Which place is cheaper, Washington 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 Washington?
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 Washington. 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 Washington?
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.
Washington
Washington, DC is the capital city of the United States of America. It is also a city rich in history and culture. The city dates back to 1791 when the states of Maryland and Virginia donated the land to create the capital. In 1846, Congress returned the land that was ceded by Virginia and in 1871 it created a single municipal government with the remaining area. Today, Washington, DC has a population of over 600,000 people. The metropolitan area includes suburbs in Maryland and Virginia and has a population of about 5.8 million.
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 United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.
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Phnom Penh Prices
Cambodia PricesWashington Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhnom Penh $50Washington $226
The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Washington is $226. 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 Washington in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhnom Penh $12Washington $113
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhnom Penh $24Washington $226
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Washington
Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Washington? 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 Washington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phnom Penh $7.78Washington $47
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 Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $160
- Techo International Airport to Siem Reap Private Transfer: $160
- Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
- 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
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville city: $145
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh city: $145
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Washington
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Washington are as follows:
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Metro Day Pass$9.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Washington
Also for Washington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer DCA to/from Washington DC Downtown Area only: $147
- Airport Transfer from Ronald Reagan Airport DCA - Washington DC: $75
- Arrival Private Transfer: National Airport DCA to Washington in Business Car: $140
- Arrival Private Transfer: National Airport DCA to Washington in Luxury Car: $181
- Arrival Transfer Dulles Airport IAD to Washington DC by Sedan: $176
- Arrival Transfer from Dulles Airport IAD to Washington DC by SUV: $198
- BWI Airport Transfer From or To Washington DC: $173
- Baltimore Airport (BWI) to Washington - Arrival Private Transfer: $146
- Baltimore Airport (BWI) to Washington Round-Trip Private Transfer: $292
- DCA to Baltimore Downtown | Private Luxury Airport Transfer: $140
- Departure Private Transfer: Washington to Baltimore Airport BWI in Luxury Van: $186
- Departure Private Transfer: Washington to Dulles Airport IAD in Luxury SUV: $154
Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Washington?
Prices for flights to both Washington 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 $22Washington $66
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$4.78
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 Cruise with BBQ Buffet Dinner, Unlimited Beer & Tour Guide: $9.90
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with English Speaking Guide: $10
- 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
- Penh Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $36
- Street Art and Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $39
- Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
Typical Food Prices in Washington
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Washington:
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Water$2.00
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Snacks on Monuments Tour$6.15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Washington
For Washington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- DC: City Cruises Buffet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner Cruise: $59
- Little Ethiopia Food Tour: $71
- DC: City Cruises Gourmet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner Cruise: $73
- Donuts, Lights & History: DC’s Holiday Walking Food Tour: $75
- Washington D.C : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $93
- Washington D.C: Acquired Taste Food Tour in Georgetown: $95
- Acquired Taste Food Tour in Georgetown: $95
- Washington DC: Food Tour with 6+ Locals Favorites Bites: $99
- Washington, DC: Downtown DC Food Tour: $125
- Washington D.C.: Taste of Georgetown Walking Food Tour: $129
- Washington DC Christmas Eve Plated Dinner Cruise: $141
- City Cruises DC: Christmas Eve Gourmet Brunch/Dinner Cruise: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phnom Penh $7.56Washington $23
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 10 Stop Phnom Penh Tour by Tuk-Tuk, includes S21 & Killing Fields: $33
- 2-Day Mekong Delta Tour: Phu Quoc to Phnom Penh via Chau Doc: $488
- 2hours Private Sunset Cruise with unlimited beer, soft drinks and Tour guide: $66
- 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
- 6-8 Hours Phnom Penh Private Guided Tour: $15
- 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
Tours and Activities in Washington
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Washington.
- Discover A Self-Guided Tour: $1.12
- National Mall Democracy Quest Experience in Washington DC: $4.83
- Capitol Hill Stroll Walking Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial: A Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Washington Self Guided Walking Tour Landmarks with Audio and Quiz: $7.98
- The Assassination of President Garfield: A Washington DC Tour: $7.99
- The Kennedy Homes: A Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.99
- Georgetown's Famous Ghosts Smartphone Guided Haunted Walking Tour: $9.75
- Bureaucracy: Pillars of Policy in D.C Self-Guided Walking tour: $9.99
- Form Follows Function: An Audio Tour of D.C.'s Federal Buildings: $9.99
- Private Guided Tidal Basin Walking Tour in DC: $9.99
- National Mall Washington DC Self Guided Audio Walking Tour: $9.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhnom Penh $4.28Washington $19
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 Washington
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Washington:
- Astounding Bar Crawl: Wildin' Out Washington DC: $15
- DC Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Washington DC: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- DC Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
- Washington, DC: History Tour Pub Crawl: $49
- DIY Candle Making Class at a Local Brewery in Washington D.C.: $55
- Small-Group History Tour Pub Crawl of Washington, D.C.: $59
- DC: Guided Craft Brewery Tours with a Snack: $105
- All Inclusive DC Signature Brewery Tour: $120
- Private Washington DC Virginia Winery Wine Tasting Tour: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Washington, we can see that Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Washington 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 Washington Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Washington?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Washington. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Washington, 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.