Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Hanoi?
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 Hanoi or Sihanoukville?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Hanoi and Sihanoukville can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Hanoi or Sihanoukville?
Hanoi
Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.
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 Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Hanoi Prices
Vietnam PricesSihanoukville Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHanoi $58Sihanoukville $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Hanoi is $58, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $64. 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 Hanoi and Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHanoi $25Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHanoi $50Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Hanoi 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: Hanoi Hotel Prices and Sihanoukville Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hanoi $6.64Sihanoukville $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:
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Taxi to Bus Station$1.15
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Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)$3.08
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Local Bus Ride (for Two)$0.38
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Short Taxi Ride$1.31
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Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)$0.77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:
- 2 Days 1 night Ba Be Lake BEST ADVENTURE: transfer,homestay,boat,kayak,swim,cave: $153
- 2 Days Halong Bay Luxury Cruise with Hanoi Transfer: $255
- 2-Day 1-Night Halong Bay Luxury Cruise with Hanoi Transfer: $218
- 2-Day Adenture Pu Luong Motorbike Tour with Transfer from HANOI: $125
- 2-Day Halong Bay & Ninh Binh Tour With Transfer - Best Seller: $120
- 2-Day Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay With Transfer: $190
- 2-Day In Halong Bay Cruise With Transfer From Hanoi: $200
- 2-Day Ninh Binh & Ha Long Bay With Transfer, Meals, Guide: $210
- 2-Day Sapa Package Tours & Limousine Transfer: $150
- 2-day Ha Long Bay Cruise included Transfer, Kayking and Swimming: $180
- 25 Minutes Scenic Halong Seaplane from Hanoi Transfer Expressway: $280
- 3-Day Sapa Tour from Hanoi by Luxury Limousine Transfer: $201
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 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
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
- Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville and Hanoi 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 dayHanoi $23Sihanoukville $32
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:
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High End Dinner (for Two)$11
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.23
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Bowl of Pho$0.77
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Italian Dinner (for Food)$5.96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hanoi.
- Private Hanoi Old Quarter Street Food Tour with Student Guide: $1.90
- Private Hanoi Cycling Sightseeing & Street Food Tour By Bike: $1.90
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: Old Quarter Food & Local Experiences: $19
- Hanoi Cooking Class: Pho/Bun Cha/Banh Xeo...+Free Egg/Salt Coffee: $19
- Hanoi local street food tour: $20
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with egg coffee making: $20
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $20
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour with Train-Street Visit: $21
- Hanoi Street Food Tour: Hidden Local Eats & Full Meal Experience: $21
- Hanoi food tour-Local street food tour (food&guide included): $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Train Street Visit: $22
- Hanoi Street Food Tour with Local Delicacies (3 Hours): $24
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
- Kampot Cooking Class by Eco Lotus Kampot: $33
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hanoi $8.20Sihanoukville $5.35
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi
Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Puppet Theater$1.54
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The Hanoi Hilton Entrance$1.54
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National History Museum$1.54
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Puppet Theater Ticket$2.69
Tours and Activities in Hanoi
Here are a few actual costs in Hanoi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Full-Day Mai Chau Valley Tour from Hanoi with Cycling, Culture: $1.90
- Sapa Motorbike Tour: Cat Cat Village, O Quy Ho Pass, Waterfall: $1.90
- Ninh Binh Tràng An Boat Trip, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Mua Cave Tour: $1.90
- Sapa Cat Cat Village, Y Linh Ho Tour By Motorbike Or Walking: $1.90
- Sapa Herbal Incense Handicrafts Making Workshop Tour From Sapa: $1.90
- Hanoi Old Quarter City Sightseeing Walking Tour With Funny Guide: $1.90
- Hanoi City Private Tour With Street Food Experience & Aquarium: $1.90
- Hanoi Quang Phu Cau Incense Village Tour With Coffee Train Street: $1.90
- Ninh Binh Private Tour: Tam Coc, Bich Dong, Thung Nham Bird Park: $1.90
- 2-Day Mai Chau & Pu Luong Tour with Trekking & Bamboo Rafting: $1.90
- 2-Day Ninh Binh Adventure: Trang An, Tam Coc, Hoa Lu & Mua Cave: $1.90
- Hanoi Highlights: History, Heritage & Egg Coffee Experience Tour: $1.90
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 Waterfall Adventure with Nature Hiking Jungle and Swimming: $27
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Private Kampot Countryside Tour & Pepper farm, Kep/Crab Market: $55
- Bokor Mountain: Historic & Scenic Tour with Rickshaw/SUV: $55
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
- Sihanoukville Shore Excursion for cruise ship: $59
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHanoi $7.42Sihanoukville $4.40
When comparing the travel costs between Hanoi and Sihanoukville, we can see that Sihanoukville 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 Hanoi Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Sihanoukville?
Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi 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.