Which place is cheaper, Boston or Phnom Penh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Phnom Penh or Boston?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Phnom Penh and Boston. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Phnom Penh or Boston?
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.
Boston
Boston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in New England. It is also the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in the region. The city proper covers 48 square miles and has a population of more than 600,000. The Greater Boston area has 4.5 million people and is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia, The Best 10-Day Tours in United States of America, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $41Boston $255
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $41, while the average daily cost in Boston is $255. 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 Phnom Penh and Boston in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Boston $166
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Boston $332
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Boston
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Boston? 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: Phnom Penh Hotel Prices and Boston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.81Boston $37
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
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Phnom Penh APT-HTL (PNH): $16
- Private Transfer: Phnom Penh's Hotel to Phnom Penh Airport: $18
- Phnom Penh Airport Transfers: $19
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH): $22
- Phnom Penh Airport (PNH) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $23
- Phnom Penh International Airport Transfer (PNH): $23
- Phnom Penh Airport Pickup/Transfer: $25
- Private Transfer to International Airport: $25
- Private Transfer From Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $25
- Private Arrival Transfer: Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) to Hotel : $25
- Phnom Penh International Airport Transfers: $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Boston
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Boston are as follows:
-
Taxi$35
-
Subway Daily Pass$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boston:
- Boston hotels to Flynn Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $116
- Arrival Private Transfer: Boston Airport BOS to Boston City in Luxury SUV: $130
- Boston Airport (BOS): Transfer to Flynn Cruise Port Boston: $169
- Boston Airport(BOS) to Flynn Cruiseport Boston - Arrival Transfer: $38
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Boston - Arrival Private Transfer: $79
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Boston - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $158
- Boston Logan Airport (BOS): Private Transfer to Boston city: $244
- Boston Logan Airport Transfer Limo & Shuttle Service: $140
- Boston Logan Intl Airport (BOS) to Flynn Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Boston to Boston Logan Airport (BOS) - Departure Private Transfer: $79
- Boston’s Logan International Airport to Providence – Arrival Private Transfer : $170
- Luxor Limo Private Transfer and City Tour: $1,195
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Boston?
Prices for flights to both Boston and Phnom Penh 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 dayPhnom Penh $13Boston $49
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$4.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.
- Sunset Dinner Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Avail: $9.90
- Sunset Dinner Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Available: $9.90
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour Drinks & Tuk Tuk included: $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive over 10 Local Tastings: $44
- Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
- Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
- Phnom Penh Local Market & Morning Food Tour Include Drinks: $49
- Evening Cambodian Food Tour: $60
- 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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Boston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Boston.
- AM Coffee Walks with Salem Food Tours: $34
- Boston's North End Pizza & History Walking Food Tour: $49
- North End Pizza Tour with 3 Slices and Cannoli: $55
- Boston Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $70
- North End Food Experience with Pizza, Meats & Cheese: $75
- Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on Boston Harbor: $77
- Boston's North End Small Group Food Tour : $81
- Ultimate Boston Food Tour: North End & Boston Public Market: $89
- Ultimate Food Tour of North End & Public Market: $89
- Union Square, Somerville Neighborhood Food Tour: $90
- Boston Harbor: Gourmet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $108
- Local Gems of the South End Neighborhood Food Tour: $110
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.59Boston $33
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
- One Hour City Light Cruise-Foods & Drinks available for purchase: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Private Phnom Penh Day Tour : Explore All Highlights Sites: $9.00
- Sunset River Cruise with Drink and BBQ Options: $12
- Sunset Cruise in Phnom Penh - One and a Half Hours: $12
- Phnom Penh Killing Fields and Prison S21 Join Tour: $15
- The killing field and Toul Sleng Genocide museum (S21) Tour: $15
- From Killing Fields and Prison S21 Tour: $15
- Sunset Cruise with unlimited beer & soft drinks -English speaking guide on board: $16
- killing field and Toul Sleng genocide museum Tour: $16
- Mekong River Sunset Cruise Tour: $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Boston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Boston are as follows:
-
Two Tickets to Celtics Game$101
-
Duck Tour$32
Tours and Activities in Boston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boston are as follows:
- Self Guided Audio Tour 'Hawthorne's Haunts' Haunted Walking Tour Salem: $5.00
- Underground Railroad Audio App Self-Guided Tour: $5.00
- Self Guided "Historic Boston Downtown Freedom Trail" Audio/GPS Walking Tour: $5.00
- Self-Guided Smartphone Ghost Walking Tour in Boston: $5.95
- Self-Guided Smartphone Ghost Walking Tour in Salem: $5.99
- Self-Guided Freedom Trail Walking Audio Tour w/ App: $5.99
- App Self-guided tours with Audioguide Boston: $6.46
- Self Guided Classic Freedom Trail Location Aware (GPS) Walking Audio Tour: $7.75
- Self-Guided Boston's Beacon Hill Underground Railroad Audio Tour Walking Tour: $7.75
- Boston History and Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Boston's History and Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- City History and Highlights Audio App Walking Tour: $7.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out Free Things to Do in Boston, Must-See Monuments and Memorials In Boston, and The Best Things To Do in Boston with Kids.
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.30Boston $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Phnom Penh
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Phnom Penh:
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Pub Crawl: $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Boston
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Boston:
- Boston Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Haunted Pub Crawl of Historic Pubs and Taverns: $30
- Boston Ghosts Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl : $34
- Salem Booze and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl by US Ghost Adventures: $35
- History Pub Crawl Tour Along the Freedom Trail: $59
- Boston Small-Group Freedom Trail History Tour Pub Crawl: $60
- Boston Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105
- Guided Craft Brewery Tour with a Snack: $105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Boston, we can see that Boston is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Phnom Penh is in Asia and Boston is in North America, 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 Boston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boston 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 Phnom Penh Expensive? and Is Boston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Boston?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Boston. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Boston, 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.