Which place is cheaper, Airlie Beach or Kampong Cham?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampong Cham or Airlie Beach?
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 Kampong Cham and Airlie Beach can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Kampong Cham or Airlie Beach?
Kampong Cham
Kampong Cham is the sixth largest city in the country, located in the east of Cambodia. Just two and a half hours away from Phnom Penh is a surprisingly large province by the same name. Kampong Cham is the capital of this province, a quiet town on the west side of the Mekong River. While the town does not cater to tourists like other large cities such as Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, the charm of Kampong Cham lies in the beauty and simplicity of local life. Visitors will also get a glimpse into agricultural life on the plantations of rubber trees, tobacco and cashews.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach, in Queensland, offers the closest port to the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It's a small town of only 25,000 and has grown out of the area's popularity as a tourist destination. It's main industry remains tourism and, as such, there are many venues set up to accommodate travelers hoping to make trips to the Whitsunday Islands and the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The town has the feel of a vacation destination. While in the past Airlie Beach appealed specifically to the backpacker crowd, it's popularity has spread and now there are facilities catering to all travel types. The area has become more commercialized and there are plenty of large resorts to choose from. Even so, you'll still find no shortage of affordable accommodation around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Australia, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Australia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampong Cham $31Airlie Beach $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampong Cham is $31, while the average daily cost in Airlie Beach is $141. 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 Kampong Cham and Airlie Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampong Cham $20Airlie Beach $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampong Cham $40Airlie Beach $116
Compare Hotels in Kampong Cham and Airlie Beach
Looking for a hotel in Kampong Cham or Airlie Beach? 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: Airlie Beach Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampong Cham $7.67Airlie Beach $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Airlie Beach
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Airlie Beach:
- Whitsunday: Prosperpine Airport to Airlie Beach Transfer: $16
- Whitehaven Beach Club Transfers from Airlie Beach: $92
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $59
- South Molle Island Camping Transfer: $47
- Return Transfer PPP Airport Shute Harbour / Renta Yacht / Freedom Shores: $32
- One Way Only - Airport Transfer share shuttle service: $17
- Crayfish Beach Hook Island Camping Transfer: $139
- Airport Transfers - Return (round fare) share shuttle service: $28
- Private Transfer to Whitsunday Coast Airport: $314
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampong Cham or Airlie Beach?
Prices for flights to both Airlie Beach and Kampong Cham 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 dayKampong Cham $6.46Airlie Beach $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Airlie Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Airlie Beach.
- 3-Hour Sunset Segway Tour with Dinner: $72
- Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner: $83
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampong Cham $5.76Airlie Beach $160
Tours and Activities in Airlie Beach
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Airlie Beach are as follows:
- 1 hour Mimosa Morning Turtle Spotting Cruise: $59
- 1-Day Whitsunday Islands Cruise: Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet: $140
- 2 Hour Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise: $59
- Airlie Beach Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $59
- Airlie Beach Jet Ski Tour: $105
- Airlie Beach Sunset Cruise : $46
- Airlie Beach Trike Tours: $50
- Airlie Beach sightseeing Tour: $50
- 2-Hour Sunset Cruise with Sparkling Wine: $45
- Adults-Only Whitehaven Beach Sailing Tour: $182
- Airlie Adventure Jet Ski Tour: $163
- Glass-Bottom Boat Tour: $58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampong Cham $5.47Airlie Beach $8.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampong Cham and Airlie Beach, we can see that Airlie Beach is more expensive. And not only is Kampong Cham much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kampong Cham is in Asia and Airlie Beach is in Pacific, 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 Kampong Cham would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kampong Cham 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 Airlie Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Airlie Beach than you might in Kampong Cham.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kampong Cham Expensive? and Is Airlie Beach Expensive?.
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.