A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Phnom Penh vs. Coimbra for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Phnom Penh or Coimbra?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Phnom Penh and Coimbra. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Phnom Penh or Coimbra?

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city in the country of Cambodia. It is located at the edge of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers and is the nation's center of economics and industry. The metropolitan area has a population of about 2.2 million.

Phnom Penh was once called the "Pearl of Asia." In the 1920s it was one of the most impressive French built cities in the region and was an important tourist destination. During the Vietnam War, refugees fled to the city and by 1975 the city's population was between 2 and 3 million, most of them being refugees. The city fell to the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and they cut off supplies to the population for over a year. Journalists reported torture and mutilation of the trapped civilians and the Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated the city in what is known as the death march. The Khmer Rouge was driven from the city by the Vietnamese in 1979 and reconstruction began.

Today, tourism continues to grow in the city and those who visit are greeted by a welcoming and friendly population, a rich culture, and truly rewarding travel experience.

Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate. It is hot year around with very little temperature variation. Lows are usually in the low 70s Fahrenheit and highs are in the mid to high 90s Fahrenheit. The southwest monsoon brings rains between May and October and the northeast monsoon brings the dry season from November to March.

Coimbra

Coimbra is located in Central Portugal in the Centro Region. It's the third largest city in the country with about 460,000 people living in the entire region. It is also where you'll find the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese speaking world. During the High Middle Ages, Coimbra served as the nation's capital and there are archaeological structures that date back to the Roman era.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Portugal, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Portugal.


Which place is cheaper, Coimbra or Phnom Penh?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Phnom Penh is $50, while the average daily cost in Coimbra is $162. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Phnom Penh and Coimbra in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Phnom Penh $12
    Coimbra $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Phnom Penh $24
    Coimbra $102
Compare Hotels in Phnom Penh and Coimbra

Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh or Coimbra? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Phnom Penh


Hotels in Coimbra


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Phnom Penh Hotel Prices and Coimbra Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Phnom Penh $7.87
    Coimbra $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:

  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Phnom Penh HTL-APT (PNH): $200
  • Transfer Phnom Penh to Battambang, Private Taxi Driver: $125
  • Techo Phnom Penh Airport KTI to Kampot Private Transfer: $75
  • Techo International Airport Transfer to Hotel or vice versa: $30
  • Techo International Airport Private Transfer: $25
  • Taxi Transfer Phnom Penh To Siem Reap, Friendly Taxi Driver: $135
  • Taxi Transfer From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $90
  • Siem Reap: Private Transfer to or from Phnom Penh: $239
  • Siem Reap: Private Transfer to Phnom Penh: $115
  • Siem Reap: Private Transfer From/to Siem Reap - Phnom Penh: $71
  • Siem Reap or Private One-Way Transfer: $158
  • Scenic Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Transfer with Sightseeing: $119

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Coimbra

Also for Coimbra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Fátima Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $161
  • Private Transfer Coimbra to Aveiro Costa Nova : $298
  • Private Transfer Coimbra to Take Christ's Convent : $274
  • Private transfer in Coimbra City : $95
  • Transfers Aveiro or Coimbra to Lisbon Airport: $159

Is it cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh or Coimbra?

Prices for flights to both Coimbra and Phnom Penh change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Phnom Penh $23
    Coimbra $97
Typical Food Prices in Phnom Penh

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phnom Penh:


  • Dinner for Two
    $10
  • Breakfast for Two
    $4.84

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.

  • Mekong Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $9.90
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise with English Speaking Guide: $10
  • Buffet Dinner Cruise Experience with Live Music: $12
  • Nightlife three hours food tours: $27
  • Evening City Tour by Tuk Tuk with 1 Dinner: $29
  • Cooking Class in Phnom Penh: $31
  • Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside: $35
  • Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk: $35
  • Street Art and Food Tour with Pickup and Beer: $39
  • Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
  • Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
  • Evening Food Tour with Drinks & Tuk Tuk Included: $49

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Coimbra

For Coimbra, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Tomar Cooking Class & Garden-to-Table Meal with Lake Views: $142

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Phnom Penh $7.65
    Coimbra $21

Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh

Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Killing field and Toul Sleng genocide museum Tour: $19
  • Phnom Penh Full Day Private Tours: $155
  • Phnom Penh Private Tour with Luggage Storage: $7.92
  • ( Free eSim) Classic Phnom Penh Full Day Tour : $45
  • 2 Day SUV and Minivan Tour Phnom Penh and Siem Reap: $145
  • 2 Days Phnom Penh Cyclo and Cycling Tour: $128
  • 2 Days Private Guide Tour Phnom Penh Heritage: $282
  • 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
  • 6-8 Hours Phnom Penh Private Guided Tour : $15
  • A Day Trip Sightseeing of Phnom Penh With Private Tour Guide : $65
  • A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace, S21, Killing Fields & More : $35
  • A day Trip Sightseeing Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Private English Speaking Driver : $105

Tours and Activities in Coimbra

For Coimbra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Coimbra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.48
  • Tomar Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.48
  • Coimbra Top Attractions Walking Tour: $5.96
  • Coimbra Downtown Walking Tour with uptown insights : $5.96
  • Coimbra Downhill Tour Highlights History and Student Traditions: $5.96
  • Coimbra Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $8.34
  • Tomar’s Historical Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Self-Guided Tour of Fado Traditions in Coimbra: $9.99
  • Coimbra City Tour : $24
  • Cycle to Ancient Dolmens in Azenha. History, Theory & Folklore Guided Tour: $36
  • Coimbra Adventure Discovery and Learning with a Local: $42
  • Tomar and the Templars Convent of Christ Tour: A Historical Tale: $48

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Phnom Penh $4.33
    Coimbra $14

Sample the Local Flavors in Phnom Penh

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Phnom Penh:

  • Phnom Penh Pub Crawl with Free Mad Monkey Singlet: $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Coimbra

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Coimbra:

  • Port Wine Tasting in Coimbra: $72
  • Self-drive Wine Tour in Bairrada Region: $251


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phnom Penh and Coimbra, we can see that Coimbra is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Phnom Penh is in Asia and Coimbra is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Phnom Penh would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Phnom Penh and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Coimbra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Coimbra than you might in Phnom Penh.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Phnom Penh Expensive? and Is Coimbra Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Phnom Penh or Coimbra?

Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Coimbra. When comparing the sizes of Phnom Penh and Coimbra, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.