Home › Siem Reap › On a budget
Siem Reap on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Siem Reap is excellent for budget travellers, with cheap guesthouses, food and transport. A realistic daily minimum is about US$49 per person sharing a room, including the Angkor Pass spread over three days.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | US$10 | US$40 | US$200 |
| Food & drink | US$10 | US$25 | US$60 |
| Sights & tickets | US$21 | US$21 | US$21 |
| Local transport | US$8 | US$20 | US$60 |
| Per person, per day | US$49 | US$106 | US$341 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Siem Reap day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking the riverside and Royal Gardens in town
- The Old Market area and its food stalls
- Wat Bo and Wat Preah Prom Rath pagodas in town
- The night markets
- Artisans Angkor workshops in town, where free tours show stone carvers and lacquer painters at work
- Watching monks and local life at town pagodas in the morning
Cheap eats
- Fish amok, roughly US$3-6
- Beef lok lak, roughly US$3-6
- Noodle soup (kuy teav) for breakfast, about US$1.50-2.50
- Num banh chok (rice noodles with green curry), about US$1-2 at markets
- Fresh fruit shakes, about US$1-2
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in guesthouses near Pub Street or Wat Bo, often with pools, for about US$15-35 a double; dorm beds are cheaper.
Getting around cheaply
Tuk-tuks and PassApp or Grab are cheapest for town. For the temples, a tuk-tuk costs about US$15-25 a day, less if shared, or rent a bicycle for the inner temples. From the new airport, shuttle buses are cheaper than taxis.
A sample budget day
- Morning: sunrise at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (3-day pass, about US$21 a day)
- Lunch: fish amok at a temple-area restaurant, about US$5
- Afternoon: rest at the guesthouse pool, then Ta Prohm
- Evening: noodle dinner and a beer near the Old Market, about US$6; tuk-tuk share about US$10
- Total: about US$49 including a shared guesthouse room
More ways to save
- Buy the Angkor Pass only at the official ticket office or online.
- Bring water and snacks to the temples to avoid inflated prices.
- Rest in the middle of the day and visit temples early and late.
- Tip guides and drivers in dollars or riel; it is appreciated.
- Avoid giving money to children selling at temples; support registered charities instead.
- Check if your guesthouse includes free airport transfers.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you visit Siem Reap on a budget?
Yes. Guesthouses, local food and shared tuk-tuks keep costs to about US$49 per person a day.
Can I cycle around Angkor?
Yes, the inner temples are cyclable, though it is hot; start early.
Do I need dollars or riel?
US dollars are used for most prices, with riel given as small change.