Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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 Queenstown. 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 Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
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 Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Queenstown $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $127. 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Queenstown $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Queenstown $108
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.87Queenstown $9.93
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 Transfer From Phnom Penh International Airport To Phnom Penh City Center: $21
- Techo International Airport Transfer by Car or Minivan: $22
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Hotels: $24
- Phnom Penh Techo International Airport Transfer/Pick-up/Drop-off: $24
- Private Transfer: Techo Airport (KTI) to Hotel in Phnom Penh: $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $165
- One way transfer to Remarkable or Coronet Peak Ski Fields: $192
- Private Queenstown Airport to Hotel Transfers: $72
- Private Transfer from Queenstown Central to Wanaka: $175
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $175
- QUEENSTOWN Best Private Airport Transfer:1 Way from/to Hotel: $51
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $77
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown/Wanaka Airport Transfer: $207
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $901
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $1,016
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $23Queenstown $60
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
- 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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $112
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $284
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.65Queenstown $21
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
- Sunset Cruise-"Unlimited BBQ Buffet-Beers, Sodas & Fruit Platter": $7.45
- 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-Unlimited Beers-Sodas-BBQ buffet-Fruit platter: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$29
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- Queenstown on Foot: An Audio Tour: $5.00
- Queenstown to Wānaka: A Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Driving Tour: $7.99
- Hidden Underwater Theatre Experience: $8.47
- Queenstown Self Guided Walking Tour with an APP: $9.99
- From the Green to the Grave: An Audio Tour of Queenstown: $12
- Escape Adventure: $20
- The Dreamery Interactive Sensory Journey Entry Ticket: $22
- Fear Factory Haunted House Admission Ticket: $23
- Private Race Car Simulation Experience: $25
- Odyssey Sensory Maze Entry Ticket: $28
- Kawarau Zipride! (Family Fun Experience): $28
- Gibbston Valley Wines - Winery Tour: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.33Queenstown $8.67
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 Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $18
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Queenstown: $62
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Queenstown Classic Wine Tour: 3 Winery Visits, Cave Tour & Cheese: $127
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
- Classic Wine Tour: $135
- Arrowtown Wine Tour: $141
- Queenstown Boutique Wine Tour - All-Inclusive 4 Wineries & Lunch: $149
- Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Queenstown?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Queenstown, 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.