Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Riga or Phnom Penh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Phnom Penh? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Riga or Phnom Penh?
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €104Phnom Penh €38
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €104, while the average daily cost in Phnom Penh is €38. 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 Riga and Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €53Phnom Penh €11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €106Phnom Penh €22
Compare Hotels in Riga and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Riga 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: Riga Hotel Prices and Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €15Phnom Penh €7.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $151
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $344
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $462
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $429
- From Transfer to Tallinn with Turaida Museum Reserve: $231
- From Vilnius: One-Way Private Transfer to Riga: $183
- Paintball Adventure: Expert Guide & Transfers Included!: $81
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Hotel with English speaking driver: $54
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Riga City: $71
- Private Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport RIX: $32
- Private transfer Riga - Hill of Crosses - Riga: $104
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Private Phnom Penh Airport Transfers to your hotel in town: $10
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Phnom Penh APT-HTL (PNH): $16
- Private Transfer: Phnom Penh's Hotel to Phnom Penh Airport: $18
- Phnom Penh Airport Transfers: $19
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH): $22
- Phnom Penh Airport (PNH) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $23
- Phnom Penh International Airport Transfer (PNH): $23
- Phnom Penh Airport Pickup/Transfer: $25
- Private Transfer to International Airport: $25
- Private Transfer From Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville: $25
- Private Arrival Transfer: Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) to Hotel : $25
- Phnom Penh International Airport Transfers: $26
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh and Riga 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 dayRiga €33Phnom Penh €12
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch€5.77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
- Unique Food Tour: $52
- Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $97
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $114
- Private Cooking Master Class In The Latvian Family : $131
- Taste Market Tour & Cooking Masterclass: $139
- Cooking Experience with Chef: Learn & Dine: $140
- Latvian Food: Cooking Masterclass with a Chef: $153
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€9.41
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Breakfast for Two€4.47
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.
- Sunset Dinner Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Avail: $9.90
- Sunset Dinner Cruises w/Live Music, 5&7pm; Free Pickup Available: $9.90
- Khmer Cooking Class Half Day (AM or PM): $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour Drinks & Tuk Tuk included: $36
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive over 10 Local Tastings: $44
- Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
- Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
- Phnom Penh Local Market & Morning Food Tour Include Drinks: $49
- Evening Cambodian Food Tour: $60
- Ultimate PP Food Tour by Tuk Tuk - 20 tastings & drinks included: $69
- Phnom Penh Authentic Food Tour 100% By Local: $69
- Phnom Penh's Ultimate Street Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €21Phnom Penh €7.08
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.46
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $7.00
- Riga Old Town Legends Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.39
- Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $7.53
- Complete Self-guided Audio Tour on your Phone: $8.50
- Boat tour in Canal and Daugava: $9.69
- Discover Riga's Art Nouveau Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Riga Nightlife Ticket: $11
- Canal Boat Sightseeing Tour: $13
Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Riverside Walking Tour: $6.00
- One Hour City Light Cruise-Foods & Drinks available for purchase: $8.00
- Sunset Cruise on Kanika Boat: $8.60
- Private Phnom Penh Day Tour : Explore All Highlights Sites: $9.00
- Sunset River Cruise with Drink and BBQ Options: $12
- Sunset Cruise in Phnom Penh - One and a Half Hours: $12
- Phnom Penh Killing Fields and Prison S21 Join Tour: $15
- The killing field and Toul Sleng Genocide museum (S21) Tour: $15
- From Killing Fields and Prison S21 Tour: $15
- Sunset Cruise with unlimited beer & soft drinks -English speaking guide on board: $16
- killing field and Toul Sleng genocide museum Tour: $16
- Mekong River Sunset Cruise Tour: $17
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Phnom Penh €4.01
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $25
- Pub Crawl in Riga: $33
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $37
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $38
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $54
- Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $55
- Latvian Wine Tasting & Monk Show: $75
- Old Town Sightseeing & Latvian Wine Tasting with Show: $97
- Riga Wine Tasting Session: $103
- Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $526
- Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,341
Sample the Local Flavors in Phnom Penh
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Phnom Penh:
- Mad Monkey Phnom Penh Pub Crawl: $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Phnom Penh, we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga is in Europe and Phnom Penh is in Asia, 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 Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga 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 Riga Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Riga 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.