Which place is cheaper, Faro 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 Faro?
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 Faro. 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 Faro?
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.
Faro
Faro (or sometimes Faros) is the capital city of the scenic Algarve Region of Portugal, located at the edge of the Ria Formosa National Park. This is a fantastic place to experience the beauty, culture, and traditions of Portugal in laid back atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities. Faro offers everything from ancient architecture to beautiful beaches all while being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Algarve Region.
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 2-Week Tours in Portugal, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Portugal.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesFaro Prices
Portugal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Faro $182
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Faro is $182. 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 Faro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Faro $85
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Faro $170
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Faro
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Faro? 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 Faro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.84Faro $11
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 Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $160
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
- Private Taxi Transfer from/to Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville city: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Kompot or Kep: $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 Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh city: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $145
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Faro
Also for Faro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Albufeira Airport Transfers: $57
- Algarve to Lisbon Private Transfer Up to 4 Stops: $206
- Eco and Premium Transfer : Faro Airport to Algarve: $79
- Faro Airport Private Transfer - Albufeira (Arrival): $40
- Faro Airport Private Transfer to Albufeira: $55
- Faro Airport Private Transfer to Alvor and Lagos: $108
- Faro Airport Private Transfer to Carvoeiro: $85
- Faro Airport Transfer Alvor Portimao Praia Rocha Ferragudo +: $91
- Faro Airport Transfer to Albufeira 4Pax ONE WAY: $51
- Faro Airport: Comfortable bus transfer to/from Lagos: $19
- Faro FAO Airport Private Transfer to/frm Faro/Albufeira/Quarteira: $13
- Faro airport - Albufeira: Private Return Transfer: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Faro?
Prices for flights to both Faro 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 $22Faro $71
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$4.82
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 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
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
- Street Art and Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $39
- Authentic Walking Food Tour with Local Guide: $39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Faro
For Faro, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Olhão Fish Market & Food Tour: $107
- 3 Hours Classic Food Tour in Faro: $112
- Faro Food Tour & Drinks and City highlights 10 Tastings: $126
- Faro Cataplana Cooking Class: from kitchen to the table: $131
- Faro Market Tour & Cataplana Cooking Class with Professional Chef: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.62Faro $11
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
- 2 Day Mt. Aural Hiking Adventure Cambodia's Peak Challenge: $249
- 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
- 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 and More: $35
Tours and Activities in Faro
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Faro.
- Romantic Whisper of Love Exploration Game and Tour: $4.84
- Camera Obscura - Tavira Eye - Admission Ticket: $6.85
- Gateway to Algarve: A Faro Walking Tour: $12
- Faro Mega Arena Run Experience Interactive Challenge: $18
- Cork Factory Tour & Cork Shop: $20
- Faro Power Arena Run Experience Interactive Challenge: $24
- 2 Hours Boat Tour in Ria Formosa: $29
- Eco Boat Tour in the Ria Formosa Lagoon from Faro: $29
- Nature Catamaran Tour from Faro: $29
- Tavira: Guided Table Olives Factory Tour & Tasting Experience: $33
- Sunset Tour | Ria Formosa - From Faro: $34
- SUP or Kayak Tour: $34
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.32Faro $3.56
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 Faro
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Faro:
- Tour & Wine tasting - Authentic Algarve Flavours by Quinta da Tôr: $23
- Tavira Tuk Tuk Tour: Historic Center & Wine Tasting: $96
- Algarve Portugal Wine Tasting Activity with Pick Up: $182
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Faro, we can see that Faro 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 Faro is in Europe, 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 Faro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Faro 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 Faro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Faro?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Faro. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Faro, 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.