Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Pingyao?
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 Pingyao or Phnom Penh?
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 Pingyao and Phnom Penh. 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: Pingyao or Phnom Penh?
Pingyao
Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.
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 Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
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Pingyao Prices
China PricesPhnom Penh Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPingyao $72Phnom Penh $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $72, while the average daily cost in Phnom Penh is $50. 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 Pingyao and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPingyao $24Phnom Penh $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPingyao $48Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Pingyao or Phnom Penh? 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.Pingyao $14Phnom Penh $7.87
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:
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Taxi to Train Station$1.47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pingyao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pingyao:
- Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Wutaishan from Pingyao: $190
- Private Transfer Servcie to Mianshan (Mian Mountain) from Pingyao: $60
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 International Airport Transfer: $15
- 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
- Private Transfer From Phnom Penh International Airport To Phnom Penh City Center: $21
- Private Transfer Techo International Airport From/To Hotels: $22
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Hotels: $24
- Phnom Penh Techo International Airport Transfer/Pick-up/Drop-off: $24
- Private Transfer: Phnom Penh's Hotel to Techo Airport(KTI): $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Pingyao 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 dayPingyao $36Phnom Penh $23
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:
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Casual Lunch (for 2)$5.30
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Mango Juice$0.74
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 & 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
- 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 by Tuk-Tuk: $35
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $35
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pingyao $20Phnom Penh $7.65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:
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All Day Bike Rental (for 2)$2.94
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Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)$7.35
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Bike Parking Fee (for 2)$0.59
Tours and Activities in Pingyao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:
- Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour of Pingyao Ancient City: $76
- All Inclusive Pingyao Private Tour to Qiao Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $142
- Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
- Private Day Tour in Pingyao Including Zhenguo and Shuanglin Temple: $164
- 1-Day Pingyao Ancient Town Sightseeing Walking Tour: $170
- Pingyao Private Tour: Wang's Family Compound and Shuanglin Temple: $175
- One Day Tour Exploration of Pingyao Old Town and Wang Family Mansion: $183
- Pingyao in One Day: Including City Highlights and Shuanglin Temple Private Tour: $204
- Private Day Tour: Pingyao Highlights of Old Town and City Wall: $205
- 1-Day Pingyao tour to Wang Family's Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Fortress: $206
- Day tour to Wang Family Compound shuanglin temple &zhangbi castle: $210
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-Unlimited BBQ Buffet-Beers, Sodas & Fruit Platter**: $7.45
- Sunset Cruise on the Mekong with Kanika Boat: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Angkor Optional Mekong Cruise: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise-Unlimited Beers-Sodas-BBQ buffet-Fruit platter: $9.00
- Phnom Penh Sunset Cruise with Unlimited Beer & BBQ Buffet: $9.00
- Sunset Cruise with freeflow beers & BBQ buffet: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise: Your Cruise You Choose, 3 wonderful options: $9.16
- Sunset Cruise with Unlimited 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPingyao $14Phnom Penh $4.33
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 Pingyao and Phnom Penh, we can see that Pingyao is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Pingyao would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pingyao 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 Pingyao Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Phnom Penh, 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.