Cambodia
Countries

Cambodia

Angkor and beyond — cheap, raw, rewarding

$1,000 lasts about 34 days in Cambodia at a backpacker pace — about $29/day.

Estimate — last verified 2026-09-08Medium confidence
68
Global score

Travel Runway cost data

Cambodia travel cost

Modeled daily and monthly spend at three traveler paces, with a likely range and our data-confidence rating.

Traveler styleDailyMonthly
Backpacker
Dorm beds, street food, free activities.
$29$886
Value traveler
Mix of dorms and private rooms, budget restaurants.
$33$1,009
Comfortable traveler
Private rooms, some restaurant meals.
$46$1,386

Likely daily range

$27 – $46

From a survival pace to a comfortable private-room pace.

Data confidence

Medium confidence

Estimate — last verified 2026-09-08

How long your money lasts

How long your money lasts here

Standard budgets at three travel styles — the on-ground runway your money buys, excluding flights.

BudgetBackpackerValue travelerComfortable traveler
$1,00034 days30 days22 days
$2,500~3 months~2 months55 days
$5,000~6 months~5 months~4 months
$10,000~11 months~10 months~7 months

$5,000 lasts about

~6 monthsbackpacker~5 monthsvalue traveler~4 monthscomfortable traveler

On-ground costs only — excludes flights, visas, and emergency reserve. See the methodology.

Concrete value

What $1,000 buys here

A concrete breakdown of what a $1,000 backpacker budget covers on the ground in Cambodia.

$1,000 buys about

34 days

at a backpacker pace

≈ $29/day on the ground

What it covers/dayOver 34 days
Accommodation (dorm bed)$7$238
Food (3 budget meals)$8$255
Local transport$3$102
Budget activities$7$238
Mobile data (prorated)$0$7
Miscellaneous$3$102

A dorm bed, three budget meals a day, local transport, and free or low-cost activities. Excludes flights, visas, and insurance.

Monthly budget

Monthly budget by traveler type

What one month costs for a backpacker, a value traveler, a comfortable traveler, and a remote worker staying put.

Backpacker

Dorm beds, street food, free activities.

$886/mo

Value traveler

Mix of dorms and private rooms, budget restaurants.

$1,009/mo

Comfortable traveler

Private rooms, some restaurant meals.

$1,386/mo

Remote worker

Monthly room, budget meals, data, and insurance — settled in one place.

$896/mo

Where the money goes

Cost breakdown

Daily and monthly spend by category at a backpacker pace, with each category's share of on-ground costs.

CategoryPer dayPer monthShare
Accommodation$8$23126%
Food$7$20123%
Local transport$3$9110%
Intercity travel$2$526%
Activities$7$21324%
Mobile data$0$61%
Miscellaneous$3$9110%
Insurance$2$46—

Community reality check

What travelers actually spend here

Crowd-reported spend for Cambodia, compared against our model. Confidence scales with report count.

No community reports for Cambodia yet. Be the first to share what you spent.

Your runway here

A true runway that accounts for flights, visas, gear, and insurance at your travel pace. Change the budget to see it move.

$5,000 lasts about

~4 months

in Cambodia, all-in.

Stretch your runway

How to extend your runway here

Each move below adds real days on a $5,000 backpacker budget — and they stack when combined.

  • 4-week work exchange

    Add 28 days of work exchange (room + some meals)

    +10 days

  • House-sit for 30 days

    Add 30 days of house-sitting (free accommodation)

    +7 days

  • Add $500 to budget

    Increase total budget by $500

    +16 days

  • Earn $500/month remote

    Add $500/month of remote income

    +145 days

  • Deltas are modeled on a $5,000 backpacker budget in Cambodia and stack when combined.

Value timing

Best time for value

Seasonal pricing and weather across the year, with the current Go Now signal for Cambodia.

Cheapest month

Jun

0.90× seasonal pricing

Best value month

Jun

Cost + weather combined

Peak premium

+26%

Jan vs Jun

Monthly price multipliers vs weather — green is cheaper, amber is pricier.

Jan1.22×
Feb1.22×
Mar1.00×
Apr1.00×
May1.00×
Jun0.90×
Jul0.90×
Aug0.90×
Sep0.90×
Oct1.00×
Nov1.22×
Dec1.22×
This month Best value: JunCheapest: Jun (0.90×)Best weather: Jan

Current Go Now signal: Steady. Conditions here are steady.

Market intelligence

Market intelligence

Live momentum, Go Now score, and the 12-month cost trend from nightly snapshots.

Go Now score

65

Steady

Conditions here are steady.

Momentum

+16

moderate confidence

Why now

  • • Sep is low season — prices are about 26% below peak.

12-month cost & Go Now trend

Daily backpacker burn (area) vs Go Now score (line), from nightly snapshots.

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepSepSepSepSepSep091827360255075100

Long-stay practicality

How long you can stay

Visa duration, extension, work and remote-work options, and stayability for Cambodia.

Visa-free stay (US passport)Visa required
Extension availableYes
Working holiday (US)Not available
Work exchange4/5
House-sitting3/5
WiFi / remote work3/5
Stayability score50/100

Visa and work information is educational — verify with official immigration sources before relying on it.

Travel Runway Score

Score breakdown

The five sub-scores that make up the 0–100 Travel Runway Score for Cambodia.

Burn rate96

A backpacker burns about $29/day here — among the cheaper options in our set.

Runway extenders56

Work exchange rated 4/5, house-sitting 3/5.

Earnability35

No working-holiday visa, but wifi rated 3/5 for remote work.

Backpacker ease63

Hostel density 4/5, safety 3/5, English 3/5.

Stayability50

Visa required, but extendable once in.

Similar runway alternatives

Where your money goes further

Destinations that give you meaningfully more runway for the same budget — an economic alternative, not an itinerary.

Common questions

Common questions about Cambodia

Direct, data-backed answers to the questions budget travelers actually ask.

Is Cambodia expensive to travel?Show

Cambodia is one of the more affordable destinations — about $29/day at a backpacker pace, well below the global median of $55.

How much money do I need per day in Cambodia?Show

Plan on roughly $29/day for a backpacker, $33/day for a value traveler, and $46/day for a comfortable pace.

How much does a month in Cambodia cost?Show

About $886 per month at a backpacker pace, before flights.

How long will $1,000 last in Cambodia?Show

$1,000 lasts about 34 days at a backpacker pace, covering on-ground costs (not flights).

Can I travel Cambodia on $50 per day?Show

Yes — $50/day comfortably covers a backpacker pace (we estimate $29/day) with room to spare.

Is Cambodia good for long-term budget travel?Show

Daily costs are reasonable ($29), but visa-free stay is limited to 0 days — check extension options.

What is the cheapest time to visit Cambodia?Show

Jun is typically the cheapest month (seasonal pricing about 0.90× the baseline), though Jun offers the best combined value for cost and weather.

Visa & work (US passport)

Visa on arrival / e-visa ≈$30, 30 days, extendable

Visa and work information is educational and should be verified with official government immigration sources before relying on it.

More in Southeast Asia

Best months: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. Major hubs: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang.