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Life in Phnom Penh, Cambodia 🇰🇭

Budget vs Luxury: How to Enjoy Phnom Penh Your Way 🇰🇭

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Budget vs Luxury: How to Enjoy Phnom Penh Your Way 🇰🇭

Phnom Penh, the vibrant capital of Cambodia, offers experiences for every type of traveler – whether you’re counting your dollars or ready to splurge 💸. From street food stalls to rooftop cocktails, backpacker hostels to five-star resorts, this city welcomes all budgets with open arms.

Here’s your ultimate guide to enjoying Phnom Penh your way – Budget vs Luxury.

  1. 🏨 Where to Stay: Hostels vs Hotels
    1. 💰 Budget Stays ($5–$25 per night)
    2. 💎 Luxury Hotels ($100+ per night)
  2. 🍽️ Where to Eat: Street Food vs Fine Dining
    1. 💰 Budget Eats (<$2 meals)
    2. 💎 Luxury Dining ($30–$100 per meal)
  3. 🎨 What to Do: Free & Local vs Curated Luxury
    1. 💰 Budget Experiences
    2. 💎 Luxury Experiences
  4. 🛍️ Where to Shop: Markets vs Boutiques
    1. 💰 Budget Finds
    2. 💎 Luxury Boutiques
  5. 🚖 Getting Around: Tuk-Tuks vs Private Car
    1. 💰 Budget
    2. 💎 Luxury
  6. ✨ Final Thoughts

🏨 Where to Stay: Hostels vs Hotels

💰 Budget Stays ($5–$25 per night)

Onederz Hostel – Clean, social, central, with a rooftop pool!

💵 From $7/night

Rooftop bar in Phnom Penh at night, featuring empty tables and a view of the river and city skyline.
Rooftop bar in Phnom Penh with stunning river views, perfect for enjoying cocktails at night.
Interior of a modern hostel dormitory with bunk beds and natural light.
Bright and spacious dormitory room at Onederz Hostel in Phnom Penh, designed for budget travelers.
Interior of a modern hostel room featuring bunk beds and wooden flooring.
Modern hostel dorm with bunk beds and wooden flooring in Phnom Penh


📍 Google Maps

Sla Boutique Hostel – Great atmosphere near the Royal Palace

💵 Dorm beds start at $10

Interior view of a modern hostel with a bar area, seating, and a staircase.
Interior view of Sla Boutique Hostel in Phnom Penh, featuring a staircase, bar area, and a cozy atmosphere.
Interior view of SLA Boutique Hostel bar area with plants, menu boards, and seating.
A cozy bar area at Sla Boutique Hostel featuring happy hour specials and vibrant greenery.
Interior of a hostel room featuring modern bunk beds with clean linens and natural light coming through the window.
Stylish bunk beds in a modern hostel room, perfect for budget travelers in Phnom Penh.


📍 Google Maps

💎 Luxury Hotels ($100+ per night)

Rosewood Phnom Penh – Sky-high rooms, Sora Skybar, world-class service

💵 From $300+/night

A modern skyscraper with a unique architectural design, featuring a glass façade and an asymmetric structure against a clear blue sky in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The luxurious Rosewood Phnom Penh, featuring modern architecture and breathtaking views.
Exterior view of the Rosewood Hotel in Phnom Penh at dusk, showcasing modern architecture and a well-lit entrance.
The luxurious entrance of Rosewood Phnom Penh, showcasing modern architecture and elegance.
Rooftop lounge area with white sofas and wooden furniture, shaded by umbrellas, overlooking a city skyline at sunset.
Enjoy stunning city views and sunset cocktails at the luxurious Sora Skybar in Rosewood Phnom Penh.
Luxurious hotel room at night with panoramic city views, featuring a plush bed and modern decor.
Luxurious room with skyline views at Rosewood Phnom Penh.


📍 Google Maps

Raffles Hotel Le Royal – Colonial charm, legendary service

💵 From $250/night

Exterior view of a luxurious hotel surrounded by greenery in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, showcasing its colonial architecture and lush surroundings.
A tranquil pool area surrounded by lush greenery and lounge chairs at a luxury hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The tranquil pool area at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, showcasing a blend of colonial charm and modern luxury.
Elegant interior of a luxury hotel bar in Phnom Penh, featuring a wooden bar, decorative ceiling, and stylish seating arrangements.
Elegant bar area at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, showcasing its colonial charm and luxurious atmosphere.


📍 Google Maps

🍽️ Where to Eat: Street Food vs Fine Dining

💰 Budget Eats (<$2 meals)

Russian Market Street Food – Noodles, grilled meats, fruit smoothies

A street food vendor in Phnom Penh, showcasing a variety of skewered meat and seafood ready for cooking.
Street food skewers at the Russian Market in Phnom Penh, offering a variety of grilled meats and local delicacies.
A vendor preparing traditional Cambodian street food, with pancakes being filled with coconut and other ingredients on a griddle.
Street vendor preparing traditional Cambodian desserts, showcasing the vibrant local cuisine in Phnom Penh.
A bustling local market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, filled with vibrant stalls selling fresh produce, cooked meals, and various goods, with people shopping and engaging in lively conversation.
Vibrant market scene in Phnom Penh, filled with local produce and bustling shoppers.

Get up to $ 6.00 off your first few orders with foodpanda!


