Cambodia operates on a dual-currency system. The Cambodian riel is the official currency, but United States dollars circulate freely in most commercial transactions. As of 2024, the exchange rate holds near 4,100 riel to one dollar. Riel appears primarily as change for dollar transactions, with bills under one dollar returned in riel. ATMs dispense dollars. Most hotels, restaurants, and tour operators price in dollars. Street vendors and rural markets quote in riel. Visitors carry small-denomination dollar bills—ones, fives, tens—because change-making presents frequent friction. Ripped or heavily marked dollar bills face refusal. Cambodia presents costs that divide sharply between local-economy pricing and tourist-economy pricing, with minimal middle ground.
Phnom Penh demonstrates this division daily. A bowl of kuy teav at a street stall costs 5,000 to 8,000 riel—roughly 1.25 to 2.00 dollars. The same breakfast at a cafe frequented by expatriates runs 5.00 to 8.00 dollars. A tuk-tuk ride covering two kilometers in local areas costs 1.00 to 2.00 dollars if you establish the price before entering; tourist routes between hotels and major sites quote 3.00 to 5.00 dollars for identical distances. Guesthouse beds in the backpacker quarter start at 5.00 dollars per night for a fan room with shared bath. Mid-range hotels with air conditioning and private facilities range from 20.00 to 40.00 dollars. International-standard hotels begin around 80.00 dollars and reach several hundred for properties near the Royal Palace.
Siem Reap exists almost entirely on tourism infrastructure built around Angkor Wat. Budget guesthouses line the streets radiating from the Old Market and Pub Street, offering rooms from 8.00 to 15.00 dollars per night. These typically include fan, wifi, and basic furniture—mattress quality varies significantly within this range. The 20.00 to 50.00 dollar bracket brings reliable air conditioning, hot water, sometimes a small pool. Above 60.00 dollars, properties incorporate traditional Khmer architecture elements, larger grounds, and breakfast. Pub Street restaurants charge 4.00 to 8.00 dollars for Khmer dishes like amok or lok lak, while pizza and pasta reach 6.00 to 12.00 dollars. The same amok at a market stall outside the tourist zone costs 2.00 to 3.00 dollars. Draft Angkor beer in tourist areas runs 0.50 to 1.00 dollars during happy hours, which most establishments run from approximately 4:00 to 7:00 PM, then increases to 1.50 to 2.50 dollars. Local restaurants frequented by Khmer families charge 0.75 dollars for the same beer throughout the day.
Angkor Archaeological Park admission operates on fixed pricing: a one-day pass costs 37.00 dollars, three-day pass 62.00 dollars, seven-day pass 72.00 dollars as of 2024. These prices increased from 20.00, 40.00, and 60.00 dollars respectively in early 2017. Children under twelve enter free with passport verification. The Angkor pass requirement extends to all temples within the park boundaries, including distant sites like Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean. Preah Vihear Temple, located near the Thai border, charges a separate 10.00 dollar entrance. Tuk-tuk drivers in Siem Reap quote day rates for temple circuits: the small circuit covering Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm runs 15.00 to 20.00 dollars for the vehicle regardless of passenger count up to four people. The grand circuit adding outer temples costs 25.00 to 30.00 dollars. Sunrise tours beginning around 4:30 AM add 5.00 dollars to these rates. Hiring an officially licensed guide through the Angkor ticket office costs 35.00 to 50.00 dollars per day depending on language and group size.
Transportation between Cambodian cities reflects distance and infrastructure condition. Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by bus takes six to seven hours on National Highway 6, which received Chinese-funded reconstruction completing in 2019. Giant Ibis and Mekong Express, the premium bus operators, charge 13.00 to 15.00 dollars for this route with reclining seats, air conditioning, and bottled water included. Budget operators like Virak Buntham and Phnom Penh Sorya run 8.00 to 10.00 dollars with similar travel time but older vehicles and more frequent stops. The same route by shared taxi—typically Toyota Camrys carrying four passengers plus driver—costs 10.00 to 12.00 dollars per seat and completes in five to six hours through aggressive driving. Private taxi hire for the entire vehicle runs 80.00 to 100.00 dollars. Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville buses cost 7.00 to 12.00 dollars for four to five hours on National Highway 4, a well-maintained Chinese-built expressway completed in 2022 that reduced previous travel time by nearly two hours.
Sihanoukville underwent transformation from 2016 onward following major Chinese investment in casino construction. Hotel pricing became volatile and disconnected from service quality. Russian Market and Victory Hill areas retain budget guesthouses at 10.00 to 20.00 dollars per night, while newer developments charge premium rates targeting Chinese package tourists. Beaches near Otres Village offer bungalows at 15.00 to 35.00 dollars. Fresh seafood at Khmer-run restaurants along Weather Station Hill costs 5.00 to 10.00 dollars for grilled fish with rice and vegetables. Kampot pepper crab, the regional specialty, ranges from 8.00 to 15.00 dollars depending on crab size and establishment. Beer remains consistent at 0.50 to 1.00 dollars for local brands at neighborhood spots.
Kampot town presents lower costs than Sihanoukville while offering French colonial architecture and access to Bokor National Park. Riverside guesthouses charge 8.00 to 15.00 dollars for fan rooms, 15.00 to 25.00 dollars with air conditioning. The town's compact size makes walking viable, eliminating most transportation costs. Motorbike rentals run 5.00 to 7.00 dollars per day for semi-automatic 110cc bikes common throughout Southeast Asia. Kampot pepper farm tours cost 5.00 to 8.00 dollars including tasting. Kep, thirty kilometers south, centers on crab market stalls where prices fluctuate with daily catch—typically 5.00 to 12.00 dollars per kilogram for blue crab prepared with Kampot green peppercorns. Guesthouse rooms in Kep start at 12.00 dollars, though selection remains limited compared to Kampot.
Battambang functions primarily for Cambodians rather than tourists, producing markedly lower prices. Central market stalls sell bai sach chrouk—grilled pork with broken rice, pickled vegetables, and broth—for 1.00 to 1.50 dollars. Guesthouse beds cost 5.00 to 10.00 dollars. The bamboo train (norry) operating on colonial-era tracks charges 5.00 dollars for the return journey to O Dambong village, reduced from earlier 8.00 dollar pricing after increased competition. Phare Ponleu Selpak circus performances, produced by an NGO training disadvantaged youth, charge 18.00 dollars for front-row seats, 15.00 dollars for back rows, running three to four evenings weekly depending on season. Tuk-tuk day hire for surrounding temples including Wat Banan and Phnom Sampeau runs 15.00 to 20.00 dollars.
Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri provinces in Cambodia's northeast present higher costs due to remoteness and limited tourist infrastructure. Shared taxis from Phnom Penh to Sen Monorom in Mondulkiri cost 15.00 to 20.00 dollars per person covering 350 kilometers in eight to ten hours on partially unpaved roads. Guesthouses in Sen Monorom charge 10.00 to 25.00 dollars. Elephant Valley Project visits, focused on retired logging elephants in forest habitat, cost 65.