A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kampong Cham vs. Surfers Paradise for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kampong Cham or Surfers Paradise?

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 Surfers Paradise can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Kampong Cham or Surfers Paradise?

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.

Surfers Paradise

A tourist mecca, Surfers Paradise is one of the most popular travel destinations along Australia's famed Gold Coast. The beach stretches for miles and there is an endless supply of almost constant parties. You'll find high rise apartments lined up along the shore and plenty of shopping areas, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Travelers from around the world visit the area, and it's a right of passage for Australia's teens to vacation in or near Surfers Paradise. For many travelers, Surfers Paradise comes across as little more than a mass marketed, over commercialized, party destination, but for others it is a vacation dream. Prices are highly inflated so you have to keep your whits about you to avoid being ripped off. Surfers Paradise is a destination of extremes and it conjures up extreme emotions in many travelers, be it positive or negative.

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 Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Surfers Paradise or Kampong Cham?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Kampong Cham Prices
    Cambodia Prices
    Surfers Paradise Prices
    Australia Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Kampong Cham $36
    Surfers Paradise $124

The average daily cost (per person) in Kampong Cham is $36, while the average daily cost in Surfers Paradise is $124. 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 Surfers Paradise in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kampong Cham $20
    Surfers Paradise $67
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kampong Cham $40
    Surfers Paradise $134
Compare Hotels in Kampong Cham and Surfers Paradise

Looking for a hotel in Kampong Cham or Surfers Paradise? 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 Kampong Cham


Hotels in Surfers Paradise


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kampong Cham $7.67
    Surfers Paradise $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Surfers Paradise

Also for Surfers Paradise, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Gold Coast Theme Parks: Shared Hotel Transfers: $15

Is it cheaper to fly into Kampong Cham or Surfers Paradise?

Prices for flights to both Surfers Paradise 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kampong Cham $11
    Surfers Paradise $45

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Surfers Paradise

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

  • Buffet Dinner Sightseeing Cruise: $85

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kampong Cham $5.76
    Surfers Paradise $24

Typical Entertainment Prices in Surfers Paradise

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Surfers Paradise's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Surf Lesson
    $79

Tours and Activities in Surfers Paradise

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

  • Catch a Crab Tour with Optional Seafood Lunch: $63
  • Evening Rainforest & Glow Worm Tour from Gold Coast: $80
  • Glow Worms + Day/Night Rainforest & Waterfalls Experience: $133
  • Gold Coast Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Cruise 1 Day Pass: $30
  • Gold Coast Quack'rDuck Amphibious Tour from Surfers Paradise: $37
  • Gold Coast: 360-Degree High-Speed Jet Boat Adventure: $39
  • Gold Coast: Springbrook 7 Waterfalls and Natural Bridge Day Tour: $120
  • HOTA: Gold Coast Home of the Arts Cruise & Dine Experience Pass: $27
  • Kangaroos & Koalas in the Wild - Private Nature Experience: $227
  • Kangaroos and Mountain Views Day Tour from Gold Coast: $80
  • Lamington National Park, O'Reilly's & Vineyard Tour: $86
  • Natural Bridge Glow Worm Night Tour from Gold Coast: $60

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kampong Cham $5.47
    Surfers Paradise $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampong Cham and Surfers Paradise, we can see that Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Surfers Paradise 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 Surfers Paradise Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kampong Cham or Surfers Paradise?

Kampong Cham has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Surfers Paradise. When comparing the sizes of Kampong Cham and Surfers Paradise, 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.