Which place is cheaper, San Francisco 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Phnom Penh or San Francisco?
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 San Francisco. 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 San Francisco?
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.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.
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 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.
-
Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesSan Francisco Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50San Francisco $251
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $251. 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 San Francisco in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12San Francisco $130
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and San Francisco
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or San Francisco? 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 San Francisco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.87San Francisco $16
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
- Private Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $160
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
- Phnom Penh To Mondulkiri Private Transfer Mini Van And Car: $151
- Ground Transfer/ Minivan/ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $150
- Private Taxi Transfer from/to Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville city: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Kompot or Kep: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $145
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:
-
Taxi to SFO$45
-
Golden Gate Bridge Toll$6.00
-
Alcatraz Tour$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco
Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco by Luxury SUV: $128
- Airport Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO by Luxury SUV: $135
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport SFO to San Francisco in Business Car: $122
- California: Oakland Airport Transfer from San Francisco: $180
- California: Oakland Airport Transfer to San Francisco: $180
- California: SFE Airport Transfer from San Francisco: $140
- California: SFE Airport Transfer to San Francisco: $140
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Business Car: $122
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Luxury Car: $173
- Departure Private Transfer: San Francisco to Airport SFO in Luxury SUV: $144
- Departure Transfer San Francisco to SFO Airport by Luxury Suv: $173
- Napa Valley 1-Way Transfer to/from the San Francisco Airport: $400
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or San Francisco?
Prices for flights to both San Francisco 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 $23San Francisco $79
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$4.84
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
- 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
- Small Group Phnom Penh Food Tour and Local Market Experience: $39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco
For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner In San Francisco: $63
- City Cruises Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise: $75
- Mission District Street Art and Food Tour: $79
- North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $84
- Little Italy & Chinatown Original Food Tour: $84
- Mission District Food Tour with 5 Tastings: $84
- San Francisco : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $92
- Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 Food Tour: $99
- City Cruises Premier Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $122
- San Francisco's North Beach Neighborhood Food Tour: $125
- Dumpling Cooking Class & Dinner Party: $135
- Indian Cooking Class with Meal: $175
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.65San Francisco $31
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 10 Sightseeing Highlight Sites in Phnom Penh with English Guide: $30
- 2 Day-Phnom Penh by Private Tours: $155
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Phu Quoc to Phnom Penh via Chau Doc: $488
- 3 Day Cambodia Private Tours: $80
- 3 Days Local Life Experience, Nature view, Waterfall: $199
- 4 Hours Private Phnom Penh National Museum and Royal Palace Tour: $155
- 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
- A Day Hiking Adventure to Chonlos Waterfalls: $189
- A Day Trip Sightseeing of Phnom Penh With Private Tour Guide: $65
- A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace S21 Killing Fields and More: $35
- A day Trip Sightseeing Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Private English Speaking Driver: $105
- Adventure Cambodia: A 12-Day Guided Tour off the Beaten Path: $1,525
Tours and Activities in San Francisco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.
- San Francisco Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $4.40
- Self Guided Chinatown Tour: Food, History and Culture: $5.00
- Golden Gate Bridge: Self-guided Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Kid Led Interactive AR Adventure in Presidio National Park: $5.00
- San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Mafia Heist at the Bay: Escape Adventure in San Francisco: $5.87
- The Ghosts of San Francisco Haunted Audio App Walking Tour: $6.99
- San Francisco's Barbary Past: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Over the Rainbow in the Castro: A San Francisco Chronicle Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
- Lands End Coastal Adventure: $9.99
- Golden Gate Bike Tour from San Francisco to Sausalito: $9.99
- Walk the Haight: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of SF’s Hippie Counterculture: $9.99
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.33San Francisco $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 San Francisco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:
- #1 San Francisco Pub Crawl & Clubbing Experience: $24
- San Francisco Pub Crawl & Clubbing Experience: $27
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Walk with Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $44
- Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $44
- Castro Bar Crawl in San Francisco: $49
- Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
- Distillery Gin Cocktail Making Class: $89
- Local Distillery Cocktail Making Class: $89
- Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour with Optional Tasting: $99
- Napa & Sonoma Guided Wine Tour with Tastings from San Francisco: $110
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco 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 San Francisco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or San Francisco?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of San Francisco. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and San Francisco, 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.