Which place is cheaper, Leiden 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 Leiden?
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 Leiden. 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 Leiden?
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.
Leiden
Leiden is a city in the province of South Holland. It is south of the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, and has a population of about 190,000. It is known for its university, museums, markets, and of course, canals. Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands and is a sister school of Oxford, which is England's oldest university.
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 from Amsterdam, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Amsterdam.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesLeiden Prices
Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Leiden $184
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Leiden is $184. 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 Leiden in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Leiden $88
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Leiden $176
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Leiden
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Leiden? 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 Leiden Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.87Leiden $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- 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
- 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
- Siem Reap To Battambang Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
- Scenic Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Transfer with Sightseeing: $119
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leiden
Also for Leiden, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Leiden & Delft: Half-Day Private Tour including Transfer: $258
- Premium electric transfer from Leiden Area to the Airport: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Leiden?
Prices for flights to both Leiden 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 $23Leiden $76
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$4.84
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
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
- Small Group Phnom Penh Food Tour and Local Market Experience: $39
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.65Leiden $20
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 10 Sightseeing Highlight Sites in Phnom Penh with English Guide: $30
- 2 Day-Phnom Penh by Private Tours: $155
- 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 Day Trip Sightseeing of Phnom Penh With Private Tour Guide: $65
- A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace S21 Killing Fields and More: $35
- A day Trip Sightseeing Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Private English Speaking Driver: $105
- Adventure Cambodia: A 12-Day Guided Tour off the Beaten Path: $1,525
Tours and Activities in Leiden
For Leiden, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Pilgrims and Painters of A Self Guided Walking Tour: $6.39
- Pub Trail an adventure full of surprises: $13
- Hortus botanicus Leiden Entry Ticket: $13
- Guided City Canal Cruise: $15
- The Best of A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide: $16
- Self-Guided City Trail Kids Tour in Noordwijk (4-8 years): $22
- Leiden Self-Guided Detective Mystery Game Tour: $23
- 90 minutes Self-Guided Walking tour with puzzles in Leiden: $23
- Historical and Fun City Tour in German, English, or Dutch: $23
- Self Guided Secrets of Leiden Exploration Game Tour: $23
- Self-guided city trail - JOLA's Schnipseljagd Noordwijk Sea Tour: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.33Leiden $29
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Leiden, we can see that Leiden 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 Leiden 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 Leiden would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Leiden 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 Leiden Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Leiden?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Leiden. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Leiden, 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.