Cambodia - $199.27
We finished our time in Cambodia almost exactly at our target budget, only over our goal by about $5. Unlike many of the countries we’ve already visited, our biggest expenses in Cambodia were Activities and Miscellaneous spending, consisting mainly of cash that we used on snacks, eating out, and some other cash-only activities. We didn’t have any expenses for flights or rental cars, as we came from Vietnam by bus and didn’t have a need to rent a moped thanks to the widespread availability of Grab, more on both later. We did have to pay for a visa to enter Cambodia, which can either be done online in advance or at the border on arrival, costing $36 each.
Cash is still the preferred payment method across Cambodia, but uniquely can be handled with either local Cambodian Riels or United States Dollars. We used about $260 in cash to pay for various small meals, drinks, and low-cost activities, amounting to about $45 per day. One thing to note is that while you can use dollar bills to pay in Cambodia, the note must be in perfect condition without too many folds, any small rips, or any ink smudges. We tried to use Cambodian Riels as much as possible, as they’re easier to exchange, but many ATMs will automatically dispense USD for foreign cards. Also be on the lookout for ATMs with absurdly high transaction fees, the highest we heard of during our time there was over $17!
As one of the main pillars of the Cambodian economy is tourism, specifically people looking to explore the Angkor temple complex or understand the country’s Khmer Rouge genocide past, entry tickets can be more expensive than in other South East Asian countries. While in Phnom Penh we visited both the Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek Genocide museums which each have a $10, cash only, entrance fee. Contrastingly, a visit to Siem Reap’s Angkor temple complex is a much more expensive endeavor. We picked up a three day entrance ticket for $62 each, and hired a local guide (with photos) for one day for almost $100. We hired our guide through WithLocals.com, but you can find many certified guides at the temple complex each morning and can negotiate your own rate to match your budget. We also hired our own Remorque driver for a sunset tour, and a final five hour sunrise tour at a combined cost of $35.
Food in Cambodia is pretty terrific, and we would’ve been happy to pay more for each meal we had! Luckily food is quite cheap, meaning we were able to really eat our way through the country. Drinks can be readily found at endless rooftop bars and are also pretty affordable, meaning nights out are stress free, even on a limited budget.
One of the great things about South East Asia is the widespread availability of amazing hotel rooms for far less than we’re used to paying in the United States or Western Europe. We stayed at the Baitong Hotel & Resort in Phnom Penh with free breakfast, a welcome drink, and three different types of pools for only $75 per night. In Siem Reap we stayed at the Damrei Hotel for only $43 per night, heavily reduced from their “typical” daily rate because of our visit timed during their low season. We also had a great night at Onederz Phnom Penh, a hostel near the Tonle Sap river that had everything we needed for only $14.50 per night.
Our final expense category in Cambodia was Other Transportation, which for us meant a few long distance buses and many, many trips using Grab. Having briefly stayed in Vietnam before our trip to Cambodia, we took a two bus, single day connection from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh and then from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh, using Thành Bưởi and Virak Buntham Express respectively. This total journey cost us $87 with a six hour stop over in Ho Chi Minh in case of any delays with our first bus. Within Cambodia we also took an overnight bus with E-Booking Express from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, costing us only $30 for a double sleeping berth. While the length of the berth is not really designed for our 6 feet+ heights, we were able to squeeze in about four hours of sleep, enough to keep us awake for our first day exploring Angkor Wat. We also took fourteen Grab trips while in Cambodia which not only covers cars, but also includes tuktuks (scooters with a two-person carriage) and remorques (a type of four-person tuk tuk). Grab is equivalent in South East Asia to Uber or Lyft in the United States or Europe, but in Cambodia trips regularly cost between $0.75 and $2.50. Remorques are also the standard way to see the Angkor temple complex and feel like a truly unique way to watch the world go by.