Currency Primer
Cambodian riel vs USD for dental tourism
By SmileJet Editorial Team · Published May 2026
Cambodia operates a dual-currency economy. USD is the primary working currency. Cambodian riel (KHR) is used for amounts under US$1. Here is exactly what you need to carry and where.
The basic rule: carry USD, expect KHR change
Phnom Penh\'s dual-currency economy works simply: prices are usually quoted in USD; you pay in USD; and any change less than US$1 comes back to you in Cambodian riel notes. The rough working exchange rate is 1 USD ≈ 4,000 KHR, so you might receive 2,000 riel as change for an US$0.50 transaction.
Treat KHR as ordinary local change rather than as a currency you need to acquire intentionally. Spend the riel on small things — coffees, tuk-tuk rides, market purchases — and finish with as little KHR as possible at trip end (the riel does not exchange well outside Cambodia).
Some smaller restaurants and street vendors quote in KHR rather than USD. The conversion is straightforward, but sanity-check the math — 4,000 KHR ≈ US$1.
What to bring and what to withdraw
From home: US$300 to US$500 in clean, undamaged USD notes. Mix of US$50, US$20, and a few US$10s. Avoid carrying lots of US$100 notes — vendors often cannot break them. Notes must be clean: no tears, no marks, no folded corners. Withdraw fresh notes from a major bank ATM at home shortly before travel.
On arrival at PNH: If you need more cash, the airport ATMs dispense USD reliably. Use ATMs inside bank branches in Phnom Penh rather than street ATMs, especially after dark.
For visa-on-arrival (if you take that route): US$30 cash plus one passport photo. The visa-on-arrival counter accepts only USD cash — not KHR, not credit card.
For dental clinic payment: Major clinics accept Visa and Mastercard in USD with no foreign transaction fee from their side (your bank may charge a fee). Larger payments often work best as bank wire from home before travel — check with your coordinator.
For incidentals (food, taxis, markets): Plan US$30 to US$50 cash per day. Mix of small USD denominations.
Paying for the dental treatment specifically
SmileJet partner clinics in Phnom Penh accept multiple payment methods:
- Visa and Mastercard. Charged in USD. Most patients use this for the bulk of treatment cost. Your card-issuer foreign-transaction-fee policy is what determines your effective cost; cards with no foreign-transaction fee (most travel-friendly cards) are best.
- Bank wire transfer from home. The cleanest option for larger cases (full mouth, All-on-4 both arches). Wire fees from home are typically US$20 to US$40; the saving from avoiding card-processing fees often exceeds this for larger amounts. Send 7+ working days before treatment to allow international clearing.
- USD cash. Accepted, but unwieldy for amounts above US$2,000. Some patients pay smaller portions (consultation fee, abutment fee) in cash.
- Wise (formerly TransferWise) and similar. Can work for some clinics. Check with your coordinator before relying on this — clinic-specific.
Avoid: third-party payment apps that hold escrow. The clinic invoices you directly, you pay the clinic directly. SmileJet does not handle clinic payments.
The damaged-USD-note problem
One quirk of the Cambodia USD economy that surprises first-time visitors: damaged notes are sometimes refused. A US$100 with a small tear or a marked corner that an American shop would accept without question can be turned away by a Phnom Penh hotel or restaurant.
The reasoning is structural — Cambodia receives USD via tourism and remittance flows, and damaged notes are harder for local banks to recycle into the system. The risk-aversion compounds at the small-vendor level.
The solution is simple: withdraw fresh USD from a major bank ATM at home shortly before travel. Inspect each note for tears, marks, and pre-2009 series prints (older series are sometimes refused). Carry notes flat in a wallet, not folded into a money clip.
If you do end up with a damaged note while in Cambodia, banks will sometimes accept it (with a small discount); some money-changers will too. Larger international hotels also tend to accept damaged notes.
Get a Phnom Penh quote in USD
All our quotes are USD primary. We confirm payment options before any flights are booked.
More Phnom Penh guides