Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Guilin?
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 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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Guilin Prices
China PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuilin $89Sihanoukville $65
The average daily cost (per person) in Guilin is $89, 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 Guilin and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuilin $37Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuilin $74Sihanoukville $46
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Guilin Hotel Prices and Sihanoukville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guilin $6.14Sihanoukville $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Guilin
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Guilin are as follows:
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Taxi$2.94
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
- Dongguan Elite Private Transfer & Executive Support: $199
- Guilin Airport to Yangshuo: Private Transfer for up to 15 Pax: $190
- Guilin Private Arrival Transfer: Airport to Hotel: $55
- Guilin Private Arrival Transfer: Railway Station to Hotel: $55
- Guilin Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Railway Station: $88
- Guilin Private Transfer (English-speaking) Between Guilin Hotels & Yangshuo: $93
- Guilin Private Transfer in English-speaking Services: Airport to Hotel Roundtrip: $99
- Guilin Railway stations Transfer Service: $37
- Guilin Transfer Services: Airport,train station & hotel: $18
- Guilin liangjiang Airport Chauffeur Service,Guilin Airport Transfer: $40
- Four Lakes Night Cruise with Round-trip Transfer: $58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
- Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
- Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
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 $41Sihanoukville $32
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$1.47
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guilin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guilin.
- Wukong Guilin Neighborhood Food Tour: $65
- Countryside Cycling 1-day Tour with Cooking Class: $306
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guilin $30Sihanoukville $5.37
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$18
Tours and Activities in Guilin
Here are a few actual costs in Guilin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Guilin English tour guide service: $15
- Gulong Gorge Outdoor Adventure Park Ticket: $35
- Guilin One Day Tour of Longjie Mountain: $46
- City Tour with Elephant Hill & Ming Tea Tasting: $46
- 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(beginner friendly): $51
- Half-Day Self-Guided Yangshuo Xianggong Hill Sunrise Tour: $52
- 1-Day tour of Guilin-LiRiver cruise-Yangshuo Xianggong hill: $58
- Private Full-Day City Tour with Fubo Hill: $60
- Longji Rice Terraces Group Tour Long Hair Village Guilin Pickup: $65
- Private day tour :Guilin-LiRiver bamboo boat-Yangshuo Highlights: $65
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kampot Pepper Tour, Salt Field, Cave Temple, Secret Lake: $20
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $27
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Full Day Bokor National Park Tour with Lunch & Water Included: $43
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Private Bokor Mountain Discovery Tour: $55
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- Private Kampot Countryside Tour & Pepper farm, Kep/Crab Market: $55
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
- Sihanoukville Small-Group City Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuilin $6.09Sihanoukville $4.42
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.