Cambodia runs on two currencies at once, and for the first day it can feel confusing. By day two it feels natural: dollars for prices, riel for change, QR codes everywhere, and one golden rule — keep your dollar bills perfect. Here is how money actually works on the ground, in plain English.
Last updated: October 23, 2026
By Sophea Khim · Host & Editor, Wander CambodiaCambodia uses US dollars and Cambodian riel (KHR) side by side, at a working rate of about 4,000 riel = $1. Prices are quoted in dollars; change under $1 comes back in riel. Carry crisp, clean dollar bills — torn or marked notes are routinely refused — plus a pocket of riel for tuk-tuks, markets and small buys. ATMs dispense dollars and charge roughly $4–$6 per withdrawal, cards only really work at hotels and upscale places, and cash is still king. Never accept an ATM offer to convert in your home currency.
The dual-currency system is the first thing to get your head around, and it is simpler than it sounds. The US dollar is the everyday pricing currency for most things a visitor buys: hotel rooms, tours, bus tickets, restaurant meals in tourist areas and anything costing more than a few dollars will usually be priced in USD. The Cambodian riel fills in underneath it. There are no US coins in circulation here, so anything under a dollar — and all small change — is handled in riel.
The rate that makes it all work is stable and easy: around 4,000 KHR = $1. Shops, drivers and markets all work to roughly that rate, so a 1,000 riel note is about 25 cents, 2,000 is about 50 cents, and 10,000 riel is about $2.50. You do not need an app for this — after a handful of purchases the conversions become automatic.
A typical transaction goes like this: your meal is $6.50, you pay with a $10 bill, and you get $3 in dollars plus 2,000 riel back as the 50-cent part. Nobody blinks. Both currencies mix freely in every till and every pocket, and you should happily accept riel in change — you will spend it within the hour on water, a coffee, a tuk-tuk or a snack.
One shift to know about: small US notes are being phased down for small amounts. The $1 and $5 bills are used less for everyday small payments than they once were, with riel taking over for tuk-tuks, markets and small purchases. That is another reason to carry riel deliberately rather than treating it as leftover change. Keep a small riel float topped up — break a larger note at a cafe or minimart whenever your pocket gets light.
Bring US dollars as your main cash, in a mix of denominations, and bring them in excellent condition. This is the single most useful money tip for Cambodia: USD bills must be crisp, clean and newer. A torn corner, tape repair, ink stamp, heavy marking or a very old, worn note is enough for a seller to refuse it — politely, but firmly. They are not being difficult; a damaged note can be hard for them to pass on or bank, so it becomes their problem. The same standard applies at immigration when you pay for a visa on arrival, where a refused note is a much bigger headache.
How much cash to carry day to day depends on where you are. In Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, a modest float plus an ATM plan is fine. Heading somewhere rural or to the islands, take more than you think you need — ATMs get scarcer, cards get rarer, and a boat schedule does not wait for a money hunt. There is a full route-planning overview on the Plan Your Trip hub.
ATMs are easy to find in cities and main towns, and they mainly dispense US dollars. Some machines offer a choice of USD or riel — dollars are usually the practical pick for visitors, since larger prices are in USD anyway. Networks you will see everywhere include ABA, ACLEDA and Canadia, which between them cover most towns a visitor passes through.
Two quirks catch people out. First, most ATMs dispense $100 bills, or at least lean heavily towards large notes. A crisp $100 straight from the machine is normal here and hotels and supermarkets can usually break it, but a tuk-tuk driver cannot. Break large notes at your hotel, a larger restaurant or a minimart before you need small money.
Second, fees add up per withdrawal. Local ATM fees are roughly $4–$6 per withdrawal depending on the bank — fees vary, so check the screen, because the machine will show its charge before you confirm. Your home bank may add its own foreign fee on top. The maths is straightforward: because the local fee is charged each time, fewer, larger withdrawals cost less than lots of small ones. Withdraw what you safely need for several days rather than topping up daily — while keeping sensible security habits, like using ATMs attached to bank branches in daylight and keeping your reserve split.
And the golden rule: never accept dynamic currency conversion. If an ATM offers to convert your withdrawal into your home currency, or to charge you in pounds, euros or Australian dollars "for your convenience", decline it and choose to be charged in USD. The conversion rate on that screen is almost always poor. Choosing the local currency option — dollars here — lets your own bank do the conversion at a far better rate. This one button press is the most expensive mistake visitors make at Cambodian ATMs, and it is completely avoidable.
Cards are accepted mainly at hotels, larger and more upscale restaurants, some tour agencies, supermarkets and malls in the cities and major tourist towns. Even there, expect a 2–3% surcharge added by many businesses for card payment — it is common, it is usually stated, and it is worth factoring in before you decide cash or card at the till.
