Cambodia operates on 230 volts at 50 hertz. Plugs follow types A, C, and G standards, with type A flat two-pin American-style outlets appearing most frequently in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, while type C round two-pin European outlets dominate in older buildings and provincial areas. Type G British three-pin outlets exist in some hotels and guesthouses. Many buildings installed after 2005 include mixed outlet plates accepting both type A and C plugs. Voltage fluctuates between 220 and 240 volts depending on grid load and location distance from substations. Power outages occur weekly in Phnom Penh and daily in provinces outside Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Outages last between 15 minutes and four hours. Buildings constructed after 2010 in major cities often have backup generators that activate within two to three minutes of power loss. Rural areas including Kampot, Kratie, and Mondulkiri Province experience outages exceeding six hours during monsoon season from June through October. The national grid connects approximately 87 percent of Phnom Penh, 65 percent of Siem Reap, and 35 percent of rural areas as of 2023 data from Electricité du Cambodge.
Internet access in Cambodia centers on mobile data networks operated by Smart Axiata, Cellcard, and Metfone. Smart Axiata covers 95 percent of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, and Sihanoukville with 4G LTE service as of 2024. Cellcard provides similar coverage in urban centers with 4G extending along National Highway 1 from Phnom Penh to the Vietnamese border and National Highway 6 from Phnom Penh through Siem Reap to the Thai border. Metfone operates as a state-owned carrier with coverage in provincial capitals including Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, and Pursat. Download speeds in Phnom Penh average 15 to 25 megabits per second on 4G networks during off-peak hours and drop to 5 to 10 megabits during evening peak from 1800 to 2200 hours. Siem Reap experiences similar speeds within five kilometers of Angkor Wat but drops to 3G speeds beyond this radius. SIM cards require passport registration at the point of purchase. Prepaid SIM cards cost 2000 to 5000 riel including initial credit. Data packages start at one dollar for one gigabyte valid seven days, three dollars for three gigabytes valid 30 days, and ten dollars for fifteen gigabytes valid 30 days. WiFi appears in most hotels and guesthouses in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap but operates on asymmetric DSL lines delivering 5 to 10 megabits download and under 2 megabits upload. Coffee shops in Phnom Penh neighborhoods including BKK1, Riverside, and Russian Market provide free WiFi with typical speeds of 8 to 12 megabits. Provincial towns outside major tourist routes including Kampot, Battambang, and Kratie have limited WiFi availability concentrated in accommodations catering to international visitors.
The official currency is the Cambodian riel issued by the National Bank of Cambodia. The riel trades at approximately 4100 to the US dollar as of late 2024, a rate that has remained between 4000 and 4100 since 2019. Cambodia operates a de facto dual-currency economy where US dollars circulate alongside riel for most transactions. Vendors quote prices above one dollar in US currency and provide change under one dollar in riel at 4000 riel per dollar regardless of official exchange rates. ATMs dispense US dollars exclusively in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Sihanoukville, and Kampot. Daily withdrawal limits range from 500 to 2000 dollars depending on the machine and issuing bank. Canadia Bank ATMs allow 2000-dollar daily withdrawals. ABA Bank ATMs limit withdrawals to 1000 dollars daily. ACLEDA Bank ATMs cap withdrawals at 500 dollars daily. Transaction fees range from four to six dollars per withdrawal charged by Cambodian banks in addition to foreign bank fees. ATMs concentrate on major streets in tourist and commercial areas. Phnom Penh has over 800 ATM locations with clusters along Norodom Boulevard, Monivong Boulevard, and Street 51. Siem Reap has approximately 150 ATMs centered on Pub Street, Old Market, and the road to Angkor Wat. Provincial capitals have between five and twenty ATMs located at bank branches. Credit cards see acceptance at hotels charging over 40 dollars per night, restaurants with menus in English, and shops in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap targeting international visitors. Visa and Mastercard process more reliably than American Express or Discover. A three to four percent surcharge applies to credit card transactions at many establishments. Street vendors, local restaurants, tuk-tuk drivers, and markets operate cash-only. Bring US dollars in denominations of one, five, ten, and twenty. Bills printed before 2013 or showing significant wear face frequent rejection due to counterfeiting concerns. Exchange services in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap convert major currencies including euros, British pounds, Thai baht, and Vietnamese dong to dollars at rates one to three percent below international market rates.
Tipping does not form part of traditional Khmer culture. The practice emerged in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap after 2000 as international tourism increased. Restaurants add no service charge except at hotels and establishments explicitly targeting foreign customers. Staff at local restaurants where meals cost under five dollars do not expect tips. Leaving small change from payment constitutes sufficient acknowledgment of service. Restaurants where meals cost over ten dollars in areas frequented by international visitors including Riverside and BKK1 in Phnom Penh and Pub Street area in Siem Reap have staff who anticipate tips of ten percent on the total bill. Tour guides working Angkor Archaeological Park expect tips between five and twenty dollars depending on tour duration and group size. A full-day temple tour with one to four people typically receives ten to twenty dollars. Half-day tours receive five to ten dollars. Tuk-tuk drivers do not expect tips beyond the agreed fare. Rounding up payment by 2000 to 5000 riel represents courteous practice but carries no obligation. Hotel staff including bellhops and housekeepers receive one to two dollars per service or per day respectively in international hotels charging over 60 dollars per night. Guesthouses and budget hotels charging under 30 dollars per night operate without tipping expectations. Spa and massage establishments quote prices inclusive of service. Additional tips of one to five dollars occur at higher-end establishments but remain optional.