Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap or Beijing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Beijing or Siem Reap?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Beijing and Siem Reap can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Beijing or Siem Reap?
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
Siem Reap
Located in northern Cambodia, Siem Reap is the closest town to Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat. It is a comfortable and laid back town and most visitors use it as a base to explore the country's most visited destination. Although Siem Reap was once a quaint village, it has continued to grow and change to meet the needs of the many tourists who visit every year. Siem Reap has become a very touristy town with easy access to restaurants, hotels, and shops. It also has a large expatriate community and the western influences are unavoidable. Although prices remain quite low, they are higher than you might find elsewhere in Cambodia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeijing $75Siem Reap $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Beijing is $75, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is $80. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Beijing and Siem Reap in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeijing $39Siem Reap $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeijing $78Siem Reap $100
Compare Hotels in Beijing and Siem Reap
Looking for a hotel in Beijing or Siem Reap? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Siem Reap Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Beijing $7.68Siem Reap $8.61
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$4.69
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Train from Airport for Two$6.88
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Taxi to Hotel$8.25
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2 Metro Passes$2.20
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Metro$0.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- Private Transfer to Daxing International Airport : $35
- 1 Day Pass for Universal Beijing and Private Transfer Package: $265
- 1-Day Beijing Layover Private Tour: Forbidden City with Round Airport transfers: $198
- 1-Day Bejing Layover Tour:Mutianyu Great Wall,Forbidden City & Airport Transfers: $250
- 1-Way Private Transfer between Beijing Airport and City Hotels: $35
- 5 Hours Round Trip Transfer Service to Mutianyu Great Wall: $70
- Acrobatic Show at Red Theater With Private Transfer: $45
- Airport Layover Transfer Service to Mutianyu Great Wall & City Sightseeing : $115
- Arrival Private Transfer: Capital Airport PEK to Beijing in Business Car: $73
- transfer from the airport to the hotel: $65
- Beijing Acrobatic Show in Red Theater with Private Transfer: $59
- Beijing Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 15 pax: $220
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Siem Reap:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$13
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Bike Rentals$1.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:
- Phnom Penh: Private Taxi Transfer to Siem Reap: $121
- Private Taxi transfer from Bangkok to Siem Reap: $299
- Private Taxi transfer from Koh Chang to Siem Reap: $368
- Private Taxi transfer from Pattaya to Siem Reap: $330
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanouk vile to Siemreab City: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanouk vile to Siemreab City: $150
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanouk vile to Siemreap City: $145
- Private Transfer Cross Boarder to/from Koh Chang: $85
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap city.: $290
Is it cheaper to fly into Beijing or Siem Reap?
Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Beijing change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBeijing $19Siem Reap $15
Typical Food Prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
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Popcorn$0.83
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Hot Pot Dinner$6.88
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.75
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Watermelon$1.93
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$16
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Two Popsicles$0.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings and Cuisine by Sunflowerli Renowned Chef : $20
- Online Cooking Class Kungpao Chicken: $20
- Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets w/ Optional Dinner or Transfer: $48
- 3.5-Hour Walking Food Tour: A Bite of History at Beijing Niujie Street: $49
- Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $55
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $60
- Beijing Gulou Night Market Food Tour: $75
- discovery more Beijing back street evening food tour with locals : $79
- Old Beijing Dinner Tour: $80
- Acrobatic Show with Peking Duck Dinner Private Tour: $80
- Authentic Lunch or Dinner Tour in Beijing's Best Hidden Spots: $80
- Discovery more local Beijing evening food Tour: $89
Typical Food Prices in Siem Reap
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Siem Reap:
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Breakfast for Two$5.48
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beijing $24Siem Reap $29
Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two$8.25
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Two Opera Tickets$58
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$9.63
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Forbidden City (for 2)$17
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Forbidden City Tickets$17
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$11
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tiananmen Square - Agent ticket booking service: $1.00
- Beijing's Old Hutongs: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- Summer Palace Group Walking Tour: $5.00
- Temple of Heaven Group Walking Tour: $5.00
- Confucius Temple and the Impercial College E-ticket: $6.48
- Beijing Lama Temple Entrance Ticket with Optional Guided Service: $7.00
- Panda House+City Attractions or Mutianyu Day Tour: $7.15
- Beijing：Jingshan Park (Palace Museum Garden) Ticket: $7.15
- Beijing Summer Palace Entrance Ticket (with Optional Guided Service): $7.88
- Confucius Temple and Imperial College Entrance Ticket : $8.00
- Summer Palace+Ming Tombs/Heaven Temple/China National Museum Tour: $8.00
- Temple of Heaven ticket pre-booking: $8.00
Typical Entertainment Prices in Siem Reap
Here are a few typical costs in Siem Reap for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Angkor Tour Guide$8.08
Tours and Activities in Siem Reap
Here are a few actual costs in Siem Reap for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kulen National Park Ticket: $19
- Tours and Tickets to Experience Phnom Kulen National Park: $80
- Phnom Kulen Waterfall 1000 Linga National Park Tour: $85
- Private Kulen 1000 Shiva Lingas waterfall Private Tour: $103
- 3 Days Tour(Small Circuit+Grand Circuit & Banteay Srei+Beng Mealea & Koh Ker): $296
- Essential Cambodia 3 Days Private Tour Phnom Penh & Siem Rep: $899
- 4 Days Private Tour Phnom Penh & Siem Reap include flight: $1,012
- Amazing Cambodia 5 Days Private Tour Phnom Penh & Siem Reap: $1,042
- 8 Days Private Tour Highlights of Cambodia: $1,760
- 9 Days Private Tour Romantic Cambodia: $2,386
- 21 Day Adventure in Cambodia by Motorcycle: $3,727
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeijing $11Siem Reap $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
- Evening Food Private Tour with Brewery Taproom Hopping at Slow Boat in Beijing: $110
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
When comparing the travel costs between Beijing and Siem Reap, we can see that Siem Reap is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beijing Expensive? and Is Siem Reap Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beijing or Siem Reap?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Siem Reap. When comparing the sizes of Beijing and Siem Reap, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.