A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Beirut vs. Sihanoukville for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Beirut or Sihanoukville?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Beirut and Sihanoukville. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Beirut or Sihanoukville?

Beirut

Some travelers are seeking the hustle, bustle and posh atmosphere that only comes from a big city. Those travelers should have Beirut, Lebanon at the top of their list. The capital city is jam packed with 2.1 million people that are constantly on the go. As the commercial and financial hub of Lebanon, this city is fast-paced, fashion conscious and always ready for a night on the town.

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 Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.


Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Beirut?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Beirut is $2.77, 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 Beirut and Sihanoukville in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Beirut $1.26
    Sihanoukville $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Beirut $2.52
    Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Beirut and Sihanoukville

Looking for a hotel in Beirut 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.

Hotels in Beirut


Hotels in Sihanoukville


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: Beirut Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Beirut $0.44
    Sihanoukville $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beirut

Also for Beirut, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Departure Transfer From Your Beirut Hotel: $10
  • Beirut Airport Transfer in a Limousine: $200
  • Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer Pickup: $9.99
  • Departure Transfer:From Hotel To Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY): $10
  • Paragliding in Lebanon with Hotel Transfer From Beirut: $192
  • Private Arrival Transfer | Beirut Airport to Your Hotel: $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
  • Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
  • Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
  • Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
  • Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
  • Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
  • Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
  • Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
  • Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46

Is it cheaper to fly into Beirut or Sihanoukville?

Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Beirut 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Beirut $1.23
    Sihanoukville $32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beirut

For Beirut, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Authentic Lebanese Virtual Cooking Class Live from Lebanon: $35
  • Private Lebanese Home Cooking Class in Byblos with a Local Family: $86
  • Authentic Lebanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with Tania's Family in Beirut: $100
  • Beirut Street Food Tour | Hummus, Knefeh & Manoushe: $135
  • Beirut Street Food Tour | 4 Neighbourhoods · All Inclusive: $150
  • Private Beirut Street Food Tour with Lunch | Max 6 People: $150

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
  • Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Beirut $0.26
    Sihanoukville $5.39

Tours and Activities in Beirut

For Beirut, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Jeita Grotto, Harisa & Byblos: Small Group Tour with Hotel pickup: $30
  • New Cost Saver Small-Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos: $30
  • Beirut Private Walking Tour with a Local: $35
  • Beirut : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide (Private tour): $36
  • Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included: $45
  • Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included: $45
  • Guided Small-Group Tour to Jeita, Harissa, Byblos with Lunch: $45
  • Small-Group Tour to Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos with Lunch: $45
  • Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included: $45
  • Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included: $45
  • Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included: $45
  • Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche | Budget Small-Group Tour From Beirut: $45

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port: $79
  • Best of Kep, Kampot from Sihanoukville Cruise Port: $259
  • Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $75
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Day Trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Passengers: $189
  • Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
  • Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
  • Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
  • Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
  • Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189
  • Full Day City Tour with A Boat Trip to 2 Islands: $110

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Beirut $0.23
    Sihanoukville $4.43

Sample the Local Flavors in Beirut

Also in Beirut, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Private Wine Tasting Day Tour from Beirut: $75
  • Private Wine Tour | Chateau Musar, Ixsir & Batroun Day Trip: $75
  • Lebanon Wine Tasting Tour From Beirut (Entrance Fee Included): $91
  • Private Baalbek Temples & Ksara Wine Tour | From Beirut: $100
  • Private Bekaa Wine Tour | Saint Thomas, Kefraya & Ksara · Beirut: $100
  • Private Wine Tour | Chateau Musar, Ixsir & Batroun from Beirut: $100
  • Private Bekaa Valley Wine Tour | Ksara, Kefraya & Saint Thomas: $100
  • Private Bekaa Valley Wine Tour | 3 Wineries from Beirut: $100
  • Private Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour from Beirut: $100
  • Private tour to Jeita Grotto with Wine Tasting in Faqra Ruins: $110
  • PRIVATE Wine Tour in Central Bekaa Valley: $113
  • Private Cedar Hike & Bekaa Wine Tour | Kefraya & Ksara: $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beirut and Sihanoukville, we can see that Sihanoukville is more expensive. And not only is Beirut much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beirut is in Middle East and Sihanoukville is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Beirut would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Beirut 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 Sihanoukville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sihanoukville than you might in Beirut.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Beirut Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Beirut or Sihanoukville?

Beirut has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Beirut 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.