Which place is cheaper, Utrecht 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 Utrecht?
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 Utrecht. 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 Utrecht?
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.
Utrecht
Utrecht is both a province and a city in the Netherlands. The city is a unique university city with a lively atmosphere. Imagine Amsterdam but smaller, and with fewer tourists. Utrecht has the same underlying historical/magical feel as Amsterdam, but is full of locals rather than crowds of tourists. It has a population of about 300,000 making it the fourth largest city in the Netherlands.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Netherlands, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Netherlands.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesUtrecht Prices
Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $51Utrecht $255
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $51, while the average daily cost in Utrecht is $255. 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 Utrecht in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Utrecht $117
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Utrecht $234
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Utrecht
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Utrecht? 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 Utrecht Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.90Utrecht $26
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 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
- Phnom Penh Airport Private Taxi Transfer - Hotels: $21
- Private Transfer From Phnom Penh International Airport To Phnom Penh City Center: $21
- Techo International Airport Transfer by Car or Minivan: $22
- Private Transfer Techo International Airport From/To Hotels: $22
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer: Techo Airport (KTI) to Hotel in Phnom Penh: $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Utrecht
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Utrecht:
- Private taxi transfer from Utrecht to Amsterdam: $109
- Private transfer from Utrecht to AMS Schiphol Airport: $129
- Train Transfer Utrecht from/to Den Haag: $20
- Train Transfer Utrecht from/to Rotterdam: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Utrecht?
Prices for flights to both Utrecht 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 $23Utrecht $109
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.
- Sunset & Evening Dinner Cruise With One Way Free Pick Up: $9.90
- 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
- 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 Utrecht
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Utrecht.
- Utrecht Food Tour Trying Out 6 Dutch Bites: $51
- Guided Food Tour: $80
- Food Tour by Bike: enjoy 6 bites and cycle trough Utrecht: $81
- Utrecht Food Tour: 7 food stops and a fantastic local guide: $81
- Utrecht Bike & Bite: The Ultimate Local Food Tour with Guide: $84
- Utrecht Walking Food Tour with 7 Gourmet Dishes & Local Guide: $84
- 10 Tastes of Food Tour with Full Lunch and 2 Drinks: $194
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.68Utrecht $50
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 on the Mekong with Kanika Boat: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Sunset Cruise-Unlimited Beers-Sodas-BBQ buffet-Fruit platter: $9.00
- Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Angkor Optional Mekong Cruise: $9.00
- Phnom Penh Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer & BBQ Buffet: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beers & BBQ Buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer &Fruit platter: $9.35
- Phnom Penh Bus with Free Boat Cruise 1 Day Pass: $10
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket Free Mekong Cruise: $12
Tours and Activities in Utrecht
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Utrecht are as follows:
- Utrecht 2-Hour Walking Tour | Discover The City With A Local: $3.52
- Private Walking Tour of Nieuwegracht Utrecht Netherlands: $5.87
- Utrecht Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.51
- Utrecht Monster Mystery: Exploration Game and Tour: $9.39
- Uniquely An Audio Tour of its Charming City Centre: $9.99
- Utrecht Historic City: a Self-Guided Augmented Reality Tour: $12
- Castles, Canals and Good Folk: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Utrecht: $12
- Pub Trail Utrecht An Adventure Full of Surprises: $13
- De Haar Castle Gardens and Park Only Entry Ticket: $15
- Lofen Palace with Entry Ticket & Guide: $15
- Cultural and Historical Audio Guided Walking Tour of Utrecht: $15
- Utrecht Cultural self guided Audio Cultural & Historical Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.35Utrecht $27
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 Utrecht
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Utrecht:
- Ultimate Leo’s Pub Crawl with Local Host & Shots: $36
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $47
- Ludwig's Private Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $576
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Utrecht, we can see that Utrecht 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 Utrecht 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 Utrecht would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Utrecht 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 Utrecht Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Utrecht?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Utrecht. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Utrecht, 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.