Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Phnom Penh?
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 Phnom Penh or Brisbane?
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 Brisbane. 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 Brisbane?
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.
Brisbane
Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesBrisbane Prices
Australia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $51Brisbane $168
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $51, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $168. 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 Brisbane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Brisbane $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Brisbane $178
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Brisbane
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Brisbane? 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 Brisbane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.90Brisbane $19
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
- Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville Taxi - Safe & Private Car Transfer: $150
- Ground Transfer/ Minivan/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $150
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Kompot or Kep: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $145
- Private Taxi Transfer from/to Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville: $145
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:
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Airtrain to the City$11
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Go Card$18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane
Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane - Arrival Private Transfer: $83
- Brisbane Airport Private Transfer Service to Brisbane City: $112
- Brisbane Airport Private Transfer to City Center: $61
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Brisbane: $22
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $56
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Sunshine Coast: $63
- Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Sunshine Coast: $59
- Brisbane Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Brisbane hotels: $226
- Brisbane To Brisbane Airport or Cruise Transfers: $107
- Brisbane to Brisbane Airport (BNE) - Departure Private Transfer: $83
- BNE Airport to City | Gold Coast Private Transfer: $40
- Departure Transfer: Brisbane to Airport BNE by Luxury Van: $137
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Brisbane?
Prices for flights to both Brisbane 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
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Food Meals for one dayPhnom Penh $23Brisbane $59
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$4.86
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
- Small Group Phnom Penh Food Tour and Local Market Experience: $39
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:
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Hamburger Lunch$5.70
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Cup of Coffee$2.14
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Chinese Food Lunch$8.90
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Ice cream$3.92
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Japanese Meal$15
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Smoothie$4.63
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Japanese Soup$8.19
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Coffee & Muffin$4.99
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Morning Mint Tea$2.49
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Veggie Burger & Chips$9.97
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Bread$1.85
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $118
- Vertigo Dinner – Dining on the Edge: $165
- Local Icons Food Tour: $354
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.68Brisbane $26
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 Siem Reap Private Tour, Cambodia Road Tour: $25
- 2 Days Private Guide Tour Phnom Penh Heritage: $282
- 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 Trip Sightseeing of Phnom Penh With Private Tour Guide: $65
- A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace, S21, Killing Fields & More: $35
- Adventure Cambodia: A 12-Day Guided Tour off the Beaten Path: $1,525
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane
For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Concert Tickets$14
Tours and Activities in Brisbane
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.
- Escape to Coochiemudlo Island: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Brisbane’s South Bank: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Mayhem in Brisbane GPS App Walking Tour Mobile Game: $15
- True Crime Tour: $22
- Fortitude Valley Historical Crime Walking Tour: $22
- Winery Tour and Tasting: $23
- Brisbane Dark Stories True Crime Tour: $24
- True Crime Walking Tour: $25
- Haunted CBD Ghost Tour: $25
- Haunted Brisbane CBD Ghost Tour: $27
- Solve a Detective Case in a themed adventure: $31
- Midday River Guided Sightseeing Cruise: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.35Brisbane $55
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:
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Evening at the Bar$11
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Sixpack of Beer$9.97
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Guiness Beer$6.05
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Sixpack of Beer$9.25
Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:
- XXXX Brewery Tour: $29
- Sirromet Winery Tour with Wine Tasting & Lunch (from Brisbane): $103
- Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $113
- Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High-Speed Boat: $116
- Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting in Brisbane: $128
- Full Day Guided Wine Tour in Mt Tamborine From Brisbane: $143
- Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $149
- Mount Tamborine Deluxe Wine Tasting with Two Course Lunch: $161
- Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $165
- Luxury Winery Tour with Gourmet Lunch & Distillery: $198
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane 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 Brisbane is in Pacific, 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 Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane 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 Brisbane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Brisbane?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 64% larger than the population of Brisbane. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Brisbane, 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.