Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Ephesus?
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 Ephesus or Phnom Penh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Ephesus or Phnom Penh, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Ephesus or Phnom Penh?
Ephesus
The ancient city of Ephesus was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC). It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple was destroyed in 401 AD and rebuilt by Emperor Constantine I along with new public baths. The town was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD. The city's importance as a commercial center declined as the harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River (Kucuk Menderes).
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 Turkey, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Turkey, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
-
Ephesus Prices
Turkey PricesPhnom Penh Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEphesus $118Phnom Penh $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Ephesus is $118, while the average daily cost in Phnom Penh is $51. 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 Ephesus and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEphesus $49Phnom Penh $12
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEphesus $98Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Ephesus and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Ephesus 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: Ephesus Hotel Prices and Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ephesus $36Phnom Penh $7.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ephesus
Also for Ephesus, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Akbuk Hotels to Izmir Airport ADB Transfers: $178
- Didim (Altinkum) Hotels to Bodrum Airport BJV Transfers: $123
- From-to Izmir AirPort to-from Kusadası Private Airport Transfer: $90
- Horse Riding Experience in Kusadasi for Everyone with Transfers: $46
- Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) Transfer to OR from Kusadasi: $100
- Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport - Kusadasi Centrum (All hotels, home...) transfers: $95
- Kusadasi & National Park Boat Tours with Lunch and Transfer: $38
- Kusadasi Boat Trip With Lunch And Hotel Transfer: $55
- Kusadasi Buggy Car Safari With Free Hotel Transfer Service: $45
- Kusadasi Buggy Safari Adventure Included Transfer: $30
- Kusadasi Half Day Quad Safari Experience With Free Hotel Transfer: $38
- Kusadasi Horse Riding Beach and Forest options with 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
- Private Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $160
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
- Phnom Penh To Mondulkiri Private Transfer Mini Van And Car: $151
- Ground Transfer/ Minivan/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $150
- Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville Taxi - Safe & Private Car Transfer: $150
- 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
Is it cheaper to fly into Ephesus or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Ephesus 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 dayEphesus $41Phnom Penh $23
Typical Food Prices in Ephesus
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ephesus:
-
Sandwiches$0.11
-
Dessert$0.12
-
Lunch at Beach (for 2)$0.41
-
Snacks$0.17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ephesus
For Ephesus, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- FOR CRUISERS: Ephesus, Selcuk City Stroll, and Street Food Tour: $94
- Cooking Class in Kusadasi Ephesus: $139
- Private Ephesus Tour & Cooking Experience with locals: $160
- Kusadasi Selcuk Ephesus Gourmet and Street Food Tour: $237
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$4.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.
- Sunset & Evening Dinner Cruise With One Way Free Pick Up: $9.90
- 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
- Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $35
- Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $39
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ephesus $41Phnom Penh $7.68
Tours and Activities in Ephesus
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ephesus.
- Best-Seller PRIVATE EPHESUS & SHOPPING Tour FOR CRUISERS: $5.92
- Private Ephesus Tour from Cruise Port - Lunch & Skip The Lines: $7.00
- Skip-the-Line Ephesus Tour with Lunch: $7.10
- FOR CRUISERS: Best of Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi port: $9.48
- Mini Group Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour (Max. 10 guests): $9.90
- Small Group Tour Ephesus and House of Mary with Lunch: $10
- PRIVATE & GROUP: Ephesus & Virgin Mary Tour ENTRY FEES & LUNCH: $10
- FOR CRUISERS: Biblical Ephesus Shore Excursion from Kusadasi Port: $11
- Skip the Line: Private LGBTQ+ Friendly Ephesus & Artemis Tour: $11
- Ephesus and Sirince Village Tour For Cruisers: $11
- Kusadasi Walking City Tour from Kusadasi Port Turkiye: $12
- Kusadasi Walking City and Shopping Tour from Kusadasi Port: $12
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 Mt. Aural Hiking Adventure Cambodia's Peak Challenge: $249
- 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
- 3 Day Cambodia Private Tours: $80
- 3 Days Local Life Experience, Nature view, Waterfall: $199
- 4 Hours Private Phnom Penh National Museum and Royal Palace Tour: $155
- 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
- A Day Hiking Adventure to Chonlos Waterfalls: $189
- A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace, S21, Killing Fields & More: $35
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayEphesus $10Phnom Penh $4.35
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ephesus
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Ephesus from other travelers:
-
Beer$0.09
Sample the Local Flavors in Ephesus
Also in Ephesus, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Skip-the-Line: Ephesus Shore Excursion & Wine Tasting: $21
- PRIVATE & GROUP: EPHESUS TOUR with Wine Tasting (SKIP-THE-LINE): $29
- LGBTQ+ Friendly Ephesus Shore Excursion & Local Wine Tasting: $30
- FOR CRUISERS: Ephesus & Wine Tasting Tour From Kusadasi Port: $34
- Ephesus Shore Excursion & Wine Tasting + Lunch - Opt Turkish Bath: $35
- FOR CRUISERS:Kusadasi Port Private Wine Tasting and Ephesus Tour: $45
- POTTERY PAINTING & WINE TASTING Tour from Kusadasi Port: $49
- Wine Tasting-Village Shore Excursion from Kusadasi Port: $50
- Sirince Village and Wine Tour with Artemis Temple: $58
- Kusadasi Shore Excursions Ephesus and Wine Tasting Tours: $70
- Ephesus & Şirince Village with Lunch& Wine Tasting (Fixed Price): $115
- Private Ephesus Tour & Wine Tasting at Boutique Winery & Lunch: $149
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 Ephesus and Phnom Penh, we can see that Ephesus is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ephesus is in Europe 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 Ephesus would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ephesus 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 Ephesus Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ephesus or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Ephesus. When comparing the sizes of Ephesus 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.