Quick answer: Siem Reap runs about EUR 40 per day mid-range - noticeably less if you eat local and walk. Cheapest window: November-February - dry season with cooler mornings; March-May is brutally hot.
What things actually cost
| fish amok | 4 EUR |
| draft beer near Pub Street | 0.50 EUR |
| tuk-tuk ride in town | 1.50 EUR |
| Angkor 3-day pass | 57 EUR |
| fresh fruit shake | 1 EUR |
| tuk-tuk temple day hire | 18 EUR |
Eat well for little
- Fish amokcoconut fish curry steamed in banana leaf, about 4 EUR at a sit-down restaurant
- Beef lok lakpeppery stir-fried beef with lime dip, about 4 EUR
- Num banh chokmorning rice noodles with green fish curry from a street cart, about 1.50 EUR
- Khmer BBQ (phnom pleung)grill-your-own meat platter, about 6 EUR per person
- Marumtraining restaurant for disadvantaged youth, creative Khmer plates around 4-5 EUR
Money mistakes to avoid
- Buying a 1-day Angkor pass (about 34 EUR) when the 3-day pass (about 57 EUR) is far better value even for two visits
- Not agreeing a tuk-tuk day rate upfronta full temple day should cost about 15-20 EUR, more for Banteay Srei
- Giving money or sweets to child beggars or visiting 'orphanages' - both fuel documented exploitation; support training restaurants and NGOs instead
- Doing temples straight through middaystart at sunrise, break at the pool from 11am to 3pm, return for sunset
Transport without the tourist tax
Siem Reap Angkor International Airport lies about 45 minutes east; a taxi into town costs around 10 EUR. In town tuk-tuks cost 1.50-2 EUR per hop, and a tuk-tuk hired for a full temple day runs 15-20 EUR.
Planning the full trip? Start with the 3-day Siem Reap itinerary.