Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Beijing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Beijing or Sihanoukville?
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 Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville?
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.
Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Beijing Prices
China PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBeijing $96Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Beijing is $96, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $65. 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 Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBeijing $42Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBeijing $84Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Beijing and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Beijing or Sihanoukville? 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: Beijing Hotel Prices and Sihanoukville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Beijing $8.25Sihanoukville $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$5.04
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Train from Airport for Two$7.38
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Taxi to Hotel$8.86
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2 Metro Passes$2.36
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Metro$0.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- 1-Day Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall with Round Airport Transfers: $208
- 1-Way Private Transfer between Beijing Airport and City Hotels: $35
- Acrobatics Show with Private Driver Service and Hotel Round Transfer: $105
- Afternoon Bus Transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall + Entry Ticket: $20
- Airport Layover Transfer Service to Mutianyu Great Wall & City Sightseeing: $112
- Badaling Great Wall Entrance Ticket with Guide/Transfer Service: $9.50
- Beijing 2 Days Private Tour with Airport Transfer Options: $23
- Beijing Acrobatics Show And Peking Opera Tour With Transfer: $299
- Beijing Airport (PEK) to Mutianyu Great Wall Round Trip Transfers: $189
- Beijing Airport Transfer: $21
- Beijing Airport Transfer 24H Flight Tracking and English Driver: $29
- Beijing Airport Transfer From Beijing Downtown Hotel: $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- Kampot Kep To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini Van Car: $49
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
- Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Beijing or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville 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 $36Sihanoukville $32
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$0.89
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Hot Pot Dinner$7.38
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.95
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Watermelon$2.07
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$18
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Two Popsicles$0.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Gastronomic Gems of Beijing Shared Walking Food Tour: $16
- Online Cooking Class Beijing Dumplings and Cuisine by Sunflowerli Renowned Chef: $20
- Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Kungpao Chicken: $25
- Beijing Food Tour: $40
- Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- 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
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $54
- China's Favourite Street Food Cooking Workshop: $55
- Private Local Food Tour in Beijing with a Local Guide: $59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.
- Cooking class in Kampot: $20
- Kampot Cooking Class by Eco Lotus Kampot: $33
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Beijing $26Sihanoukville $5.37
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$8.86
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Two Opera Tickets$63
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$10
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Forbidden City (for 2)$18
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Forbidden City Tickets$18
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$12
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Capital Museum tour includes Ticket: $2.78
- Tian’anmenSquare or Forbidden City Online Ticket Booking: $2.92
- Forbidden City/ Palace Museum & Tiananmen Sq. Ticket Booking: $2.99
- Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square Ticket Booking Service: $3.00
- Forbidden City/Palace Museum and Tiananmen Square Entry Ticket: $3.00
- Tian'amen Square & Forbidden City Tickets or Guided Group Tour: $3.00
- Beijing:Tiananmen Square tickets with guide(optional): $3.19
- Private Combo Tour: Capital Museum & Classic Historical Landmarks: $3.42
- Forbidden City Walking Guided Tour w/ Entry Tickets: $3.60
- Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket): $3.79
- Tiananmen Square - Registration Ticket: $3.99
- Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Jingshan Park: Tickets / Tours: $4.00
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kampot Pepper Tour, Salt Field, Cave Temple, Secret Lake: $20
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $27
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Private Kampot Countryside Tour & Pepper farm, Kep/Crab Market: $55
- Private Bokor Mountain Discovery Tour: $55
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
- Sihanoukville Small-Group City Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59
- Sihanoukville Shore Excursion for cruise ship: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBeijing $12Sihanoukville $4.42
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
- Tipsy Travel: Beijing Local Food and Bar Crawl night in Hutong: $138
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
- Beijing Brewery Bike Tour: $199
- Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour and Mutianyu Great Wall Visit: $238
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beijing and Sihanoukville, we can see that Beijing is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sihanoukville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sihanoukville and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Beijing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beijing than you might in Sihanoukville.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beijing Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Beijing or Sihanoukville?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Beijing and Sihanoukville, 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.