Which place is cheaper, Cusco 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 Cusco?
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 Cusco. 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 Cusco?
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.
Cusco
Cusco is most famous as the historic capital of the Inca Empire. It is in the southern Sierras and is one of the most popular travel destinations within Peru. The city is located at 3,400 meters above sea level so it is best to acclimate yourself slowly to avoid altitude sickness.
Cusco is the starting point for many travelers making their way to the famed Machu Picchu or other Inca sites in the surrounding area.
The city is very beautiful and has impressive architecture throughout. The history is obvious as you walk around town and there are impressive ruins nearby, with the most impressive being Sacsayhuaman. The city also has a significant indigenous population that is obvious from their traditional clothing and style.
Cusco has a subtropical highland climate with a pleasant daytime temperature year around. There are two distinct seasons with the dry season being between May and August and the wet season between December and March. During the dry season there is plenty of sun with occasional nighttime freezes. Frost is less common in the wet season.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Cusco, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Cusco.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesCusco Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Cusco $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Cusco is $65. 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 Cusco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Cusco $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Cusco $50
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Cusco
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Cusco? 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 Cusco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.78Cusco $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- PNH Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $7.00
- Techo Airport (KTI) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $16
- Private Phnom Penh Airport Transfers to your hotel in town: $20
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $20
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $21
- Private Arrival Transfer: Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) to Hotel: $22
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH): $22
- Private Transfer Techo International Airport From/To Hotels: $22
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer: Techo Airport (KTI) to Hotel in Phnom Penh: $27
- Private Transfer: Phnom Penh's Hotel to Techo Airport(KTI): $27
- Techo International Airport Transfer to Phnom Penh Hotel: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cusco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cusco:
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Taxi Ride$1.17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cusco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cusco:
- Airport Cusco Transfer: $80
- Assistance & Transfers Included | Hassle-free service in Cusco: $30
- Cusco Airport Arrival Transfer: $15
- Cusco Airport Arrival or Departure Transfer: $19
- Cusco Airport Departure Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport Private Transfer: $12
- Cusco Airport Round-Trip Private Transfer: $30
- Cusco Airport Shared Arrival Transfer: $9.50
- Cusco Airport to hotel Transfer: Fast, Reliable Drop-Off: $12
- Cusco Bus Station Arrival or Departure Transfer: $19
- Cusco Private Airport Transfer Arrival Departure or Round Trip: $15
- Cusco Private One-Way Sacred Valley Airport Transfer by Car: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Cusco?
Prices for flights to both Cusco 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 $22Cusco $24
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 Cruise with BBQ Buffet Dinner, Unlimited Beer & Tour Guide: $9.90
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with English Speaking Guide: $10
- 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
- Penh Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $36
- Street Art and Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $39
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
Typical Food Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of dining costs in Cusco are as follows:
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Sandwich$2.33
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Mango$0.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cusco
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cusco.
- Cooking Class in Sacred Valley 8 Recipes and Drinks: $29
- Multi-Course Dinner with Live Folk Show Performance: $35
- Bilingual Cooking Class with Pisco Cocktail in Cusco: $40
- Cusco Billingual Cooking Class at 6pm: $40
- Market tour & Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco: $54
- Cusco Cooking Class by ChocoMuseo in Cusco: $54
- High-End Peruvian Cooking Class, Pisco Sour & San Pedro Market: $57
- Short Immersion Cooking Class: $60
- Cooking classes A tour through the flavors in Cusco: $60
- Cusco Cooking Class Experience: $61
- Cusco Collective Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.56Cusco $31
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Riverside Walking Tour with Snack, Drinks & Local Ferry Ride: $7.20
- Sunset Cruise-"Unlimited BBQ Buffet-Beers, Sodas & Fruit Platter": $7.45
- Sunset Cruise on the Mekong with Kanika Boat: $8.00
- Phnom Penh Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer & BBQ Buffet: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer &Fruit platter: $9.35
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket Free Mekong Cruise: $12
- Silk Island Tour: $12
- Killing Fields and Prison S21 Bus Tour: $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cusco
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Cusco are as follows:
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Salsa Class$2.91
Tours and Activities in Cusco
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cusco are as follows:
- Half Day Walking Tour of Cusco: $5.00
- Cusco City Walking tour: Historia, Tradition, Culture: $5.00
- Cusco Self Guided Walking Tour Landmarks, Audio and Quiz: $7.98
- Cusco Walking Tour with an Experienced Local Guides: $10
- City Tour - Cusco: $10
- Cultural & Historic Walking Tour with Local Drinks: $10
- Half Day City Tour in Cusco: $10
- Shared City Tour in Cusco & Visit Museum South American Camelid: $10
- Half-Day Cusco City Tour – Explore History, Culture & Inca Ruins: $12
- Cusco City Tour Explore Four Inca Ruins in Half Day: $12
- Explore Cusco Highlights in a Half Day City Tour: $12
- City Tour Cusco: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.28Cusco $10
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Cusco
Also in Cusco, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cusco Pub Crawl: Cusco Bar Hopping Experience: $22
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with more than 10 Benefits: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Cusco, we can see that Cusco 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 Cusco is in South 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 Cusco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cusco 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 Cusco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Cusco?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cusco. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Cusco, 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.