A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Eilat vs. Siem Reap for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Eilat or Siem Reap?

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

Should I visit Eilat or Siem Reap? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Eilat or Siem Reap?

Eilat

Eilat serves as the gateway to Israel from Egypt. It's located at the southern tip of the country and sits on the Red Sea with views of the Gulf of Aqaba. It's location in the Negev Desert along the beautiful coast make it appealing to both domestic and international vacationers.

Eilat is a resort town with many dive shops and snorkeling opportunities. The population of about 50,000 can easily be overshadowed by vacationers. With no shortage of sun, entertainment, bars, and partying, you will find both Israeli and international tourists looking for an oasis of fun and relaxation.

Although the area's coral reefs were being damaged by overuse, the removal of contraversial fish cages in 2008 has led to a slow recovery and an improvement in the quality of diving and snorkeling in the area. There are also less crowds than you will find in Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab, Egypt.

Eilat has a hot desert climate. The summers are hot and dry and the winters are warm and dry. Temperatures in the winter can range from 52 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit and summer temperatures are usually between 79 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

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 10-Day Tours in Israel, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Israel, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap.


Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap or Eilat?

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 Eilat is $203, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is $94. 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 Eilat and Siem Reap in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Eilat $114
    Siem Reap $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Eilat $228
    Siem Reap $102
Compare Hotels in Eilat and Siem Reap

Looking for a hotel in Eilat 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.

Hotels in Eilat


Hotels in Siem Reap


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: Eilat Hotel Prices and Siem Reap Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Eilat $16
    Siem Reap $8.79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eilat

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eilat:


  • Local Bus
    $4.57

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Siem Reap:


  • Tuk Tuk Ride
    $13
  • Bike Rentals
    $1.93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:

  • Transfer Siem Reap to Sihanoukville Safe Private Taxi Driver: $224
  • Taxi Transfer Siem Reap to Kratie - English Speaking Driver: $360
  • Taxi Phnom Penh to Kampot, Safe Transfer Private Car Driver: $90
  • Private Transfers Siem Reap City to Airport: $20
  • Private Transfer to/from Sihanoukville: $137
  • Private Transfer to/from Battambang: $63
  • Private Taxi Transfer to/from Poipet: $63
  • Private Taxi Transfer to/from Battambang: $190
  • Phare, Cambodian Circus with Tuk-Tuk Transfers: $27
  • Phare Circus Ticket with Tuk Tuk Transfer: $32
  • Kompong Phluk Floating Village with Transfers: $20
  • Angkor National Museum Ticket with Transfer: $24

Is it cheaper to fly into Eilat or Siem Reap?

Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Eilat 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
    Eilat $75
    Siem Reap $28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Eilat

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

  • The Feast at the Camel Ranch in Eilat with Dinner Alcohol Event: $95

Typical Food Prices in Siem Reap

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Siem Reap:


  • Breakfast for Two
    $5.59

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siem Reap

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siem Reap.

  • A Spectacular Show with Optional Dinner: $18
  • Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer: $19
  • Apsara Performance with Dinner include Pick up & Drop off: $22
  • Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $22
  • Buffet Dinner Apsara Show with hotel transfers: $22
  • Apsara Dance Show and Dinner with Hotel Pickup: $22
  • Apsara Show Including Dinner & Hotel Pickup: $23
  • Dinner and Traditional Show with Hotel Transfer: $24
  • Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner & Tuk-Tuk...: $26
  • A Night To Remember: Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner: $27
  • Dinner Show Apsara Dance, Pickup round trip included: $27
  • Apsara Theatre Performance include Dinner & hotel pick up: $29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Eilat $20
    Siem Reap $30

Tours and Activities in Eilat

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

  • Glass Bottom Boat Cruise in Eilat: $22
  • Eilat Mountains: Sunset Jeep Adventure to Mount Joash: $63
  • Summer Night Guided Tour with Picnic in the Mountains: $63
  • Morning Jeep Tour of Eilat Mountains: $63
  • Jeep tour adventure Eilat mountains: $75
  • Summer night jeep tour in Eilat mountains: $75
  • From Red Canyon Guided Tour: $78
  • From Timna Park Guided Jeep Tour: $78
  • Timna park Jeep tour adventure: $98
  • Petra 1-Day Tour from Eilat + FREE Traditional Lunch: $199
  • Private Scuba Diving Tour with Transportation and Guide: $220
  • Day Tour to Petra from Eilat: $289

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:


  • Angkor Tour Guide
    $8.24

Tours and Activities in Siem Reap

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

  • 03 Hours Countryside tours: $88
  • 1 Day Private of Angkor Wat Tour with Tuk Tuk: $15
  • 1-Day Angkor Wat Private Tour with Spanish Tour Guide.: $125
  • 1-Day private Angkor Temple Tour from Siem Reap: $27
  • 2 Day Angkor Wat Private Tour: $245
  • 2 Day Cambodia Private Guided Tour in Angkor Temples: $119
  • 2-Day Angkor Tour with Sunrise, Sunset & Banteay Srei temple: $160
  • 2-Day Angkor Wat With Small, Big Circuit & Banteay Srei Tour: $123
  • 2-Days Angkor & Banteay Srei & Kulen Mountian Waterfall Tour: $126
  • 2-Days Angkor Sunrise & Banteay Srei Tour: $105
  • 2-Days Angkor Wat with Sunrise and Sunset-Siem Reap Tour: $46
  • 3 Day Siem Reap Tour Phnom Penh Shooting Experience Video: $128

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Eilat $33
    Siem Reap $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Siem Reap

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Siem Reap:

  • Mad Monkey Siem Reap Pub Crawl: $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eilat and Siem Reap, we can see that Eilat is more expensive. And not only is Siem Reap much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eilat is in Middle East and Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Siem Reap 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 Eilat would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eilat than you might in Siem Reap.

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


Which is Bigger, Eilat or Siem Reap?

Siem Reap has a larger population, and is about 86% larger than the population of Eilat. When comparing the sizes of Eilat 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.