Which place is cheaper, Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles?
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 Los Angeles. 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 Los Angeles?
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.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California is probably one of the most well known cities in the United States. It is the second most populated metro area in the country with more than 17 million people. The city's diversity is wide reaching, giving it a character that is unique from any other place in the country. LA has many world famous sights and neighborhoods including Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, and Santa Monica, but there is really so much more to this city.
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 G Adventures Tours to United States of America, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesLos Angeles Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Los Angeles $299
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Los Angeles is $299. 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 Los Angeles in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Los Angeles $138
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Los Angeles $276
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Los Angeles
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Los Angeles? 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 Los Angeles Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.87Los Angeles $40
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 Phnom Penh Hotel: $30
- 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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Los Angeles
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Los Angeles:
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Hotel Parking for a Day$22
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Taxi to Airport$55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Los Angeles
Also for Los Angeles, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Airport LAX to Los Angeles by Business Car: $181
- Buena Park to John Wayne Airport (SNA) - Departure Private Transfer: $62
- Catalina Island w/Discover Avalon Scenic Tour & Hotel transfers: $245
- Convenient Long Beach Cruise Terminal Transfers to/from LAX: $275
- Departure Private Transfer: Los Angeles to Ontario Airport ONT in Luxury Van: $278
- Departure Transfer Los Angeles to Los Angeles Airport LAX by Car: $130
- Departure Transfer: Los Angeles to Airport LAX by Luxury Car: $278
- Helicopter Transfer: Long Beach to Catalina Island: $216
- Hollywood to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $68
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) to Anaheim - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) to Anaheim - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $125
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) to Buena Park - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Los Angeles?
Prices for flights to both Los Angeles 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 $23Los Angeles $104
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
- Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $35
- Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside: $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
Typical Food Prices in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Mexican Dinner (family of 4)$32
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Burritos for Two$15
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Coffee and Danish$7.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Silver Lake Food Tour with Comedian Foodie Guide!: $59
- Fun Gyoza Cooking Class With a Local Chef: $75
- Los Angeles : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $85
- Los Angeles Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $88
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
- LA Food Tour: 6 Iconic Downtown Tastings & Secret Dish: $92
- Los Angeles Downtown Authentic Food Tour with 5 Local Dishes: $93
- 6 Authentic Tastings of Venice Beach Food Tour: $99
- LA Chinatown & Olvera St. Food Tour with To Live and Dine in LA: $99
- The Immigrant & Historic Businesses of Silver Lake Food Tour: $99
- Venice Beach LA Food Tour: $99
- Venice Beach Food Tour with Tastings: $105
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.65Los Angeles $83
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 Day-Phnom Penh by Private Tours: $155
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Cyclo and Cycling Tour: $128
- 2 Days Private Guide Tour Phnom Penh Heritage: $282
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Phu Quoc to Phnom Penh via Chau Doc: $488
- 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
- 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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Los Angeles
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Los Angeles's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Santa Monica Pier Rides (family of 4)$37
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Bowling$13
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Hollywood Tour for Two$30
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Six Flags for 2$96
Tours and Activities in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $3.52
- Los Angeles Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $4.50
- Santa Monica: Self-guided Bike Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Griffith Park Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- West Hollywood Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.40
- Hollywood Boulevard’s Haunting History and Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Los Angeles Getty Center Reserved Entry and Audio Tour: $8.10
- Gambling Built the Sunset Strip: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Broad Museum and Downtown Los Angeles in App Audio Tour: $9.00
- Hollywood Walk of Fame: Self-Guided Multilingual Walking Tour: $9.00
- Lost Souls of Hollywood Blvd: a Smartphone Audio Ghost Tour: $9.99
- Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive Self Guided Tour: $9.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.33Los Angeles $15
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 Los Angeles
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Los Angeles:
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Hollywood Distillery Tour and Tasting: $30
- LA : Drag Highlights - Bar Crawl & Show – Drinks Included!: $50
- Santa Monica's Only Winery: Sommelier Guided Wine Tasting: $50
- 2 Hours Party Bike Pub Crawl Tour in Glendale California: $55
- Fun Gnocchi Making Class at a Local Brewery in Los Angeles: $75
- Malibu: Vintage VW Sightseeing Tour and Wine Tasting: $195
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Los Angeles, we can see that Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles is in North 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 Los Angeles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Phnom Penh. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Los Angeles, 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.