Here’s the budget breakdown for 3 weeks in Siem Reap & 1 week in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
We spent 28 days in Cambodia from July 13th to August 10th, 2016.
Basically our routine was:
- [8-9 AM] – Breakfast
- [11-1 PM] – Gym
- [1-2 PM] – Lunch
- [2-8 PM] – Work
- [8-9 PM] – Dinner
- [9-12 AM] – Relax (reading books, watching movies or playing video games ^^)
- [12 AM – 8 AM] Sleep Zzzz…
Yes Siem Reap has nothing to do with Chiang Mai. For example, there are only 2 coworking spaces and aircon is not available in every café.
And I gotta admit that I was afraid to be disappointed to live as a Digital Nomad there. But in the end, I believe Siem Reap is gonna be the next Chiang Mai in 3 to 5 years.
Conversion rate on August 20th 2016
- $1 = 0.88296€
Accommodation
- Total cost: 152€ / $134
- Cost per day: 5.43€ / $4.79
- Cost per person per day: 2.71€ / $2.40
We booked the hostel Adan World Hostel (Siem Reap) on Agoda for 21 nights. The total cost was 152€.
For the next 7 days, we traveled to Phnom Penh and did Couchsurfing. For the first night we stayed in the city center and for the last 6 days it was in a house closed to the airport.
Food & drinks
- Total cost: 149€ / $168.75
- Cost per day: 5.32€ / $6.03
- Cost per person per day: 2.66€ / $3.01
You can easily find local food starting from 1$.
Leisure
- Total cost: 67€ / $59.16
Here’s what we did:
- Sunrise + Small Tour Angkor: $15 for the tuk-tuk and $20 per person for the entrance fee
- Visit of the genocide museum in Phnom Penh: $6 per person with audio guide (approximately 2-3 h)
Café & Coworking space
- Total cost: 65.82€ / $74.54
- Cost per day: 2.35€ / $2.66
- Cost per person per day: 1.18€ / $1.33
We worked mostly from the café Common Grounds. At first we were just having coffee or tea around 10 AM and work until we’re hungry. And then we’d come back after lunch and work until 8 PM. Later, when we had subscribed to the gym, we would go to Common Grounds just after the gym and have lunch there then work, work, work.
Common Grounds is open everyday except on Sunday until 8 PM (don’t remember at what time it opens).
On Sunday, we would work from Flock café which is part of Aviary Hotel.
Both those places have aircon which is a blessing since it’s freaking hot outside ^^
Gym
- Total cost: 61.81€ / $70
For more information, you can check out my blog post here: Angkor Fitness Gym
Grocery store
- Total cost: 45.15€ / $51.14
- Cost per day: 1.61€ / $1.83
- Cost per person per day: 0.81€ / $0.91
Good to know:
- Water 6 l (Nestlé) in Asia Market: $2.10
- Water 1.5 l (cheapest brand): $0.80
Transportation
- Total cost: 44.94€ / $50.90
Details:
- Taxi from Siem Reap airport to city center: $7 for a car (fixed price)
- Bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $10/person, 5 h by mini-van; the cheapest one is $6. It’s a bus without aircon and the ride is longer.
- Tuk-tuk in Phnom Penh: $23.90, be prepared to negotiate a LOT and to hear, “Tuk-tuk?” every day 🙂
Laundry
- Total cost: 7.06€ / $8
You’ll find a laundry at every corner and the price is the same everywhere which is $1/kg.
The only time we saw a laundry cheaper was when we were living with our Couchsurfing host near Phnom Penh’s airport. It was $0.50/kg.
Quick tip: Don’t wear white clothes in Siem Reap. The city is dusty.
Visa
- Total cost: 52.98€ / $60 ($30 per person + 1 picture)
Misc
- Haircut: 2.65€ | $3
- Sim card: 10.60€ | $12
Total budget for 28 days
- Total cost: 633.37€ / $717.13
- Cost per day: 22.62€ / $25.62
- Cost per person per day: 11.31€ / $12.81
Yep for one month in Cambodia we spent less than 320€ / $360 per person.
Do I recommend Siem Reap for Digital Nomads?
I’d recommend Siem Reap for Digital Nomads who are on a budget.
For all the others, you probably won’t like Siem Reap (especially if you already had a taste of Chiang Mai).
I’ll certainly come back in a couple of years. I’m curious to know how the city will change by then.