Try different travel dates and see how this affects the price of your flight.

Generally, the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Airlines often offer discounted fares on these days, so it's worth checking the booking sites and comparing prices on different days of the week.

You’ll get a better deal by booking your flight in advance. For domestic flights 1-3 months before your trip is ideal. For international flights, it’s best to book 2-8 months in advance.

Lastly, you may be able to find cheaper flights if you're willing to be flexible with your departure and arrival times.

Sure, it’s not ideal to arrive in the middle of the night, but if it saves you hundreds of dollars it’s worth losing one night of good sleep.

✈️ Click here to find the best ticket deals

Book your accommodation in advance

Once you've got your flights booked, it’s time to research budget accommodation. I always use Agoda and Booking to find the best value-for-money accommodation for our trips.

I recommend checking both platforms before you book to make sure you get a good deal.

Please note that Agoda includes taxes in their price whereas Booking doesn't always include this. Make sure to check this before finalizing your booking.

Also, if you're in a country with hefty ATM fees or a limit on how much cash you can withdraw per transaction it can be better to book with Agoda as you can often pay online with your credit card (thereby reducing your need for cash).

Cost of travel in Cambodia

Now that you know some great ways to save money in the planning phase of your Cambodia trip, it's time for a deep dive into our Cambodia expenses. Our daily expenses can be divided into five categories:

1. Accommodation costs: 16% of our daily travel budget
2. Transportation costs: 14% of our daily travel budget
3. Cost of food & drinks: 39% of our daily travel budget
4. Activity costs: 19% of our daily travel budget
5. Visa costs: 12% of our daily travel budget

Cambodia travel cost

1. Cost of accommodation in Cambodia

During our Cambodia trip, we stayed at three different hotels and spent $96 in 8 days. The average price per night was $12*.

We stayed in private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. In the table below you can find the budget hotels in Cambodia that we stayed at.

Location	Hotel name	Price per night	Agoda	Booking
Kampot	Bohemiaz resort	€12,30/$13,50	Click here	Click here
Phnom Penh	Diamond Palace II	€14,50/$16	Click here	Click here
Siem Reap	Hak Boutique Hotel	€13,20/$14,50	Click here	Click here

* Note that our trip to Cambodia was a couple of years ago and average prices have increased a bit since then. I've updated the prices in the table to reflect the current prices per night, that's why these are a bit higher than the average of $12 per night mentioned (though still very affordable).

Budget hotels we stayed at in Cambodia

• Bohemiaz Resort & Spa in Kampot: I loved our stay at Bohemiaz Resort & Spa, it was one of my favorite hotels of our 5-month trip. This cute little resort offers a gorgeous view of the mountains, a swimming pool, and several super comfy chairs and hammocks to relax and enjoy a drink. Click here to book.

• Diamond Palace II in Phnom Penh: this budget hotel is located across from the Royal Palace. The beds are comfortable and there are tea and coffee-making facilities in the room, as well as complimentary mineral water and a small fridge. It's a good budget hotel in Phnom Penh. Click here to book.

• Hak Boutique Hotel in Siem Riep: this is a lovely place to stay, with a spacious double room and comfortable beds. The food is great as well, and there is a swimming pool to cool off after a day of exploring. The family who runs the hotel is wonderful and will make you feel very welcome. Click here to book.

2. Cost of transport in Cambodia

Let’s take a closer look at transportation in Cambodia. There are many ways to travel around the country, such as buses, taxis and tuk tuk, and minivans.

One of the most popular and cost-effective ways is taking a bus. Bus services are available in most of the major cities and towns, and they're a great way to explore Cambodia.

A quick note: when traveling in Cambodia (and Southeast Asia in general), you need to be prepared for delays.

Most of these delays will be relatively short but sometimes your bus or minivan can be delayed for hours (without anyone offering an explanation).

The easiest way to get from A to B in Cambodia is by booking your bus ticket via 12Go Asia. This is an online platform where you can book tickets for trains, buses, ferries, minivans, and private transfers all around Southeast Asia.

I've used 12Go Asia several times and had great experiences with both the ease of booking on the platform itself as well as their fast and friendly customer service when I needed to amend our booking.

For example, you can use 12Go Asia to book bus tickets from:

• Kampot to Phnom Penh (check availability here)
• Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (check availability here)

How much did we spend on transportation in Cambodia?

Looking into our own transportation expenses, when adding everything up our total transportation costs were $80. So $10 for us as a couple on an average travel day.

Check out our complete Cambodia itinerary to read more about getting from place to place and which highlights you can't miss on your Cambodia trip!

In general: the faster you travel, the higher your average daily transportation costs.

If you're on a strict budget, it’s better to spend a couple of days at a handful of locations, instead of visiting lots of places because this requires moving around all the time (and therefore will be more expensive).

3. Cost of food in Cambodia

A general note about Cambodian cuisine: it's delicious! Cambodian food is known for its unique flavors and textures. Some of the most popular Cambodian dishes are:

• Amok (a coconut-based curry)
• Fish Amok (a similar dish with a fish base)
• Kuy Teav (a noodle soup)
• Samlor Korko (a sweet and sour soup)
• Lok Lak (a marinated beef dish)
• Banh Chiao (a type of fried flatbread)

If you're looking for something sweet, Cambodian desserts like Num Ansom (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) or Nom Krohk (fried coconut pancakes) are delicious.

How much did we spend on food and drinks in Cambodia?

Good news: the food in Cambodia is not only really tasty, but it’s also very cheap!

That is if you eat local food at local restaurants. Eating Western Food always triples the price of dinner when traveling around Southeast Asia.

So when it comes to food, explore the local markets to find inexpensive meals and try delicious street food whenever you have the chance.

Anyway, let’s talk numbers.

