Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Phnom Penh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Phnom Penh or Montreal?
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 Montreal. 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 Montreal?
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.
Montreal
While Quebec City is the political capital of Quebec Province, Montreal is the economic and cultural capital. It's also the second largest city in Canada, with a population of about 1.9 million and 4 million in the metropolitan area. It's the second largest French speaking city in the world behind Paris.
Montreal is a very trendy and vibrant city with an active nightlife and countless activities to enjoy. It's located on an island in the St. Lawrence River and has a humid continental climate. There are four distinct seasons. Summers are warm or hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild and winters are cold and snowy. You can expect about 2 meters of snow every year, but there are also more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.
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 Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $41Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $41, while the average daily cost in Montreal is $210. 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 Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Montreal $132
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Montreal? 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 Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.81Montreal $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Vip Taxi Private Transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $450
- Vip Taxi Transfer from Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk: $450
- Private Taxi transfer from Bangkok to Phnom Penh City: $449
- Private Taxi transfer from Pattaya to Phnom Penh (Cambodia): $435
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Pattaya (Thailand): $435
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Bangkok: $408
- Private Transfer Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Hotel or Airport: $361
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Koh Kong Province: $172
- Private taxi transfer Phnom Penh to Pursat or Battambang: $155
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh city: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $145
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal
Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 8 Passengers Transfer from or to Montreal Airport YUL to Montreal City Center : $223
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $163
- Departure Transfer Montreal to Montreal Airport by Limos or Bus: $153
- Downtown Direct: Montreal's Exclusive Airport Transfer: $79
- Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $57
- Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $82
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Luxury SUV: $163
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $116
- Private One-way Montreal Airport Transfer To/From Montreal: $58
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal 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
-
Food Meals for one dayPhnom Penh $13Montreal $36
Typical Food Prices in Phnom Penh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phnom Penh:
-
Dinner for Two$10
-
Breakfast for Two$4.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.
- Sunset Dinner Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Avail: $9.90
- Sunset Dinner Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Available: $9.90
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour Drinks & Tuk Tuk included: $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive over 10 Local Tastings: $44
- Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
- Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
- Phnom Penh Local Market & Morning Food Tour Include Drinks: $49
- Evening Cambodian Food Tour: $60
- Ultimate PP Food Tour by Tuk Tuk - 20 tastings & drinks included: $69
- Phnom Penh Authentic Food Tour 100% By Local: $69
- Phnom Penh's Ultimate Street Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $69
Typical Food Prices in Montreal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:
-
Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee$9.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Le Bateau-Mouche À La Carte Menu Dinner Cruise: $59
- No Diet Club: Walking food Tour with many tastings: $59
- Beyond the Market Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $74
- Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $74
- Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $103
- Cooking Class and Tasting Menu with Michelin Chef: $130
- Montréal: 5-Course Dinner Cruise with Music & VIP Option: $160
- Personalized Private Food Tour with a Local Foodie: $207
- Cooking Class in Montreal with a Michelin-Star Trained Chef: $224
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.59Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Killing field and Toul Sleng genocide museum Tour: $20
- Phnom Penh Full Day Private Tours: $155
- 10 Tastings of Phnom Penh Foodie Tour: $39
- 2 Day-Phnom Penh by Private Tours: $155
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Cyclo and Cycling Tour: $128
- 2 Days of Phnom Penh City Tour: $199
- 3 Hours Private Morning Market and Art Tour in Phnom Penh: $45
- 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
- 9 Days Cambodia Highlights Guided Motorcycle Tour: $1,964
- A 10-day ethical animals tour of Cambodia: $1,699
- A Half Day Tour in Phnom Penh City: $59
- Alternative Tour to Silk Farm, SilverSmith Village and Udong: $150
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Botanical Gardens (family of 4)$54
Tours and Activities in Montreal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Montreal self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Montréal's Mile End to Outremont: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.54
- Escape Game and Tour: $8.61
- APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.74
- Montreal Art Center & Museum Audio Guided Tour: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- McCord Stewart Museum : Entry Ticket: $15
- Montreal Zipline Adventure: $15
- Self-Guided Old Town Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour: $15
- Montreal Old Port: Urban Zipline Ticket: $16
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.30Montreal $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Phnom Penh
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Phnom Penh:
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Pub Crawl: $10
Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:
-
Vodka$18
Sample the Local Flavors in Montreal
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montreal:
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Montreal, we can see that Montreal 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 Montreal 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 Montreal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montreal 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 Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Montreal?
Montreal has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Phnom Penh. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Montreal, 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.