🇰🇭 Cambodia: Budget Backpacking Guide
7 cities indexedBest: Nov, Dec, Jan~$28/day realistic
Cambodia is South East Asia's most humbling destination. Angkor Wat alone justifies the trip — it's the world's largest religious monument and one of the few travel experiences that lives up to the hype. Beyond Angkor, Phnom Penh's complex history and emerging café culture make it worth multiple days, while the southern islands (Koh Rong, Koh Rong Sanloem) offer that rare combination of white sand beaches that haven't been completely overrun. Cambodia is also genuinely cheap — often the cheapest country in SEA.
Budget breakdown
What does Cambodia cost?
Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are cheapest. Sihanoukville and islands cost more due to supply chains.
Bare minimum
$15/day
Dorms, local khmer food, tuk-tuks
Hostel$4–6/night
Food$4–6/day
Transport$2–3/day
Activities$2–4/day
Most common
Realistic budget
$28/day
Mixed accommodation, some Angkor entry fees, tuk-tuks
Hostel$8–12/night
Food$7–9/day
Transport$4–6/day
Activities$5–8/day
Comfortable
$55/day
Private guesthouses, guided Angkor tours, river cruises
Hostel$22–32/night
Food$14–18/day
Transport$6–10/day
Activities$10–15/day
When to go
Seasonal Guide
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best months (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar)Peak / pricey (Dec, Jan)Avoid (Jul, Aug, Sep)
Data
Cambodia Cities in the Index
Kep
Hostel from $7/night · 0 indexed
$14/day
daily total
Battambang
Hostel from $4/night · 3 indexed
$26/day
daily total
Kampot
Hostel from $7/night · 10 indexed
$29/day
daily total
Phnom Penh
Hostel from $8/night · 13 indexed
$34/day
daily total
Siem Reap
Hostel from $7/night · 13 indexed
$34/day
daily total
Sihanoukville
Hostel from $11/night · 4 indexed
$39/day
daily total
Koh Rong
Hostel from $14/night · 17 indexed
$46/day
daily total
Entry
Visa Requirements
Most nationalities
E-visa or visa on arrival30 days
$30 USD e-visa at evisa.gov.kh. Single entry. Extendable at immigration.
ASEAN nationals
Visa-free14–30 days
Varies by country. Thai nationals 14 days free.
Methodology
Data Sources
| Data type | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel prices | Live booking data — avg of cheapest available dorm beds | Monthly |
| Flight prices | Aggregated fare data from multiple GDS sources | Weekly |
| Cost of living | Crowdsourced + editorial verification | Quarterly |
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