Budget · Phnom Penh · Cambodia
Phnom Penh on a budget
What a trip to Phnom Penh really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Phnom Penh is very affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $25–$45 per person per day on a tight budget, $60–$130 mid-range and $200–$550 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in September.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $25–$45 a day
- Mid-range
- $60–$130 a day
- Luxury
- $200–$550 a day
- Local currency
- KHR
- Free sights
- 7
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $25–$45 | $75–$135 | $125–$225 | $175–$315 |
| Mid-range | $60–$130 | $180–$390 | $300–$650 | $420–$910 |
| Luxury | $200–$550 | $600–$1,650 | $1,000–$2,750 | $1,400–$3,850 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Phnom Penh, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Bowl of kuy teav at a market | about $1.50–$3 |
| Nom pang sandwich | about $1–$2 |
| Short ride-hailing tuk-tuk trip | about $1.50–$4 |
| Tuk-tuk half day to Choeung Ek | about $15–$20 |
| Royal Palace entry | about $10 |
| Khmer main course at a mid-range restaurant | about $5–$10 |
| Local draught beer | about $1–$2.50 |
| Shared sunset cruise | about $5–$15 |
Money-saving tips
- Use PassApp or Grab for city trips; fares are usually lower than negotiated street prices.
- Pay in dollars for larger amounts and use riel for small purchases, at roughly 4,000 riel to the dollar.
- Bring undamaged dollar notes; torn or heavily marked bills are often refused.
- Eat breakfast and lunch at markets, where a full meal costs a few dollars.
- Many sights, pagodas and parks are free, including the riverside, Wat Ounalom and the Olympic Stadium.
Free things to do
- Central Market (Phsar Thmei) — Opened in 1937, this bright yellow Art Deco market has a soaring central dome with four wings radiating out.
- Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung) — Named after the Russian expatriates who shopped here in the 1980s, this low, cramped market sells silk, krama, handicrafts, clothing from local garment factories, motorbike parts and food.
- Sisowath Quay riverside — The riverside promenade runs along the Tonle Sap near its confluence with the Mekong.
- Independence Monument — Designed by the architect Vann Molyvann and inaugurated in 1958, the lotus-shaped tower celebrates independence from France in 1953 and stands at the junction of Norodom and Sihanouk boulevards.
- Wat Ounalom — Founded in the 15th century, Wat Ounalom is the headquarters of Cambodia's largest Buddhist order and one of the city's most important monasteries.
- Wat Langka — One of the city's oldest pagodas, near the Independence Monument, Wat Langka survived the Khmer Rouge period by being used as a warehouse.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and budget
Riverside (Sisowath Quay)
Guesthouses, bars and river views along the promenade facing the Tonle Sap
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers, shopping and solo travellers
Toul Tom Poung
Cafés, studios and street food around the Russian Market
$$ · Best for culture, first-timers and shopping
Wat Phnom and Central Market
Northern Daun Penh, with colonial buildings, banks and the Art Deco Central Market
Eating well for less
- Phnom Penh noodle soup — Market food courts such as the Russian Market and noodle shops across the city, mostly in the morning.
- Khmer rice noodles with fish curry — Market stalls and street vendors in the morning, especially around Toul Tom Poung.
- Grilled pork and broken rice — Street-side grills across the city from early morning.
- Stir-fried short noodles — Mobile carts and market stalls in the afternoon and evening, including at the Russian and Central markets.
- Cambodian baguette sandwich — Bread carts on street corners from early morning, especially near markets.
- Fried insects — Street vendors near markets and along the riverside in the evening.
Getting around for less
The main sights lie within about 5 km of the riverside, but heat, broken pavements and traffic make most visitors use tuk-tuks and ride-hailing apps rather than walk long distances. Choeung Ek and day trips need a tuk-tuk or car hired for a half or full day.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Phnom Penh cost?
About $300–$650 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $125–$225 on a tight budget.
+Is Phnom Penh expensive?
It is very affordable for international visitors. Use PassApp or Grab for city trips; fares are usually lower than negotiated street prices.
+How much money do I need per day in Phnom Penh?
Roughly $25–$45 on a budget and $60–$130 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Phnom Penh?
Usually in September.