Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Aswan or Phnom Penh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Phnom Penh? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Aswan or Phnom Penh?
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city in the country of Cambodia. It is located at the edge of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers and is the nation's center of economics and industry. The metropolitan area has a population of about 2.2 million.
Phnom Penh was once called the "Pearl of Asia." In the 1920s it was one of the most impressive French built cities in the region and was an important tourist destination. During the Vietnam War, refugees fled to the city and by 1975 the city's population was between 2 and 3 million, most of them being refugees. The city fell to the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and they cut off supplies to the population for over a year. Journalists reported torture and mutilation of the trapped civilians and the Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated the city in what is known as the death march. The Khmer Rouge was driven from the city by the Vietnamese in 1979 and reconstruction began.
Today, tourism continues to grow in the city and those who visit are greeted by a welcoming and friendly population, a rich culture, and truly rewarding travel experience.
Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate. It is hot year around with very little temperature variation. Lows are usually in the low 70s Fahrenheit and highs are in the mid to high 90s Fahrenheit. The southwest monsoon brings rains between May and October and the northeast monsoon brings the dry season from November to March.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
-
Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesPhnom Penh Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $29Phnom Penh $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $29, while the average daily cost in Phnom Penh is $50. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Aswan and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $9.47Phnom Penh $12
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $19Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Phnom Penh? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Aswan Hotel Prices and Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $5.20Phnom Penh $7.84
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Abu Simbel Shared Day Trip from Aswan with Round-Trip Transfers: $30
- Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $150
- Aswan – Abu Simbel – Luxor: Premium Private Transfer: $210
- Aswan Airport Arrival Private Transfer – Up to 8 Passengers: $24
- Aswan Airport Private Departure Transfer: $28
- Aswan Airport Transfer to Nile Cruise or Hotel: $30
- Aswan Airport Transfers inside city & to Luxor, Hurghada- One Way: $18
- Aswan Airport VIP Transfer – Private,Comfortable &On-Time Service: $18
- Aswan Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple with Transfer: $59
- Aswan Station Private Transfer – Arrival or Departure: $24
- Aswan airport transfer: $21
- Aswan to Hurghada : Private Transfer: $189
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- PNH Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $7.00
- Techo Airport (KTI) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $16
- Private Phnom Penh Airport Transfers to your hotel in town: $20
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $20
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $21
- Private Arrival Transfer: Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) to Hotel: $22
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer: Phnom Penh's Hotel to Techo Airport(KTI): $27
- Private Transfer: Techo Airport (KTI) to Hotel in Phnom Penh: $27
- Techo Private (KTI) Private Airport Transfer: $30
- Techo International Airport Transfer to Hotel or vice versa: $30
- Phnom Penh To Techo Airport (KTI) By Private Transfer: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Aswan change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayAswan $14Phnom Penh $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan: $90
Typical Food Prices in Phnom Penh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phnom Penh:
-
Dinner for Two$10
-
Breakfast for Two$4.82
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.
- Mekong Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $9.90
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with English Speaking Guide: $10
- Dinner 4-course Mekong River cruise with Kanika Boat: $27
- Nightlife three hours food tours: $27
- Evening City Tour by Tuk Tuk with 1 Dinner: $29
- Cooking Class in Phnom Penh: $31
- Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside: $35
- Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Penh Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $36
- Street Art and Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $39
- Authentic Walking Food Tour with Local Guide: $39
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.91Phnom Penh $7.62
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
-
Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.15
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Private shopping tour in Aswan bazzars: $8.00
- Adventure Felucca Ride in Aswan ( Private boat ): $17
- Aswan Engineering Marvels Private High Dam & Obelisk Tour: $20
- Felucca Nile Cruise in Aswan: $20
- Aswan Highlights Tour Philae Temple High Dam Unfinished Obelisk: $25
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- Nubian Village Tour: $25
- Philae Temple private tour or Sound and light show evining: $25
- Private Tour Sail on the Nile Aswan Felucca Ride: $25
- Shared Half-Day Tour to the Nubian Village: $25
- Explore Philae Temple and High-Dam on Half-day Tour: $26
- Nubian Village Tour by Motorboat: $28
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Riverside Walking Tour with Snack, Drinks & Local Ferry Ride: $7.20
- Sunset Cruise-"Unlimited BBQ Buffet-Beers, Sodas & Fruit Platter": $7.45
- Phnom Penh Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer & BBQ Buffet: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on the Mekong with Kanika Boat: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Sunset Cruise with free flow beer, soft drinks & fruit platter: $8.99
- Sunset Cruise-Unlimited Beers-Sodas-BBQ buffet-Fruit platter: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer &Fruit platter: $9.35
- Phnom Penh Bus with Free Boat Cruise 1 Day Pass: $10
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.02Phnom Penh $4.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Phnom Penh
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Phnom Penh:
- Phnom Penh Pub Crawl with Free Mad Monkey Singlet: $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Phnom Penh, we can see that Phnom Penh is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Aswan is in Africa and Phnom Penh is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Phnom Penh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phnom Penh than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aswan Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Phnom Penh, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.