Which place is cheaper, Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam?
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 Rotterdam. 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 Rotterdam?
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.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands and has the largest port in Europe. It's famously known as a city of architecture. In a few square kilometers of the city center you can get a complete overview of twentieth century architecture within Rotterdam.
Rotterdam is a very diverse, international, and hard working city. Nearly half of the city's population is not native to the Netherlands or have at least one parent from outside the country. Muslim's make up a significant portion of the population. Other area's represented include Cape Verde and the Dutch Antilles.
There's an air of optimism that permeates the entire city. There are frequent events, festivals and performances, making Rotterdam an enjoyable place to spend some time. Water is also an integral part of the city design.
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 River Cruises from Amsterdam, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Netherlands.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesRotterdam Prices
Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $51Rotterdam $222
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $51, while the average daily cost in Rotterdam is $222. 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 Rotterdam in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Rotterdam $95
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Rotterdam $190
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Rotterdam
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Rotterdam? 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 Rotterdam Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.90Rotterdam $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh City to Can Tho City: $375
- Siem Reap: Private Transfer to or from Phnom Penh: $239
- Private Transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by VIP Alphard 2010: $190
- Private Transfer/ Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville by VIP Alphard 2010: $180
- Techo International Airport to Siem Reap Private Transfer: $160
- Private Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $160
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
- Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville Taxi - Safe & Private Car Transfer: $150
- Ground Transfer/ Minivan/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $150
- Private Taxi Transfer From Phnom Penh - Mondulkiri City: $147
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Kompot or Kep: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $145
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rotterdam
Also for Rotterdam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Madurodam: Train + tram transferring to/from Rotterdam: $10
- Private Direct Transfer From Rotterdam to Vlissingen cruise port: $229
- Private Minivan Transfer from Rotterdam: $273
- Private Rotterdam Cruise Port Departure Transfer to AMS Schiphol Airport: $187
- Private Rotterdam Cruise Port Departure Transfer to Amsterdam: $187
- Private Transfer From Cruise Port Rotterdam to Schiphol Airport: $169
- Private Transfer from Cruise Port Rotterdam to Amsterdam: $169
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Airport (RTM) to Rotterdam Port: $88
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Cruise Port to Amsterdam hotels: $183
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Cruise Port to Rotterdam hotels: $88
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Port to Amsterdam Airport (AMS): $183
- Private Transfer from Rotterdam Port to Rotterdam Airport (RTM): $88
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Rotterdam?
Prices for flights to both Rotterdam 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 $23Rotterdam $103
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$4.86
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
- Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $35
- Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $39
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rotterdam
For Rotterdam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza Cruise: $46
- Rotterdam Food Tour: Taste The Alternative Side Of The City: $79
- Guided Food Tour: $80
- Iconic Rotterdam Food Tour: 7 Local Dishes with a Guide: $86
- Historic Delfshaven: Lunch or Dinner with a Private Chef: $87
- Food Tour by Bike: $104
- Guided Walking Food Tour: $104
- Rotterdam Walking Food Tour with 7 Delicious Tastings: $106
- Biking Rotterdam Food Tour with Local Guide: $117
- Private Walking Food Tour of Rotterdam: $130
- Private Food Tour in Rotterdam Taste the Future: $148
- Rotterdam Private 2-Hour Food Tour with Tastings: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.68Rotterdam $37
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
- 10 Stop Phnom Penh Tour by Tuk-Tuk, includes S21 & Killing Fields: $33
- 2 Day-Phnom Penh by Private Tours: $155
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Cyclo and Cycling Tour: $128
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Siem Reap Private Tour, Cambodia Road Tour: $25
- 2 Days Private Guide Tour Phnom Penh Heritage: $282
- 4 Hours Private Phnom Penh National Museum and Royal Palace Tour: $155
- 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
- 6-8 Hours Phnom Penh Private Guided Tour: $15
- A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace, S21, Killing Fields & More: $35
- Adventure Cambodia: A 12-Day Guided Tour off the Beaten Path: $1,525
- All Inclusive Half Day Phnom Penh Discovery Tour: $55
Tours and Activities in Rotterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Rotterdam.
- Rotterdam 2-Hour Walking Tour | Discover The City With A Local: $3.55
- Breda Fun Puzzle Quest: True Lord Self-Guided Tour: $5.92
- Rotterdam Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $5.97
- Rotterdam Highlights & Spies: Exploration Game & Tour: $7.10
- Risen from Ruins Self Guided Tour of Rotterdam: $8.99
- Windmills and Dutch Ingenuity: A Kinderdijk Audio Walking Tour: $8.99
- Delfshaven Self-Guided Tour: A Guide to Rotterdam’s Old Town: $9.99
- Team Up for a Playful Tour of Rotterdam: $12
- Self-Guided Walking Tour of Gouda: Canals, Colonies, and Cheese: $12
- Art, History and Architecture Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- From River to Metropolis: A Rotterdam City Self Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Rotterdam's Highlights and History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.35Rotterdam $22
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 Rotterdam
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rotterdam:
- Beer Brewery 'Noordt' Beer Tasting: $9.31
- Brewery Noordt Tour Including Two Beers: $20
- Stadshaven Brewery Tour with Beer Tastings: $26
- The Ultimate Rotterdam Bar Crawl Experience: $41
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $52
- Ludwig's Private Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $576
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Rotterdam, we can see that Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam is in Europe, 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 Rotterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Rotterdam?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Rotterdam. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Rotterdam, 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.