Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Lipe or Siem Reap?
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 Koh Lipe and Siem Reap can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Siem Reap?
Koh Lipe
Ko Lipe used to be one of Thailand's most gorgeous hidden treasures. While it's still breathtaking, it's certainly not hidden anymore. With a small community of approximately 700 chow lair, or sea gypsies, this region is doing its best to maintain the beauty of its culture and beaches despite the influx of tourism. The rapid development has seen additions of concrete cafes and travel agencies. There are still rich, cultural gems to find in Ko Lipe - you just have to be willing to wander.
Siem Reap
Located in northern Cambodia, Siem Reap is the closest town to Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat. It is a comfortable and laid back town and most visitors use it as a base to explore the country's most visited destination. Although Siem Reap was once a quaint village, it has continued to grow and change to meet the needs of the many tourists who visit every year. Siem Reap has become a very touristy town with easy access to restaurants, hotels, and shops. It also has a large expatriate community and the western influences are unavoidable. Although prices remain quite low, they are higher than you might find elsewhere in Cambodia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Siem Reap $81
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is $81. 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 Koh Lipe and Siem Reap in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Siem Reap $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Siem Reap $102
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Siem Reap
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe or Siem Reap? 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: Koh Lipe Hotel Prices and Siem Reap Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $18Siem Reap $8.79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Koh Lipe
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Koh Lipe:
- Private Transfer Pak Bara Pier to Hatyai Airport by Van: $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Siem Reap:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$13
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Bike Rentals$1.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:
- Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium with Private Transfer: $45
- Border Transfer (Siem Reap to Laos or Laos to Siem Reap ): $400
- Intercity Transfer(Siem Reap-Sihanouk/Sihanouk-Siem Reap): $300
- Phnom Penh: Private Taxi Transfer to Siem Reap: $121
- Private One-Way Arrival/Departure Transfer: $30
- Private Round Trip Siem Reap Airport Transfer In AC Minivan: $76
- Private Siem Reap Angkor Airport Transfers: $37
- Private Taxi Transfer Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $121
- Private Taxi transfer from Bangkok to Siem Reap: $299
- Private Taxi transfer from Koh Chang to Siem Reap: $368
- Private Taxi transfer from Pattaya to Siem Reap: $330
- Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Bangkok: $258
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Siem Reap?
Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Koh Lipe 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 dayKoh Lipe $26Siem Reap $16
Typical Food Prices in Siem Reap
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Siem Reap:
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Breakfast for Two$5.59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siem Reap
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siem Reap.
- Pupulars Apsara show Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $15
- Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer: $17
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $19
- Apsara Dinner Show with Hotel Transfer: $20
- Apsara Dance Show & Dinner with Tuk-Tuk Transfers: $26
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $26
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $27
- Cooking Class and Market Shopping: $29
- Khmer Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $29
- Morning Cooking Class & Market Tour: $29
- Half-Day Cambodian Cooking Class: $32
- Cambodian Cooking Class from Siem Reap: $32
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Siem Reap $30
Tours and Activities in Koh Lipe
Here are a few actual costs in Koh Lipe for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hours Tour Sunset Cruise Around Lipe: $15
- Experience the Koh Lipe Backyard including 5 Mysterious Islands: $21
- Full-Day Koh Lipe 7 Islands Snorkeling Experience with Lunch: $24
- Experience the Koh Lipe Frontier in the Eastern Adang Archipelago: $25
- Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) 1 day Experience: $111
Typical Entertainment Prices in Siem Reap
Here are a few typical costs in Siem Reap for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Angkor Tour Guide$8.24
Tours and Activities in Siem Reap
Here are a few actual costs in Siem Reap for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Walking Tour: $6.00
- Angkor Wat Tour by Tuk-Tuk with English Speaking Driver: $9.00
- Angkor Temples Sunrise Tour with tours guide at only 9$/pax: $12
- Angkor Eye Standard Ride Ticket: $12
- Angkor Temples Tour - Shared Tours tours guide: $12
- Angkor Wat Sunrise Small Tour: $13
- Small Tour Group + Sun Rise 12$ / 1pax: $13
- Angkor Wat Sunrise Small-Groups with Guide tour: $13
- Sunset Small Groups with Massive Temples & Guide tour: $14
- Angkor Wat Sunrise Small-Group Guided Day Tour: $15
- Angkor Eye Cocktail Experience: $15
- Angkor Sunrise Temple Tour with Angkor Wat, Bayon & Ta Prohm: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Siem Reap $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Siem Reap
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Siem Reap:
- Mad Monkey Siem Reap Pub Crawl: $10
When comparing the travel costs between Koh Lipe and Siem Reap, we can see that Koh Lipe 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 Koh Lipe Expensive? and Is Siem Reap 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.