Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Guilin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Guilin or Sihanoukville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Guilin and Sihanoukville can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Guilin or Sihanoukville?
Guilin
Guilin is a city in Southern China situated on the west bank of the Li River with Hunan to the north. Its name means, "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus," owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Products like tea, sugar, and wine, can be made from the tree and are found in many shops throughout Guilin. A popular tourist destination, the city is renowned for its scenery of karst topography with unique mountains jutting out of the urban landscape.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in China, The Best Historical 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 dayGuilin $68Sihanoukville $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $68, 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 Guilin and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuilin $35Sihanoukville $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuilin $70Sihanoukville $44
Compare Hotels in Guilin and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Guilin 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.Guilin $5.87Sihanoukville $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guilin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guilin:
- 2-hours Yangshuo Yulong Bamboo Boat Tour with the Round-way Private Transfers: $83
- Guilin Airport to Yangshuo: Private Transfer for up to 15 Pax: $190
- Guilin Private Transfer (English-speaking) Between Guilin Hotels & Yangshuo: $93
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
- Guilin Transfer Services: Airport,train station & hotel: $59
- Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $57
- Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $59
- Haikou Meilan Airport Chauffeur Service, Haikou Airport Transfer, Pick up: $75
- Haikou Meilan International Airport Chauffeur Service ,Haikou Airport Transfer: $56
- Haikou Meilan International Airport Chauffeur Service, Haikou Airport Transfer: $50
- Live Show of Impression Liu San Jie including the Transfer Services: $102
- Private Airport Transfer:Guilin Hotel to Guilin Liangjiang International Airport: $35
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: $145
- 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 to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Sihanouk Ville Airport (KOS) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $26
Is it cheaper to fly into Guilin or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Guilin 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 dayGuilin $23Sihanoukville $18
Typical Food Prices in Guilin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Guilin:
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Fresh Coconut Drink$1.41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Half day Yangshuo Cooking lesson Small Group Tour: $62
- Full-Day Li-River with the 4 Star Luxury Boat VIP Room and Yangshuo Cooking Tour: $286
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.Guilin $28Sihanoukville $5.30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Guilin
Here are a few typical costs in Guilin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to the Caves$17
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Guilin Four lakes night cruise with the English speaking driver from Guilin hotel: $47
- Guilin City Center Walking Group Tour at Night for Three Hours: $50
- Kayaking Adventure with Local Guide: $51
- One Day Private Longji Rice Terraces with Minority village tour: $52
- Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
- Guilin Classic Li River Day Tour with Xianggong Hill : $55
- Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $61
- Full-Day Guilin Essence and Lifestyle Walking Tour: $69
- 1-DAY Private Longji Rice Terraces and Minority Villages Tour: $70
- 1-DAy Private Guilin -Li River Cruise-Yangshuo Highlights tour: $70
- Yangshuo Old Town and 3 star Li River Cruise from Guilin: $72
- Private Bike Tour: Yangshuo Countryside: $73
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kampot half day tours- Countryside and Pepper farm : $21
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
- Half day tour with countryside include Pepper farm Kampot : $22
- 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
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $29
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuilin $5.83Sihanoukville $4.36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guilin and Sihanoukville, we can see that Guilin 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 Guilin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guilin 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 Guilin Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guilin or Sihanoukville?
Guilin has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Guilin 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.