Which place is cheaper, Flores 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 Flores?
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 Flores. 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 Flores?
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.
Flores
The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.
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 Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Guatemala.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesFlores Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $51Flores $43
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $51, while the average daily cost in Flores is $43. 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 Flores in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Flores $8.78
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Flores $18
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Flores
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Flores? 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 Flores Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.90Flores $8.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Transfer with tour-sightseeing Phnom Penh to Battambang: $119
- Transfer Phnom Penh to Battambang, Private Taxi Driver: $125
- Techo Phnom Penh Airport KTI to Kampot Private Transfer: $75
- Techo International Airport Transfer to Hotel or vice versa: $30
- Techo International Airport Transfer: $15
- Techo International Airport (KTI) Transfer: $53
- Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh To Siem Reap, Friendly Taxi Driver: $135
- Taxi Transfer From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $90
- Siem Reap: Private Transfer to or from Phnom Penh: $239
- Siem Reap: Private Transfer to Phnom Penh: $115
- Siem Reap: Private Transfer From/to Siem Reap - Phnom Penh: $71
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores
Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
- Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Rio Dulce, Izabal: $39
- Belize/Caye Caulke/San Pedro Van or Ferry Transfer: $20
- One way shared transfer to Semuc Champey, Lanquin: $49
- Tikal National Park Guided Tour with Transfers: $24
- Transfer from Flores to Semuc Champey, Lanquin, Tourists Only: $40
- From Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Tikal: $39
- Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores: $160
- Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90
- Transfer : Mayan World Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Flores?
Prices for flights to both Flores 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 $23Flores $23
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.
- Mekong Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $9.90
- Sunset & Evening Dinner Cruise With One Way Free Pick Up: $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
- Street Art and Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $35
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.68Flores $20
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-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 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 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
- All Inclusive Half Day Phnom Penh Discovery Tour: $55
Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Tikal Entrance (for 2)$39
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Map of Tikal$3.28
Tours and Activities in Flores
For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tour and transportation with tour guide to Tikal.: $20
- Tikal Sunset Tour Guided Exploration with Flores Pickup: $24
- Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
- From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
- Yaxha Shared Sunset Tour with Transportation & Guide: $25
- Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
- Shared tour to Tikal from Flores Island: $30
- Tikal Sightseeing Tour: from Mundo Maya Airport in Flores: $30
- From Tikal Ruins Guided Tour: $31
- Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
- From Yaxha Ruins Guided Tour: $36
- From Tikal Sunrise Archaeological Tour: $37
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.35Flores $21
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 Flores
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:
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Two Margaritas$2.62
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Flores, we can see that Phnom Penh is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Phnom Penh is in Asia and Flores is in Central 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 Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores 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 Phnom Penh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phnom Penh than you might in Flores.
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 Flores Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Flores?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Flores, 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.