Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Ayutthaya?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ayutthaya or Phnom Penh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ayutthaya 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: Ayutthaya or Phnom Penh?
Ayutthaya
Once the largest city in the world, Ayutthaya, is the example of an ancient capital within a modern city. Located in the central plains of Thailand, this spot is ideally located between China, India and the Malay Archipelago creating the perfect place for trade in Asia. Eighteenth century maps from Holland and France show golden palaces, large ceremony spots and trading vessels from all over the world. Suddenly, in 1767, Ayutthaya experienced a tragic fall from grace with a Burmese invasion burning much of the city to the ground.
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 Cultural Tours in Thailand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Thailand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAyutthaya $68Phnom Penh $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Ayutthaya is $68, while the average daily cost in Phnom Penh is $40. 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 Ayutthaya and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAyutthaya $23Phnom Penh $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAyutthaya $46Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Ayutthaya and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Ayutthaya 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: Ayutthaya Hotel Prices and Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ayutthaya $30Phnom Penh $7.78
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ayutthaya
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ayutthaya are as follows:
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River Ferry Crossing$0.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ayutthaya
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ayutthaya:
- Transfer from Bangkok: $108
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Private Phnom Penh Airport Transfers to your hotel in town: $10
- Phnom Penh Airport Transfers: $15
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Phnom Penh APT-HTL (PNH): $16
- Phnom Penh Airport Transfers: $19
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH): $22
- Phnom Penh Airport (PNH) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $22
- Phnom Penh International Airport Transfer (PNH): $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $24
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Hotels: $24
- Airport transfer and Shihanouk ville: $25
- Phnom Penh International Airport Transfers: $25
- Private Transfer From Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Ayutthaya or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Ayutthaya 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
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Food Meals for one dayAyutthaya $22Phnom Penh $13
Typical Food Prices in Ayutthaya
Some typical examples of dining costs in Ayutthaya are as follows:
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Lunch for 2$4.15
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Ice Cream$0.89
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Breakfast for 2$4.15
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Breakfast for 2$10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ayutthaya
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ayutthaya.
- Bangkok: VELA Dinner Cruise Ticket: $21
- Eat like a local Food tour with small group: $57
Typical Food Prices in Phnom Penh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phnom Penh:
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Dinner for Two$10
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Breakfast for Two$4.78
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 Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Available: $9.90
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Evening Food Tour with Drinks & Tuk Tuk Included: $36
- Phnom Penh Local Market & Morning Food Tour Include Drinks: $44
- Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
- Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive over 10 Local Tastings: $49
- Ultimate PP Food Tour by Tuk Tuk - 20 tastings & drinks included: $69
- Phnom Penh Authentic Food Tour 100% By Local: $69
- Phnom Penh's Ultimate Street Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $69
- Cambodia Food Tour: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ayutthaya $29Phnom Penh $7.56
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ayutthaya
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Ayutthaya are as follows:
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Temple Entrances (2)$5.93
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Wat Entrance$1.48
Tours and Activities in Ayutthaya
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ayutthaya are as follows:
- App self-guided: Tour Bangkok, Thailand: $4.43
- Ayutthaya City and Historical Park Bike Tour: $39
- The Incredible Ayutthaya Ancient Temple Tour : From Bangkok: $57
- Colors of UNESCO Heritage 6 hour Bicycle Tour: $60
- Ayutthaya Full-Day Tour with Bang Pa In (Summer Palace): $60
- From Bangkok: Ayutthaya Day Tour Small Group: $63
- UNESCO Heritage Temples and Cafe Day Tour: $69
- Bangkok: Ayutthaya Night Tour (Join Tour): $77
- Private 1 hour Boat tour Pa Sak River: $90
- BKK: Ayutthaya Old Capital with 4 Famous Temple Private Tour: $149
- Ayutthaya 1-day Private Tour : UNESCO World Heritage Site: $156
- From Bangkok: Tour Ayutthaya + Lunch + Spanish guide: $162
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Riverside Walking Tour : $6.00
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Riverside Walking Tour: $6.00
- One Hour City Light Cruise-Foods & Drinks available for purchase: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Sunset Cruise on the Mekong River: $12
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $14
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $14
- The best Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers and Soft Drinks: $15
- The killing field and Toul Sleng Genocide museum (S21) Tour: $15
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) and Choeung Ek Killing Fields Tour: $15
- Killing Fields and Prison S21 Bus Tour: $15
- Phnom Penh Killing Field Toul Sleng Prison Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAyutthaya $20Phnom Penh $4.28
Sample the Local Flavors in Phnom Penh
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Phnom Penh:
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Pub Crawl: $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ayutthaya and Phnom Penh, we can see that Ayutthaya is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Phnom Penh would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Phnom Penh 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 Ayutthaya would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ayutthaya than you might in Phnom Penh.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ayutthaya Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ayutthaya or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ayutthaya. When comparing the sizes of Ayutthaya 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.