Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Chengdu?
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 Chengdu 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 Chengdu 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: Chengdu or Sihanoukville?
Chengdu
Chengdu is in China's Sichuan Provence and is in what is known as the Red Basin. It is a particularly fertile region in China that is known for its agriculture. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Milk and Honey". The Funan River cuts through the city but has almost no boat traffic anymore. The city itself has a wonderful relaxed vibe compared to the rest of China and is filled with green parks and places to relax. It is considered one of the most livable cities in China.
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 Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Chengdu Prices
China PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChengdu $67Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Chengdu is $67, 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 Chengdu and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChengdu $21Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChengdu $42Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Chengdu and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Chengdu 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Chengdu $6.02Sihanoukville $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chengdu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chengdu:
- Authentic Chengdu Dining Experience with with Private Transfers: $60
- 1-Day Chengdu Layover Tour: Leshan Giant buddha with Round Airport Transfer: $205
- Chengdu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Chengdu Airport (TFU) to Chengdu - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $65
- Chengdu Airport (TFU) to Chengdu city - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Chengdu Airport Private Transfer With English Speaking Driver: $35
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 40 pax: $230
- Chengdu Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer for up to 5 pax: $120
- Chengdu Panda Breeding Base Ticket w/ Optional Transfer or Guide: $20
- Chengdu Private Round Trip Transfer to Emei Mountain: $128
- Chengdu Private Transfer from Chengdu central to Chengdu Airport (CTU): $43
- Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU) to Chengdu City - Arrival Private Transfer: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into Chengdu or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Chengdu 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 dayChengdu $38Sihanoukville $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chengdu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chengdu.
- Discovery more Chengdu evening food tour with locals : $55
- Chengdu Hidden Street Food Tour Spice Trails: $60
- Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu's Local Eats: $69
- Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market Visit: $69
- Market Tour and Sichuan Cooking Class: $70
- Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $75
- Half day Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Class Tour(Cooking 3 dishes): $75
- Half-Day Private Hot-Pot Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit: $80
- Chengdu Food Tour with Wenshu Yuan Monastery Visit: $82
- Eat with Locals Chengdu Dinner Tour : $83
- Half-Day Sichuan Cooking Class Experience in Chengdu: $84
- Half-day Chengdu Handmade Tofu Making and Mapo Tofu Cooking Class: $90
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chengdu $16Sihanoukville $5.37
Tours and Activities in Chengdu
Here are a few actual costs in Chengdu for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Customize Your China Tour 2024/2025: $5.00
- Chengdu Museum Tours & Tickets : $10
- Ticket reservation for Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base: $15
- Chengdu Panda Research Base Tickets And Optional Private Tour: $16
- Private Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket and Guide opt: $16
- Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base Ticket: $17
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Ticket pre-booking: $20
- Evening Show Tickets for Sichuan Opera: $26
- Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera Ticket: $27
- Chengdu Sichuan Opera Evening Show Ticket-Shu Feng Yan Yun : $27
- Wenshu Monastery Culinary Tour Zen and Chengdu Delights: $28
- Sichuan Opera Tickets Booking: $33
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
- Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $21
- Half day tour with countryside include Pepper farm Kampot : $22
- Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $25
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- SUP Tour in Mangrove Forest of Koh Rong Sanloem: $28
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Half-Day Adventure to the Pepper Farm by Scooter: $30
- Full Day Pepper Farm Adventure by Scooter: $45
- Kampot Countryside & Kayak Tour, Pepper Farm include lunch : $46
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChengdu $3.99Sihanoukville $4.42
Sample the Local Flavors in Chengdu
Also in Chengdu, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Tipsy Travel: Chengdu Local Food and Bar Crawl Night Tour : $128
When comparing the travel costs between Chengdu and Sihanoukville, we can see that Chengdu 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 Chengdu Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chengdu or Sihanoukville?
Chengdu has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Chengdu 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.