Budget Travel in Cambodia – How much do you need

Budget Travel in Cambodia – How much do you need

Cambodia is famous for its Angkor Archaeological Park, hidden paradise, rich culture, and locals who are the most friendliest of all. These are the reason why people from other countries choose to see the beauty of Cambodia: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Koh Rong!

Travelers came from either Western or Asian countries because Cambodia is truly one of a kind paradise. In this post we will help you learn more about Cambodia most importantly the budget travel in Cambodia that you will need in your stay!

Read here Cambodia travel tips, how to get from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, from Phnom Penh airport to city and our favorite Cambodia tourist spots!

Is it safe/difficult to travel in Cambodia

I’ve experience backpacking in Cambodia, and i will tell you that it is safe to travel and enjoy the beauty of this country. But to tell you frankly I’ve met people both tourist and backpacker that had a different opinion about this, only because they experienced people snatching their personal belongings.

I would recommend you to be extra careful in places that have many people like in the cities and some tourist places. For me I’ve never encountered these incidents for your own safety just be extra careful on your trip! It is okay to be cautious and ask if needed. So for me yes, it is safe to travel in Cambodia!

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

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Best time to visit in Cambodia

As most Asian country the seasons in Cambodia are called wet and dry season. If you are planning backpacking Cambodia like I did be prepare for both of these season. The rainy or wet season takes place through the months of July to September and the dray season is in the months of October up until May.

But for me the best time to visit Cambodia for tourist and backpackers is in the month of November to February since most of your itinerary will consist of walking and sightseeing.

Click here to know more about the weather in Cambodia.

Visa in Cambodia

There are only 9 countries that can enter the country for 30 days without a visa. Rachel as Filipino passport gets free visa for 3 weeks in Cambodia.  If your country does not belong to this group you should apply for a visa on your arrival this will only take for about 30 minutes and the price is $30.

You can apply an eVisa online if you want for less hassle when you arrive in the country the cost will take you up to $36. You can check here if your country is visa free or you should apply.

Cash in Cambodia

The currency in Cambodia is called Cambodian Riel in this is the one you will be using all throughout your entire stay inside the country. Exchange rates are around $1= 4000 Riels. There are ATM’s available all throughout the country.

You can also find many exchange office and banks if you are bringing cash always remember to go and check 3-4 changing places just to compare the rate so you will get the right amount for your money. Just a reminder that you can use dollar everywhere but you should always have Riels because you will use it for small payments.

Click here to know the exact rate.

Internet in Cambodia

You can find WiFi in places like hostels, hotels, bars and some touristic places. The signal is weak compare to other Asian country but you will be fine if you only have to check out on social medias. If you are working online like us, it would be fine for catching up with work.

There are 5 sim providers in Cambodia, you can choose from Matfone, Smart, Cellcard, qb, and Seatel. You can buy Sim cards at any phone shops but i would recommend to get it directly to the providers. Also you are required to have a copy of your passport before you are allowed to buy.

Read here Cambodia sim card and best Cambodia eSim

You can find the cheapest Cambodia eSim with Airalo Cambodia eSim prepaid for $4 USD with 1 GB data valid for 7 days (USING DISCOUNT CODE GAMINTRAVELER 10%). For $9 USD with 3 GB data and for $13 USD with 5 GB data valid for 30 days.

Food budget travel in Cambodia

A total of $5 will be your daily budget for food in Cambodia, there are many available street food around the country. And you’ll just have to find the best place to eat them. Cambodian food is mostly spicy, one of the most popular Cambodian dish is called Fish Amok its is a red fish curry you can eat it with rice it is served wrapped in a banana leaf and the price start from $1-2.

If you are into noodles, Cambodian noodles it is a soup and a very spicy one you can also buy it for as low as $1-2. We also enjoyed fruits and juices in Cambodia for $1. Noddles soup and baguettes (Cambodia is a French colony) as a sandwich were delicious!

Accommodation budget travel in Cambodia

Cheap accommodation in Cambodia is not a problem. There are may available cheap accommodation in the country. Hostel prices start at $5-6 a night per dorm and $10-15 for a room. Cambodia is one of the cheapest countries in Asia for sleeping. Your budget for accommodation will depend on how much luxury you need.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION IN CAMBODIA BEFORE YOUR TRIP WITH BOOKING.

Tour/Entrance Fees in Cambodia

There are many tourist spots in Cambodia the most famous one is called Angkor Wat, when visiting the country it is a must to visit this place because you will spend an amazing time there just enjoying the temples. Since this place is famous it is always full of people and the entrance fee would be $37 per day and $62 for 3 days and 72 per week.

You can also visit Phnom Penh it is the capital of the country. And I would recommend you to visit. We loved the vibe there and you should visit the street markets where you can interact with the locals they are very approachable and nice you can even learn to speak some of their language.

Local transportation in Cambodia

You can use many transportation to go around Cambodia. The most famous of them is Tuk Tuk you can find this mode of transportation all over the country. You can either hire them for your private use. You can ride Tuk tuk inside the city and you will only pay $1-2.

You can ride local buses form $5-8 for 5-6 hours of journey. You can also ride the train service between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville the fare vary from $4 to $7. Children under 12 travel for free. You can also ride the bamboo train its maximum speed is 50kph, it is a tourist attraction in Battammbang the price starts $5 per hours.

And I also tried hitchhiking, you should try it. But to remind you its not the easiest country to do it. But it worked for me. If you never tried this before you should try it!

Budget Travel in Cambodia per day

You will manage to get through the day with a budget of $20-25 per day. The minimum budget for accommodation would be $5 you can either choose a dorm room or a cheap hostels. For food the minimum budget would be also $5 for the whole day if you go for street food. And the rest of your budget would be for transportation and fee for entrance in some tourist spots. If you go to a few tours and entrance to Angkor Watt will increase your daily budget but you will have an awesome experience!

If you continue traveling around Southeast Asia, check our travel budget in the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.