Which place is cheaper, Road Town 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 Road Town?
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 Road Town. 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 Road Town?
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.
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 PricesRoad Town Prices
BVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Road Town $355
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Road Town is $355. 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 Road Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Road Town $206
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Road Town $412
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Road Town
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Road Town? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.87Road Town $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- A day trip transfer sightseeing Phnom Penh Siem Reap: $99
- Airport Transfer Techo International Airport (KTI) to/from Hotel: $30
- Battambang: Transfer From/To Sihanoukville & Hidden Gems: $50
- From Private Transfer To/From Siem Reap: $58
- From Sihanouk: Private Taxi Transfer to Phnom Penh City: $73
- Fully Private Phnom Penh International Airport Transfers: $30
- Ground Transfer/ Minivan/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $150
- Ground Transfer/SUV/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $110
- Intercity Transfer Siem Reap-Phnom Penh/Phnom Penh-Siem Reap: $95
- PHN Airport Transfer Plus Killing Field, Toul Sleng Museum: $65
- Phnom Penh - Battambang Transfer Plus Stop Sightseeing: $118
- Phnom Penh - Siem Reap One-Way Private Transfer: $120
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Road Town
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Road Town:
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Taxi From Airport$30
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Road Town?
Prices for flights to both Road Town 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 $23Road Town $110
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
- Buffet Dinner Cruise Experience with Live Music: $12
- 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 with Pickup and Beer: $39
- Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
- Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
- Evening Food Tour with Drinks & Tuk Tuk Included: $49
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.65Road Town $91
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 Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Sunset Cruise-Freeflow Beers,Soft Drinks & BBQ Buffet: $9.00
- NEW Sunset Cruise! "Your cruise U Choose "-Unlimited BBQ & Drinks: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer &Fruit platter: $9.35
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket Free Mekong Cruise: $12
- Audio Guide Tour by Tuk-Tuk to Killing Field and Genocide Museum : $12
- Killing Fields and Prison S21 Bus Tour: $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Road Town
Here are a few typical costs in Road Town for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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1 Hr Horseback Ride in Sage Mt. Nat'l Pk$100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.33Road Town $20
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 Road Town, we can see that Road Town 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 Road Town 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 Road Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Road Town 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 Road Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Road Town?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 190 times larger than the population of Road Town. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Road Town, 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.