Home of the famous Angkor Wat and a place with a tragic history due to the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia is an affordable Southeast Asia country that can be visited with a budget of $35 to $90 a day.
My three-day trip to Cambodia cost a total of $602 USD and it could have easily been closer to $500 had I aimed to budget more. In this post, I share:
- 💰 Expected Siem Reap travel costs
- 💡 Siem Reap budgeting tips
- ✈️ My trip’s travel expenses by category
- 💵 How much cash is needed in Cambodia
Is Cambodia Expensive To Travel To?
Cambodia is one of the most affordable places to visit in Southeast Asia, which is already a budget-friendly region for most tourists.
Among Cambodia’s top two major cities to visit, Siem Reap is more expensive than the capital, Phnom Penh. Siem Reap’s primary industry is tourism due to Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world, which increases the cost of living.
For comparison, here are my travel daily budgets for the countries in Asia that I visited in the same year:
| Daily Budget | |
|---|---|
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia Trip | $123 (could have easily been closer to $85) |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand Trip | $77 |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam Trip | $86 |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan Trip | $102 |
How Much Is a Trip to Cambodia?
Here’s how much a budget and mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend in Cambodia on a daily basis and during a one-week trip.
🎒 Trip Cost for Budget Travelers
A budget traveler can expect to spend approximately $35 per day or $245 for one week of travel in Cambodia, excluding flights.
Cambodia is already extremely cheap, so there aren’t many meaningful ways to reduce cost, but to stay on a small budget, you can:
- Stay at a hostel for $8 a night
- Eat a $3 to $5 meals at inexpensive, local restaurants serving Cambodian food
- Walk and bike as much as possible and negotiate tuk-tuk rides
- Explore the Ankgor Wat complex without a tour guide
💰 Trip Cost for Mid-Range Budget Travelers
A mid-range budget traveler, such as myself, 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 my cost per day is higher because I decided to splurge on accommodation, which is something I rarely do. I break down my Costa Rica travel expense by category below.
About My Cambodia Trip
To give context to the expenses below, here’s what you need to know about my Cambodia trip:
📍 Siem Reap. The top two destinations in Cambodia are Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. I visited Siem Reap, which is on average slightly more expensive than Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
🗓️ Three days. Most people visit Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat, so like many others, I didn’t spend more than three days there.
☀️ Low season. I went to Cambodia in November, which is considered the low season. Cambodia’s high season runs from December to January.
✌️ Two travelers. I traveled with one other person, so I was able to split transportation, accommodation and food costs.
💰 Mid-range budget. I don’t aim to travel on a budget, but I’m thoughtful about how and where I spend. I consider myself a mid-range budget traveler and some of these expenses reflect that.
💵 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 = 4,116 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. I did a Siem Reap itinerary similar to this one.
The US dollar and Cambodia Riel are both widely used in Cambodia. Many places, especially tourist areas like Siem Reap, will show their prices in USD.
💰 Cost Breakdown for Cambodia
Here are my Cambodia travel cost by category:
| Cost | % of Total Cost | Cost Per Day | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Flights | $235 | 39% | – |
| 🛃 Visa | $30 | 5% | $10 |
| 🏠 Accommodation | $163 | 27% | $54 |
| 🍜 Food | $49 | 8% | $16 |
| 🚗 Transportation | $8 | 1% | $3 |
| ⭐ Attractions | $119 | 20% | $40 |
| Total | $602 | 100% | $123 |
💵 Daily Budget in Cambodia: $123
If I include flight costs, my Cambodia trip came out to $201 per day.
A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend $90 per day in Cambodia. This generally means staying at a $25 per night accommodation in Cambodia, eating at $ to $$ restaurants, paying for tuk-tuk rides and going on popular tours.
✈️ Flight Cost to Cambodia: $235
My arriving flight from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia was $136.
My departure flight from Siem Reap to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was $99.
There are no direct flights from the United States (or Europe) to Cambodia, so you will likely have to stop at another country in Asia to get to Cambodia. Cambodia has two international airports: Siem Reap International Airport and Phnom Penh International Airport.
The most expensive months to fly to Cambodia from the United States are July and August and the cheapest month to fly is November, according to Skyscanner.