We spent $224 on food and drinks, on average $28 a day. Street food is the cheapest option and there are so many delicious dishes you can try during your trip!

However, looking at our own expenses, I think 90% of our food budget money was spent on Amok?, this traditional Khmer dish remains one of my favorite dishes!

The other 10% was probably spent on fresh fruit smoothies, which you can buy everywhere in Cambodia for approximately $1.

4. Cost of paid activities in Cambodia

When you’re in Cambodia, make sure to take advantage of all the free activities the country has to offer, like exploring temples and local markets and eating local food at local restaurants to save money.

Doing so will help you make the most of your vacation while still sticking to your budget.

When planning your Cambodia trip, it's worth looking into tour companies that offer (discounted) activities that can help you save money while still getting the best experience.

Klook is the largest tour operator in Southeast Asia, but Get Your Guide has been working really hard on growing their SEA offers as well so be sure to check out those websites as well when you're planning your Cambodia activities.

Some of the most worthwhile tours in Cambodia are:

• Angkor Wat highlights and sunrise tour: Angkor Wat is without a doubt one of the best places to visit in the entire world. With this tour, you get to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat and soak up the early morning atmosphere on this full-day trip from Siem Reap. Book here.
• Tuol Sleng prison and Choeng Ek memorial tour: get picked up from your hotel and driven to the two locations, and learn from a local guide all about Cambodia’s harrowing history. Book here.
• Phnom Penh city tour: join this immersive heritage tour of Phnom Penh. Learn about the country’s rich history, from French colonial times to the Khmer Rouge regime. Book here.
• Siem Reap cooking class: learn to create delicious food and traditional Cambodian dishes led by a local chef. Book here.
• Kompong Phluk Floating Village tour: take a half-day trip to floating markets, fishing farms, and rice paddies in the more rural areas of Cambodia. Discover the day-to-day routines of the families who live in the floating villages at Tonle Sap. Book here.

How much did we spend on activities in Cambodia?

Activity	Costs	Remark
Scooter + petrol at Kampot (2 days)	$13,50	Scooter $5 a day, fuel $3,50 in total
Hike Kep National Park	$2	The entrance fee is used to keep the park clean
Ecran Movie House Kampot	$6,50	
Tuol Sleng museum	$6	$3 pp entree
Scooter + fuel in Phnom Penh	$10	
Cheung Ek Killing Fields	$12	$6 pp entree incl. audio tour
Angkor Wat 1-day pass	$40
Tuktuk tour in Angkor Wat	$22	Including pick-up and drop-off at our hotel
Total costs for activities	$112	

* Please note that entrance fees and prices have increased since our Cambodia trip so expect to pay more for similar activities. For example, a 1-day pass for Angkor Wat is now $35 per person.

Our total costs for (paid) activities came to $112, a daily average of $14. As you can see from the table we did a lot of activities.

We rented a scooter and explored Bokor, Kampot, and Kep. We watched the movie ‘The Killing Fields’ in the Ecran Movie House in Kampot, our very own private cinema.

Well, it was actually a room with a big TV, but the movie is a must-see when you are in or going to Cambodia no matter how and where you watch it.

In Phnom Penh we went to the Tuol Sleng Museum and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, I found it impossible to find the right words to write about these visits and haven't gone into detail on the blog.

However, these two places should be on any Cambodia itinerary as they played such a terrible but important role in the history of the country.

In Siem Reap, we explored the magical and ancient temples of Angkor Wat. We only spend one day in Angkor but you can easily spend (a lot) more time here, there are so many beautiful temples to see.

5. How much does a visa for Cambodia cost?

The costs for a tourist visa to Cambodia depend on your nationality. In our case, we have Dutch nationality and paid $35 for a 1-month single-entry visa.

We bought this visa at the land border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Officially, the Cambodian Visa costs $30 for most nationalities (read more Cambodia travel tips here).

However, there is a $5 fee levied at the border which makes the total visa fee $35 per person.

When looking exclusively at visa costs, it's better to stay in a country a bit longer, to spread the visa costs over more days.

We only ‘used' 8 days of the 30 days that our visa was valid for, so we could have gotten more value out of our visa. Maybe next time we'll be able to spend a month in Cambodia!

6. Travel insurance costs

I didn't include the cost of travel insurance in our Cambodia budget breakdown because we use our travel insurance for all our trips, not just for our Cambodia itinerary.

However, that doesn't take away the fact that making sure you have proper travel insurance is super important.

It helps protect you and your belongings in the event of a mishap during your travels. Furthermore, it provides coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost or stolen items, and more.

Also, having good travel insurance will provide you peace of mind, knowing that if something goes wrong, you have a safety net in place.

With so much to consider when planning a trip, having the right travel insurance can help ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey without stressing out about things that can go wrong.

Plan your Southeast Asia trip like a pro with these tools:
✈️ Find the best flight deals on Kiwi.com.
? Book your transport tickets (train, bus, ferry, minivan, and more) via 12Go.Asia
?️ Find your dream accommodation on Booking.com or Agoda.
? Book the best tours with Klook and Get Your Guide.
? Plan your journey with the Lonely Planet.
?️ Travel safely and get reliable travel insurance from Safety Wing.

Cambodia trip budget: in conclusion

So, that's it, all our Cambodia travel expenses! Cambodia was a little more expensive for us than the other countries in Southeast Asia we visited.

You can compare our Cambodia travel costs with my budget breakdown posts for the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The main reason for these slightly higher costs is that we only spent a week in Cambodia. Plus the exchange rate of the Euro against the Dollar was pretty terrible, which also did not help our travel budget.

Still, Cambodia is a very budget-friendly country. Its history and people will impress you and I encourage you to eat loads of Amok;-).

This post was updated in December 2022.