Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Chongqing?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Chongqing 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 Chongqing 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: Chongqing or Sihanoukville?
Chongqing
Chongqing, China is a large city in central China and one of only four cities in the country that are not part of a province. While Chongqing is famous for being an economically important city, brush away its industrial surface and you'll find a naturally beautiful city with plenty of hidden wonders. Although you'll find many expats in the city, English is rarely spoken, meaning knowing some basic Mandarin will come in handy.
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 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in China, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayChongqing $89Sihanoukville $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Chongqing is $89, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $51. 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 Chongqing and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personChongqing $50Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomChongqing $100Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Chongqing and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Chongqing 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.Chongqing $19Sihanoukville $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG): $22
- Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) private round-trip transfer: $25
- Chongqing Jiangbei Airport Chauffeur Service, Chongqing Airport Transfer, Pickup: $60
- Chongqing Private Round Trip Transfer to Dazu Rock Carvings: $128
- Chongqing Private Round Trip Transfer to Wulong National Park: $168
- Dazu Rock Carvings Private Transfer or Tour: $278
- Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $40
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Hotel: $39
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Hotel: $22
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport(CKG) to Hotel: $39
- Private Arrival Transfer:Any Chongqing Railway Station to Hotel: $24
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Any Railway Station in Chongqing: $24
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 Kampot - Sihanoukville: $75
- Private Taxi Transfer Siem Reap From/To Sihanoukville: $239
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $116
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $25
- Private Transfer between Sihanoukville Airport and Hotels or Port: $25
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
Is it cheaper to fly into Chongqing or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Chongqing 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 dayChongqing $25Sihanoukville $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.
- Chongqing Local Flavors Walking Food Tour: $98
- 4 Hour Walking Historical Local Food Tour: $110
- CHONGQING:Strolling through the city(Include dinner): $127
- Chongqing City Private Night Tour with Hot Pot Dinner: $158
- Private Chongqing night tour with dinner hot pot: $170
- Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise Including Authentic Hot Pot Dinner: $183
- Chongqing Port Transfer Service with Half-Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $193
- From Port Transfer with Half Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner: $197
- Private Chongqing Night View Tour with Hot Pot or Local Dinner: $199
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
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Chongqing $14Sihanoukville $5.33
Tours and Activities in Chongqing
Here are a few actual costs in Chongqing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Walking Tour of Chongqing Shancheng (Mountain City) Lane: $65
- 1 Day Chongqing Megacity Walking Tour: $75
- One-day CityTour and Cuisine (no car, citywalk): $79
- Private Chongqing Day Tour: Panda, E'ling Park, Three Gorges Museum: $99
- city tour of Chongqing : $130
- Private Chongqing Illuminated Night Tour : $138
- 1-Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Private Tour With the Lunch: $143
- From Full-Day Private Tour Dazu Rock Carvings: $148
- All-in-one Chongqing Night view private tour: $150
- Half Day Afternoon Private Tour: General Stilwell Museum, Arhat Temple, Panda: $156
- 1-Day Chongqing City Private Tour with the Hot pot Lunch: $157
- Best of Chongqing One Day Tour: Stilwell Museum, Arhat Temple, Eling Park, Panda: $157
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Half day tour with countryside include Pepper farm Kampot : $21
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- Koh Rong Island Speed Ferry Round-Trip Ticket: $25
- Koh Rong: Round-Trip Speed Ferry Tickets: $25
- Pepper Farm guided tour, Salt field, Kep and Crab Market : $25
- Half-Day Adventure to the Pepper Farm by Scooter: $25
- Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $25
- Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $26
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Kampot countryside, Pepper farm and Kayak tour including lunch : $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayChongqing $7.09Sihanoukville $4.38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Chongqing and Sihanoukville, we can see that Chongqing 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 Chongqing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chongqing 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 Chongqing Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Chongqing or Sihanoukville?
Chongqing has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Chongqing 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.