Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dubai or Phnom Penh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dubai and Phnom Penh can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Phnom Penh?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
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 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
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Dubai Prices
UAE PricesPhnom Penh Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $289Phnom Penh $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $289, 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 Dubai and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Phnom Penh $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Dubai 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: Dubai Hotel Prices and Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Phnom Penh $7.87
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- "Airport Transfers to or from Dubai with SUV Car": $95
- 1 Day 1 Park (Motiongate or Legoland) with Private Transfer: $185
- 1 Hour Marina Yacht Tour with Optional Transfer: $45
- 1-Hour Quad Biking Tour with Transfer from Dubai: $140
- 12 Minute Helicopter Ride in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $255
- 3-Hour Ice Skating Experience in Dubai with optional Transfer: $70
- 4 Hour Dubai Layover Tour with Private Airport Transfers On Time: $126
- A Guided Tour To Quranic Park and Jumeirah Mosque With Transfer: $95
- AYA Universe Dubai Entry with Optional Round Trip Hotel Transfers: $55
- AYA Universe Dubai Ticket with Transfer option: $33
- AYA Universe Dubai with Transfer Option: $42
- AYA Universe Light and Sound Park in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh City to Can Tho City: $375
- Siem Reap: Private Transfer to or from Phnom Penh: $239
- Private Transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by VIP Alphard 2010: $190
- Private Transfer/ Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville by VIP Alphard 2010: $180
- Techo International Airport to Siem Reap Private Transfer: $160
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
- Ground Transfer/ Minivan/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $150
- Private Taxi Transfer From Phnom Penh - Mondulkiri City: $147
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh city: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $145
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Dubai 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 dayDubai $96Phnom Penh $23
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dubai Self Drive Desert Safari Experience with BBQ dinner: $10
- Dubai Red Dunes Desert Safari with Dinner, Camel, Shows & Pickup: $11
- Dune Bashing Red Dunes 4x4 Pick & Drop Shows Dinner Camel: $15
- VIP Red Dune Safari Dubai,Pick/Drop,Camel Ride, Quad & BBQ Dinner: $15
- VIP Red Dune Safari with Pick/Drop BBQ Dinner Camelride sandbord: $15
- Romantic Sightseeing Dhow Cruise Dinner: $15
- VIP Red Dune Safari with Pick/Drop BBQ/Dinner Camelride Sandbord: $15
- VIP Red Dune Safari, Pick/Drop, Camel Ride,BBQ Dinner & Quad Bike: $15
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Al Seef: $16
- Desert Safari Dubai with BBQ Buffet Dinner: $16
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner in Creek with pickup drop option: $16
- Dinner Dhow Cruise with Live Entertainment Al Seef: $16
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$4.84
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 & Evening Dinner Cruise With One Way Free Pick Up: $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
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Phnom Penh $7.65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Dubai: $5.85
- A Self-Guided Tour of Dubai’s Origins in Deira: $5.99
- Burj Khalifa, Dubai Hidden Gems - Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.80
- Dubai Fountain Boardwalk Entry Ticket: $6.81
- Global Village Dubai Ticket with optional transport: $9.00
- The Palm Monorail Ticket Dubai: $9.21
- Maze Mirror Inside Creek Park Entry Ticket: $9.77
- Dubai Butterfly Garden Ticket Deals: $10
- Dubai Butterfly Garden Tickets: $13
- Al Shindagha Museum Tickets: $13
- Al Shindagha Museum Ticket: $13
- Al Shindagha Museum Entry Ticket: $14
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ( Free eSim) Phnom Penh Historical Full Day Tour: $40
- 10 Stop Phnom Penh Tour by Tuk-Tuk, includes S21 & Killing Fields: $33
- 2 Day-Phnom Penh by Private Tours: $155
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Cyclo and Cycling Tour: $128
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Siem Reap Private Tour, Cambodia Road Tour: $25
- 2 Days Private Guide Tour Phnom Penh Heritage: $282
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Phu Quoc to Phnom Penh via Chau Doc: $488
- 4 Hours Private Phnom Penh National Museum and Royal Palace Tour: $155
- 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
- 6-8 Hours Phnom Penh Private Guided Tour: $15
- A Day Hiking Adventure to Chonlos Waterfalls: $189
- A Day Trip Sightseeing of Phnom Penh With Private Tour Guide: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Phnom Penh $4.33
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour: $62
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 Dubai and Phnom Penh, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East 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 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai 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 Dubai Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 38% larger than the population of Dubai. When comparing the sizes of Dubai 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.