Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Da Nang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Da Nang or Phnom Penh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Da Nang 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: Da Nang or Phnom Penh?
Da Nang
Halfway between Ho Chi Minh City in the south and Hanoi in the North is the easy-going beach city of Da Nang (or Danang, for some). The third most populated city in Vietnam, Da Nang draws in crowds with its beautiful and calm beaches as well as its history as a French colonial port.
With beaches, mountains, and cityscape, there's bound to be a point of interest for all travelers. Da Nang is also a transit hub to get to the four Vietnamese UNESCO World heritage sites: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Hue, Hoi An, and My Son.
Da Nang experiences wet season from September through March and dry season from April through August with average temperatures of around 80℉.
Da Nang is also known to have some of the friendliest locals, probably due to the peace and quiet and lack of heavy traffic, even in the city.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Hanoi, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Ho Chi Minh City, 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 dayDa Nang $47Phnom Penh $40
The average daily cost (per person) in Da Nang is $47, 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 Da Nang and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDa Nang $20Phnom Penh $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDa Nang $40Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Da Nang and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Da Nang 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: Da Nang Hotel Prices and Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Da Nang $12Phnom Penh $7.78
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Da Nang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Da Nang:
- My Son Holyland & Marble Mountains - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $56
- Afternoon private transfer from Danang city to the Golden Bridge : $44
- Arrival Transfer from Da Nang Airport to Hotel in Army Jeep: $91
- Ba Na Hills Day/Night Ticket With Round-trip Private Transfer: $80
- Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge: Private Transfer and Tour Guide: $50
- Best tours/transfer from to Bana hills and Golden Bridge: $32
- Coconut Jungle - Vegetable & Pottery Village- PRIVATE TRANSFER: $56
- Coconut Jungle- Basket Boat Ride- Hoi An City - PRIVATE TRANSFER: $66
- DA NANG AIRPORT To Da Nang Hotel by PRIVATE TRANSFER: $20
- DCAR Limousine to GOLDEN BRIDGE - Private Transfer ( 8-9 Hours): $89
- Da Nang Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $7.62
- Da Nang Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $10
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 Da Nang or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Da Nang 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 dayDa Nang $17Phnom Penh $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Da Nang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Da Nang.
- Dragon bridge show and Da Nang local food tour: $4.23
- Coffee Making and Cooking Class: $17
- Da Nang Family Cooking Class - with Local Family in Da Nang: $23
- Da Nang Cooking: Market tour, farming, cooking and foot bath: $25
- Experience Vegan/Vegetarian Cooking Class in Da Nang : $25
- Private Traditional Cooking Class and Pho with Local Girl : $29
- Da Nang Vegetarian Cooking Class: $29
- Cooking Class and Tasting Pho in Da Nang with Local Chef: $29
- Eco Cooking Class and Basket boat tour from Da Nang city: $29
- Cooking Class and tasting Pho with Local Girl: $30
- Explore Ba Na Hill, Golden Bridge in the sunset with dinner: $30
- Lantern making-Basket boat-Happy Cooking Class: $30
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.Da Nang $14Phnom Penh $7.56
Tours and Activities in Da Nang
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Da Nang are as follows:
- Vietnamese Tradition Combo Ao dai Coffee and Banh mi Private Tour: $2.93
- Da Nang Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.22
- Da Nang/Hoi An: My Son Sanctuary & Marble Mountain Tour: $4.23
- Hoi An: Marble Mountain & Monkey Mountain in Afternoon Tour: $4.23
- Sun World Asia Park Ticket: $5.78
- Han River Local Cruise by Night: $6.34
- Marble Mountains, Hoi An, and Coconut Forest Tour: $6.34
- Scenic Han River Night Cruise On My Xuan Cruise.: $6.35
- Han River Cruise & Cham Dancing by Phu Quy Cruise: $6.35
- Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge Tour from Da Nang: $8.27
- Han River Tour - Da Nang Dragon Cruise: $8.46
- Da Nang Downtown Entry Ticket with Show: $9.10
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 dayDa Nang $9.55Phnom Penh $4.28
Sample the Local Flavors in Da Nang
Also in Da Nang, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Hai Van Pass Tour Son Tra/Marble Mountain & Rice Wine Distillery: $85
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 comparing the travel costs between Da Nang and Phnom Penh, we can see that Da Nang is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Da Nang Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Da Nang or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Da Nang. When comparing the sizes of Da Nang 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.