🛂 Tourist Visa Cost in Cambodia: $30
You need a tourist visa to travel to 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. They had one ATM with a fairly long line when I visited, so it’s best to have cash on hand. See more tips on using cash in Cambodia below.
🏠 Accommodation Cost in Cambodia: $163
My average cost of accommodation in Cambodia was $54 per night.
Despite it being a tourist town, accommodations in Siem Reap are extremely cheap. You can find mid-range accommodations in Siem Reap for $25 a night and anything higher will be considered luxury.
I usually book basic accommodations, but I booked my own villa while staying in Siem Reap since I visited during 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
🍜 Food Cost in Cambodia: $49
My average cost of food in Cambodia was $16 per day.
- My least expensive meal in Siem Reap cost $4 at Phare Circus, which was a solid show with an inspiring mission.
- My most expensive meal in Siem Reap cost $13 at POU Restaurant, which came recommended by a local.
You can expect to spend anywhere from $3 to $10 per meal in Cambodia, depending on what kind of restaurant you eat at. You likely won’t be spending more than $15 per meal unless you’re eating at a high-end place. Local beers in Cambodia are usually less than $1.
🚙 Transportation Cost in Cambodia: $8
My average cost of transportation in Cambodia was $3 per day.
- The average cost of a tuk-tuk ride was $2.60 per ride.
- The cost of a tuk-tuk from the airport to my accommodation 5 miles away was $6.
Siem Reap is not a big city, so a very convenient and affordable way to get around is by tuk-tuk, which you can call through the Grab app (iOS, Android). There are several ways to get around Siem Reap.
Cambodia doesn’t have meaningful public transportation to take advantage of, 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.
✨ Activities and Tour Cost in Cambodia: $119
My average cost of activities in Cambodia was $40 per day.
Both of my Siem Reap day tours below include a ~10% tip. Tipping is not expected in Cambodia, but it’s very appreciated in a country where many service workers earn a low wage.
| Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Angkor Wat entrance fee | $37 |
| Angkor Wat sunrise tour cost | $26 |
| Full-day countryside bike tour cost | $38 |
| Phare Circus entrance ticket | $18 |
🎟️ Entrance Fees in Cambodia
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 in Siem Reap is Cambodia’s most famous temple and has an entrance fee of $37 USD. The fee gives you a one-day pass to Angkor Archaeological Park, which includes famous temples like Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm.
- One notable site that I wasn’t able to visit in Cambodia, but recommend visiting due to its educational significance, is the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (aka the Killing Fields) in Phnom Penh, which has a $6 entrance fee.
- Cambodia has several national parks and the most famous one, Phnom Kulen National Park, has an entrance fee of $20.
This Siem Reap travel guide includes 10 great activities you can do in the city.
One of the most unique and underrated things to do in Siem Reap is to bike through the countryside.
Do You Need Cash in Cambodia?
Credit cards are not widely accepted in Cambodia, so you need to bring cash.
Places that take credit cards in Cambodia include Grab app rides, larger hotels and more touristy restaurants. Otherwise, cash is the norm. I only used my credit card at two restaurants and when I paid for Grab rides using the app.
Here are some tips on bringing and using cash in Cambodia:
💵 Tip #1: US dollar is widely accepted in Cambodia.
Both 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 don’t want to carry large bills.
🏧 Tip #2: Bring at least $20 worth of cash per day to Cambodia.
If you’re a mid-range budget traveler, you can expect to spend approximately $20 in cash on some days in Cambodia:
- $10 at a local restaurant that’s likely cash-only
- $2 at a juice stand or bar for a drink
- $5-$10 to tip drivers, tour guides or other service providers
I kept my cash in my crossbody phone pouch (it feels secure enough for me), but if you want extra protection against pickpocketing, you can carry a hidden money belt.
💵 Tip #3: Tipping is not expected in Cambodia, but consider doing it as a tourist.
Tipping is not mandatory nor necessarily expected in Cambodia, but since it is one of the poorest countries in the region, it is always appreciated by service workers.
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.
💰 Tip #4: You need to pay in cash to get a Cambodia visa unless you pay online.
Visitors from the US need a Cambodia visa and the visa is cash-only if you get it at the airport after you land.
If you have any questions or thoughts, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
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