Southeast Asia
Money, cards and tipping in Cambodia
KHRRiels
Money in Cambodia
Mixed: cards and cash US dollars and riel circulate side by side: prices in dollars, change under $1 in riel. Bring clean, untorn dollar notes. US$1 โ แ4,053.39 (03 Oct 2026).
Key facts
- Tipping: Not expected but appreciated: round up, $1โ2 for tuk-tuk drivers and hotel staff, more for guides.
- ATMs: ATMs dispense US dollars and usually charge foreign cards about $4โ6 per withdrawal.
- Paying by phone: KHQR codes are everywhere; the Bakong Tourists app lets visitors pay them with a foreign card.
- Price level: about 34% of US prices (World Bank PPP).
Cash or card, by place
| Place | Cards | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Siem Reap | Mixed: cards and cash | Dollars everywhere; cards in hotels and bigger restaurants, cash for tuk-tuks, markets and local eateries. ATMs dispense dollars. |
| Phnom Penh | Mixed: cards and cash | Dollars everywhere; cards in hotels, malls and chains, cash for tuk-tuks, markets and local eateries. KHQR works at many shops. |
| Koh Rong | Mostly cash | A few ATMs in Koh Touch run dry; bring dollars from Sihanoukville. Many beach huts and dive shops are cash only. |
| Kampot | Mixed: cards and cash | Dollars everywhere; cards in some guesthouses and restaurants, cash for tuk-tuks, markets and pepper farms. ATMs in town. |
| Sihanoukville | Mixed: cards and cash | Dollars everywhere; cards in hotels and bigger restaurants, cash for tuk-tuks, markets and ferries. ATMs in town and at Serendipity. |
| Koh Rong Samloem | Mostly cash | No reliable ATMs; bring dollars from Sihanoukville. Some resorts take cards with fees, but most small places are cash only. |
| Battambang | Mixed: cards and cash | Dollars everywhere; cards in a few hotels and restaurants, cash for tuk-tuks, markets and small cafรฉs. ATMs in town. |
| Kep | Mostly cash | Few ATMs; withdraw dollars in Kampot or Phnom Penh. Small shops, seafood stalls and boats are cash only. |
Quick answers
Do you tip in Cambodia?
Not expected but appreciated: round up, $1โ2 for tuk-tuk drivers and hotel staff, more for guides.
Is Cambodia cashless?
Mixed: cards and cash. US dollars and riel circulate side by side: prices in dollars, change under $1 in riel. Bring clean, untorn dollar notes.
What currency does Cambodia use?
The Riels (KHR). US$1 โ แ4,053.39 (03 Oct 2026).
Sources
- ExchangeRate-API open rates
- US State Department travel advisory
- Cambodia e-Visa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Cambodia e-Arrival
- Bakong Tourists (National Bank of Cambodia)
- UK FCDO travel advice: Cambodia
- Speedtest Global Index: Cambodia
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.