Kampot is easy on the wallet. In 2026 a backpacker can live well on about $20–35 a day, a mid-range traveller sharing a room spends roughly $45–80 each, and around $100–180 a day buys a pool, crab lunches and a private driver. Below are the prices we see in October 2026 for beds, food, transport and activities, three sample budgets, and how to handle dollars, riel and ATM fees.
On this page
Kampot daily budget at a glance (2026)
Per person, per day, not counting the trip to Kampot. Mid-range and comfort assume two people sharing a room.
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | Dorm bed, $4–10 | Half a $20–50 double | Half an $80–150+ room |
| Food and drink | $8–12 | $15–25 | $30–50 |
| Getting around | $0–5 | $5–20 | $20–40 |
| Activities (daily average) | $0–10 | $5–15 | $10–20 |
| Typical day | ≈ $20–35 | ≈ $45–80 | ≈ $100–180 |
These ranges come from 2026 booking sites, traveller reports and our own price guides. Rooms cost more in the high season, roughly November to February, and around Khmer New Year in mid-April, when many Cambodians head for the coast; book ahead then. In the green season, May to October, rooms are often cheaper and the rice fields greenest, though the salt pans are idle; see our Kampot rainy season guide.
Where to sleep: from $4 dorms to riverside lodges
| Type | Per night (2026) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | About $4–10 | Hostelworld's Kampot dorms start at roughly 17,000–31,000 riel ($4–8) in October 2026. The bigger ones add a bar, a pool or a tour desk. |
| Guesthouse, private room | About $10–25 | Fan rooms at the bottom, air-con from about $15. |
| Riverside lodge or boutique hotel | About $25–60 | Bungalows in riverside gardens, or a boutique hotel in town; riverside Rikitikitavi showed around $50–55 a night in August 2026. |
| Resort with pool | About $80–150+ | In Kep, Knai Bang Chatt showed from roughly $100–120 a night on booking sites in mid-2026, before breakfast. Le Bokor Palace, up on the mountain, is in another league at around $1,000 a night or more. |
Two honest notes. A cheap bungalow five kilometres upriver stops being cheap once you add a tuk-tuk every time you want dinner in town. And air-con versus fan changes the price more than anything else; in April and May, the hottest months, you'll want the air-con.
Food and drink
| What | Typical price (2026) |
|---|---|
| Num banh chok (rice noodles) or rice soup at the market | About $1–2 |
| Fried noodles or rice from a street stall | About $1.50–3 |
| Khmer restaurant main: amok, lok lak | About $3 in a simple place, $4–8 on the riverside |
| Coffee in a Western-style café | About $1.50–3 |
| Burger, pasta or a big breakfast | About $5–10 |
| Local beer | About $1–1.50; happy-hour draught often less |
| Crab with green pepper in Kep, meal for two | About $20–30 with extras, rice and drinks |
Kampot's cheapest good food is Khmer: breakfast at the market, a family-run place for lunch, the riverside for dinner if you want the view. Western cafés are where a budget quietly leaks. At the Kep crab market, agree the full price, cooking included, before anything goes into the wok. More in our Kampot food guide and Kep crab market guide.
Getting there and getting around
| Trip | Price (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Phnom Penh to Kampot, minivan or bus | About $5–11 per person | 3–4 h; Kim Seng, Giant Ibis, Virak Buntham and others |
| Phnom Penh to Kampot, private taxi | About $35–50 per car | 2.5–3 h, door to door |
| Techo Airport (KTI) to Kampot, taxi | Roughly $45–85 per car | No direct bus |
| Tuk-tuk hop in town | $1–3 | Agree the fare first, or use PassApp |
| Kampot to Kep by tuk-tuk | $8–12 one way; $20–25 return with waiting | Bus about $3 |
| Scooter rental | About $4–8 a day, plus fuel | Licence and insurance matter |
| Bicycle | About $1–2 a day | Flat town, but the sights are far |
A scooter is the cheapest way to see the countryside, but read the licence and insurance section of our getting around Kampot guide first: most travel policies won't pay for an accident if you weren't licensed to ride at home. Split between three or four people, a private tuk-tuk for the day works out at around $10–15 each, close to the price of a scooter each, and nobody has to ride National Road 3. Likewise, four people with luggage pay not much more per head for a $35–50 private taxi from Phnom Penh than for the minivan. Bus details are in Phnom Penh to Kampot.
