Which place is cheaper, Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay?
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 Montego Bay. 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 Montego Bay?
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.
Montego Bay
As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesMontego Bay Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Montego Bay $259
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Montego Bay is $259. 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 Montego Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Montego Bay $102
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Montego Bay $204
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Montego Bay
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Montego Bay? 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 Montego Bay Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.87Montego Bay $15
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 International Airport Transfer: $15
- Techo Airport (KTI) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $16
- KTI Techo Airport Pickup or Transfer Private Car: $18
- 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 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
- Phnom Penh Techo International Airport Transfer/Pick-up/Drop-off: $24
- Private Transfer: Phnom Penh's Hotel to Techo Airport(KTI): $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- 2727lounge/Magarativille/Pier1 & taboo nightlife private transfer: $45
- A "Private" Airport Transfer to any Resort in Montego Bay: $14
- Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Private Transfer: $97
- Airport (MBJ) Round Trip Transfer in Montego Bay: $60
- Airport - Ocho Rios Hotels Transfers and Returns: $260
- Airport MBJ Round Trip Transfers, to Montego Bay Airbnb & Resorts: $53
- Airport Round Trip Transfer To Hotels in Montego Bay: $19
- Airport Transfer From Kingston: $200
- Airport Transfer MBJ Montego Bay to Kingston: $150
- Airport Transfer Montego Bay Hotels: $120
- Airport Transfer Negril Hotels: $130
- Airport Transfer To Dreams Rose Hall: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Montego Bay?
Prices for flights to both Montego Bay 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 $23Montego Bay $142
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 & 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
- 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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Lunch or Dinner Dining Experience in Montego Bay: $40
- Dinner or Lunch with Pickup from Montego Bay: $50
- Mystic Lagoon Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Lagoon Swim: $85
- Sunset Dinner at Bamboo Beach Club: $99
- Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica: $117
- 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
- Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $135
- Dinner or lunch at pier one Montego bay Food Tour: $144
- Jamaican Seafood Street Food Tour from Montego Bay, Falmouth: $150
- Sunset Boat Cruise and Luminous Lagoon with Dinner and Transfer: $150
- Authentic Jamaican Food Cooking Experience in the Countryside: $195
- Authentic Jamaican Cooking Experience in the Mountain from mobay: $210
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.65Montego Bay $32
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
- Phnom Penh Private Tour with Luggage Storage: $7.92
- Sunset Cruise on the Mekong with Kanika Boat: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Phnom Penh Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer & BBQ Buffet: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer &Fruit platter: $9.35
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket Free Mekong Cruise: $12
- Phnom Penh Shooting Range Experience: $12
- Cambodia experience shooting range outdoor: $12
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
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Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach$2.68
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$38
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$43
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- Montego Bay Beach Day Experience: $20
- Blue Hole Adventure and Shopping Experience with Transportation: $20
- Lethe Rafting And Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $20
- Jamaica Bamboo Rafting Experience with Lime Stone Massage: $20
- Montego Bay Bamboo Rafting and Hip Strip Private Tour: $22
- Cinnamon Hill Great House Tour: Home of Johnny Cash: $23
- VR Experience in Montego Bay: $30
- Private Tour Souvenir Shopping in Montego Bay: $30
- Rose Hall Great House and Garden Tour Ticket: $30
- Great River Bamboo Rafting and Limestone Foot Massage Tour From Montego Bay: $30
- Doctor Cave Beach and Hip Strip Shopping from Cruise Ship: $30
- Experience horseback ride and swimming Adventure: $34
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.33Montego Bay $13
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 Montego Bay
Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Appleton Estate Admission Ticket & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Montego Bay, we can see that Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Montego Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Montego Bay?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Montego Bay. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Montego Bay, 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.