A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pingyao vs. Siem Reap for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pingyao or Siem Reap?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pingyao and Siem Reap. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Pingyao or Siem Reap?

Pingyao

Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.

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 Historical Tours in China, The Best 10-Day Tours in China, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap.


Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap or Pingyao?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Pingyao is $69, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is $94. 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 Pingyao and Siem Reap in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pingyao $23
    Siem Reap $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pingyao $46
    Siem Reap $102
Compare Hotels in Pingyao and Siem Reap

Looking for a hotel in Pingyao 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.

Hotels in Pingyao


Hotels in Siem Reap


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: Siem Reap Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pingyao $13
    Siem Reap $8.79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.40

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Siem Reap:


  • Tuk Tuk Ride
    $13
  • Bike Rentals
    $1.93

Is it cheaper to fly into Pingyao or Siem Reap?

Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Pingyao 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
    Pingyao $34
    Siem Reap $28
Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $5.05
  • Mango Juice
    $0.70

Typical Food Prices in Siem Reap

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Siem Reap:


  • Breakfast for Two
    $5.59

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pingyao $19
    Siem Reap $30
Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:


  • All Day Bike Rental (for 2)
    $2.80
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $7.01
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.56

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:

  • Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
  • From Taiyuan: UNESCO Historic Temples & Grand Mansions Tour: $276

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:


  • 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:

  • Kulen National Park Ticket: $19
  • Tours and Tickets to Experience Phnom Kulen National Park: $65
  • Phnom Kulen National Park Tours and Tickets: $65
  • Phnom Kulen Waterfall 1000 Linga National Park Tour: $95
  • Private Tour Kampong Pluk village and boat cruise on Tonle Sap: $99
  • Private Kulen 1000 Shiva Lingas waterfall Private Tour: $103
  • 3 Days Tour(Small Circuit+Grand Circuit & Banteay Srei+Beng Mealea & Koh Ker): $296

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pingyao $14
    Siem Reap $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pingyao and Siem Reap, we can see that Siem Reap is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pingyao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pingyao 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 Siem Reap would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Siem Reap than you might in Pingyao.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pingyao Expensive? and Is Siem Reap Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pingyao or Siem Reap?

Siem Reap has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Pingyao and Siem Reap, 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.