Which place is cheaper, Sihanoukville or Koh Lipe?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Koh Lipe 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 Koh Lipe and Sihanoukville can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Koh Lipe or Sihanoukville?
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.
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 Budget Tours to Thailand, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKoh Lipe $85Sihanoukville $51
The average daily cost (per person) in Koh Lipe is $85, while the average daily cost in Sihanoukville is $51. 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 Sihanoukville in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKoh Lipe $44Sihanoukville $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKoh Lipe $88Sihanoukville $46
Compare Hotels in Koh Lipe and Sihanoukville
Looking for a hotel in Koh Lipe 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: Koh Lipe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Koh Lipe $18Sihanoukville $14
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: $70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Taxi Transfer From Sihanoukville To Koh Kong : $73
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Taxi transfer from Sihanoukvile to Battambang City: $145
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $24
- Private Transfer between Sihanoukville Airport and Hotels or Port: $25
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
Is it cheaper to fly into Koh Lipe or Sihanoukville?
Prices for flights to both Sihanoukville 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 $26Sihanoukville $18
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
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Koh Lipe $23Sihanoukville $5.37
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: $22
- 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: $112
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4 hours guided tour: Pepper farm, Secret Lake, Salt fields : $17
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- Half-Day Adventure to the Pepper Farm by Scooter: $25
- Koh Rong: Round-Trip Speed Ferry Tickets: $25
- Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $25
- Koh Rong Island Speed Ferry Round-Trip Ticket: $25
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Private Tour in Kampot by Tuk Tuk: $35
- Private Bokor tours by locals including lunch : $44
- Countryside tours by locals: Cave exploration, Salt and Pepper : $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKoh Lipe $8.18Sihanoukville $4.42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Koh Lipe and Sihanoukville, we can see that Koh Lipe 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 Koh Lipe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koh Lipe 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 Koh Lipe Expensive? and Is Sihanoukville 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.