Outside that world, cash is king, full stop. Tuk-tuks, markets, street food, small guesthouses, local buses, temples, beach shacks and almost everything rural runs on cash. Treat a working card as a pleasant bonus for the hotel bill, never as your system. Carry two cards if you can — a main card and a backup kept separately — and tell your bank you are travelling so a legitimate Cambodian transaction does not trigger a freeze at the worst moment. For staying connected to your banking app and maps while you sort money on the move, compare your options in our guide to eSIM vs SIM card in Cambodia.
You will see KHQR codes everywhere — printed at cafe counters, taped to market stalls, laminated on tuk-tuks. KHQR is Cambodia's standard QR payment code, powered by the national Bakong payment system run by the central bank. For Cambodians, paying by QR is now as normal as cash, and in cities you will watch locals tap and go all day.
Here is the visitor version. Full Bakong is tied to a Cambodian bank account. If you live here, work here or stay long-term, a local account unlocks the whole system — instant riel and dollar transfers, QR payments everywhere, and easy person-to-person payments. That is why Bakong matters mainly for long-stay visitors: if you are extending and settling in, read our guide to extending a Cambodia visa alongside opening a local account once you have an address and the right visa.
For short trips, there is a simpler door in: the Bakong Tourist App lets visitors pay by QR without a Cambodian bank account. Set it up if you like paying by phone and want a backup to cash in the cities. Do not stress if you skip it — no seller expects a tourist to have Bakong, cash is accepted everywhere, and QR is a convenience layer, not a requirement. The sensible setup for most visitors is both: cash as your foundation, QR as a handy extra when it works.
Cambodia is a friendly, easy place to spend money, and outright money scams aimed at visitors are more about small change tricks than grand theft. The classic patterns are a driver with no change for a large note, a bill quietly swapped or miscounted in a dark bar, an exchange offer at a rate well away from 4,000 to the dollar, or a price that was in riel suddenly being claimed in dollars. None of these survive thirty seconds of calm attention: agree prices before a ride, count change at the till, break big notes in proper businesses, and keep small riel handy so "no change" never becomes leverage. We walk through the common patterns — and the easy counters — in our guide to Cambodia scams to watch for; read it once and most of this section will never apply to you.
Finally, the exit rule: riel cannot be usefully exchanged outside Cambodia. Spend it down in your last few days — meals, massages, tips, transport and souvenirs are all perfect riel sinks — and leave with dollars only, plus maybe one pretty note as a keepsake. Dollars, of course, travel onwards with no problem at all.
Planning a longer stay? Our cost of living in Phnom Penh guide turns these money mechanics into full monthly budgets — lean, comfortable and high-end.
The one-page version of this guide: should I use US dollars or riel in Cambodia? — both currencies, ATM fees and Bakong for visitors, answered directly.
You need both. Prices for hotels, tours and bigger purchases are usually quoted in US dollars, while small change, tuk-tuks, markets and small purchases run on Cambodian riel. Carry a mix: dollars for larger payments and a pocket of riel for everything small. The working rate is around 4,000 riel to $1, so the maths is easy once you have done it a few times.
Because condition matters here. Torn, taped, heavily marked or very old US dollar bills are routinely refused — by shops, hotels and even at immigration. Sellers may not be able to pass a damaged note on. Bring crisp, clean, newer bills, check any dollars you are given in change, and politely ask to swap a damaged note at the till rather than discovering the problem later.
Most ATMs charge a local fee of roughly $4 to $6 per withdrawal, depending on the bank, on top of whatever your home bank charges. Fees vary, so check the screen before you confirm — the machine will show its fee. Because the fee is per withdrawal, fewer larger withdrawals usually cost less than many small ones. ATMs mainly dispense US dollars, sometimes in $100 bills, and some offer a riel option.
Sometimes — mainly at hotels, larger restaurants and upscale places in the cities and main tourist towns, often with a 2 to 3 percent surcharge added. Outside that world, cash is king. Never rely on a card alone: carry cash for tuk-tuks, markets, guesthouses, tours and anywhere rural, and treat card acceptance as a bonus, not a plan.
KHQR is the standard QR code for payments in Cambodia, powered by the Bakong system, and you will see it everywhere from cafes to market stalls. Full Bakong is tied to a Cambodian bank account, which matters mainly for long-stay visitors. Short-term visitors can use the Bakong Tourist App to pay by QR without a Cambodian bank account. Cash still works everywhere, so QR is a convenience, not a requirement.
Spend it before you leave. Riel cannot be usefully exchanged outside Cambodia — bureaux abroad rarely take it, and when they do the rate is poor. Use your last riel for food, transport, tips and small souvenirs in your final days, and keep only a note or two if you want a keepsake.
That is Cambodia money sorted: dollars and riel in one pocket, perfect notes, larger ATM withdrawals, and QR when it suits you. For the rest of your planning — visas, insurance, packing and arrival — head back to the Plan Your Trip hub.
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