Activities and entry fees
| Activity | Cost (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset river cruise, shared boat | About $5–10 per person | Usually a drink included |
| Guided sunset kayak | About $20–25 per person | Around 3 hours |
| Countryside half day | Shared $16–25 per person; private roughly $15–25 per tuk-tuk | Entry fees and lunch extra |
| La Plantation pepper farm | About $2.50 entry voucher; guided tour about $5 | The voucher counts towards the tour; book October–March |
| Phnom Chhngok cave temple | About $1–2 | Plus small tips for the kids who guide you |
| Salt fields, Secret Lake | Free | Salt harvest roughly January–May |
| Kampot and Kep full day | Shared $20–27 per person; private roughly $30–50 per tuk-tuk | Crab lunch extra |
| Kep National Park | About $1 (4,000 riel) for foreigners | 8 km loop trail |
| Rabbit Island boat from Kep | About $6–10 per person return; private boat $25–30 | Check times at the pier |
| Bokor National Park | No entrance fee | Shared tuk-tuk tour $25–29 per person; private roughly $30–45 per tuk-tuk |
| Teuk Chhou rapids | About $1 | Hammock huts $1–2 |
The one thing that trips up budgets: shared tours are priced per person, private tuk-tuks per vehicle. Two people sharing a $40 private day pay $20 each, about what a shared tour costs, and choose their own stops. Travelling solo, the shared tour is usually cheaper. Every fare is in our Kampot tuk-tuk prices guide.
Money: dollars, riel, ATMs and tipping
- Two currencies. Prices for visitors are mostly in US dollars; the riel covers small change, at around 4,000–4,100 riel to the dollar (1,000 riel is about 25 cents). There are no US coins in circulation, so change under a dollar always comes back in riel, and often anything under $10.
- Small, clean notes. ATMs often pay out $50 and $100 bills, which tuk-tuk drivers and market stalls can't change. Break them at a supermarket, your hotel or a bigger restaurant. Torn, taped or marked dollar bills may be refused, so check the change you're given too.
- ATMs. Kampot town has ATMs from several banks. Expect a local fee of about $4–6 per withdrawal at most banks, sometimes more at ABA, usually with a $500 cap per transaction, plus whatever your own bank charges. Withdraw larger amounts less often, and decline the machine's offer to convert into your home currency. Take enough cash before a day in Kep, Bokor or on Rabbit Island.
- Cards and QR. Bigger hotels, some restaurants and supermarkets take Visa and Mastercard; ask about a card fee. Tuk-tuks, markets and street food are cash only. The National Bank of Cambodia's Bakong Tourists app lets visitors top up from a foreign card and pay at the KHQR codes you'll see on many counters; worth installing as a backup.
- Tipping. Not expected, always appreciated. Round up a tuk-tuk hop, leave 1,000–2,000 riel at a local eatery, and around 10% in a tourist restaurant if there's no service charge. If a driver or guide made your day, a few dollars is a welcome thanks.
Ride with Seth
Seth was born in Kampot, has guided for 12 years and is rated 5.0 on Tripadvisor. If you're budgeting for a private day: typical private prices in Kampot are around $20–25 per tuk-tuk for the half-day countryside tour and $35–45 for a full day to Kep or Bokor, with entry fees and food paid on the day. Seth confirms a fixed price on WhatsApp once he knows your date, group size and hotel. Shared between two to four people, that's often no more per head than a seat on a group tour. Start with the Kampot Countryside Tour and message Seth on WhatsApp for a quote.
FAQ
Is $30 a day enough for Kampot?
Yes, for a backpacker: a dorm bed, Khmer food, a beer and the odd tuk-tuk fit easily, with room for a sunset cruise or shared tour every other day. With a private room and Western cafés, plan on $45 or more.
How much cash should I bring on a tour day?
Entry fees come to about $4–6 per person (La Plantation about $2.50, the cave temple $1–2, Kep National Park about $1). Add lunch, drinks and tips, and $15–30 per person in small notes is plenty, plus the tour price if you haven't paid it.
Should I bring US dollars?
A few small, clean notes for your first tuk-tuk and meal. After that, Kampot's ATMs dispense dollars, for about $4–6 a withdrawal.
Is Bokor National Park free?
Yes. There has been no entrance fee since October 2017. You only pay for transport, food and drinks; see Bokor by tuk-tuk.