📍 Google Maps

Phsar Chas (Old Market) – Try Khmer beef skewers or fried rice

Grilled skewers of marinated meat alongside freshly baked bread rolls, served on a white paper plate.
Delicious Khmer beef skewers served with warm bread, a must-try at Phsar Chas (Old Market) in Phnom Penh.
A plate of fried rice garnished with cucumber slices and lettuce, featuring green peas, diced carrots, and bits of meat.
Delicious Khmer fried rice served with fresh cucumber slices.


📍 Google Maps

💎 Luxury Dining ($30–$100 per meal)

Malis Restaurant – Elegant Cambodian cuisine in a garden setting

Exterior view of Malis Restaurant in Phnom Penh at night, surrounded by greenery.
Malis Restaurant: Experience elegant Cambodian cuisine in a serene garden setting.
Interior view of a stylish bar with a wooden counter, decorative lighting, and plants, showcasing a cozy ambiance.
Elegant interior of Malis Restaurant, showcasing Cambodian cuisine in a charming garden setting.
View of an elegant dining area surrounded by lush greenery and a water feature, with tables set for a meal in a well-decorated restaurant.
Elegant dining setting surrounded by lush greenery at Malis Restaurant in Phnom Penh.


📍 Google Maps

Topaz Restaurant – French fine dining with an extensive wine list

Entrance view of Topaz Restaurant in Phnom Penh, showcasing modern architectural design and ambient lighting.
Entrance to Topaz Restaurant, known for its French fine dining in Phnom Penh.
Elegant table setting featuring a fine dining dish with artistic plating, accompanied by a piece of bread and glassware.
Elegant dish with artistic plating at Topaz Restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Elegant dining room with polished wooden floors, neatly set tables, and large windows allowing natural light, featuring a decorative wall shelf and greenery visible outside.
Elegant dining interior at Topaz Restaurant in Phnom Penh, showcasing fine dining ambiance.


📍 Google Maps

🎨 What to Do: Free & Local vs Curated Luxury

💰 Budget Experiences

Walk the Riverside at Sunset 🌅 – Free, beautiful, and full of local life

A vibrant walkway beside the river in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with palm trees and people strolling. Flags from various countries line the pathway, and city buildings are visible in the background under a cloudy sky.
Strolling along the riverside promenade in Phnom Penh, lined with flags and palm trees.


📍 Google Maps

Visit Wat Phnom ($1 entry) – Hilltop pagoda and local legend

A scenic view of Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh, featuring a clock-shaped garden surrounded by lush greenery and the pagoda rising in the background.
Wat Phnom, a hilltop temple surrounded by lush greenery, features a large circular garden with a clock design.


📍 Google Maps

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum ($5 entry) – Deeply moving history

Interior of a museum with several large displays showcasing black and white portraits, possibly related to historical events, set against a patterned tiled floor.
Exhibits at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, showcasing haunting photographs that depict the personal stories of victims.


📍 Google Maps

💎 Luxury Experiences

Mekong River Sunset Cruise with Drinks 🍹 – Private boat or champagne cruise

💵 From $45/person

A scenic view of a river during sunset, featuring a large cruise boat and a smaller traditional boat on the water, with the skyline of Phnom Penh in the background.
Enjoy a scenic Mekong River sunset cruise with drinks in Phnom Penh.


📍 Google Maps

Private Khmer Cooking Class – With market tour and chef-led guidance

💵 From $60/person

Participants in a cooking class using traditional mortar and pestle at an outdoor setting.
Participants engaged in a Khmer cooking class, learning traditional techniques with bamboo mortar and pestles.


📍 Google Maps

🛍️ Where to Shop: Markets vs Boutiques

💰 Budget Finds

Central Market (Phsar Thmei) – Clothes, souvenirs, food

Interior view of the Central Market in Phnom Penh, showcasing a dome-shaped ceiling with skylights and vendor stalls filled with colorful goods.
Colorful stalls filled with clothes and handmade jewelry at Central Market (Phsar Thmei) in Phnom Penh.


📍 Google Maps

Olympic Market – Local prices, few tourists

Interior of a market featuring various stalls with colorful clothing, snacks, and household items, along with shoppers browsing in Phnom Penh.
Inside Olympic Market featuring colorful clothing and various local products available for budget-conscious shoppers.


📍 Google Maps

💎 Luxury Boutiques

Artisans d’Angkor Boutique – Premium handmade crafts

Interior of a Cambodian boutique displaying various handcrafted items, including sculptures, textiles, and art.
Interior of a luxury boutique showcasing elegant Cambodian crafts and decor.


📍 Google Maps

Ambre by Romyda Keth – Cambodian high fashion

A display of fashionable red and patterned dresses in a boutique, showcasing various styles and designs.
Elegant fashion display featuring vibrant Cambodian designs at Ambre by Romyda Keth boutique.


📍 Google Maps

🚖 Getting Around: Tuk-Tuks vs Private Car

💰 Budget

  • Tuk-Tuk Rides via Grab App or PassApp
    💵 $1–$3 per ride
    👉 Great for short distances and authentic experiences

💎 Luxury

  • Chauffeured Car Rental
    💵 $30–$100/day
    👉 For comfort, privacy, and AC in the Phnom Penh heat 😎

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✨ Final Thoughts

Whether you’re traveling on a shoestring or living the luxe life, Phnom Penh has something for you. The best part? You can mix and match – splurge on a luxury dinner after a budget-friendly day exploring temples and markets. This city is flexible, fascinating, and full of flavor.

So go ahead — make Phnom Penh your way! 🏙️❤️

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I’m Anna

Greetings from Phnom Penh, Cambodia! I’m learning to write and edit blogs using WordPress. Join me on my journey to share stories and more. 🌟🌟

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