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

Should you visit Saaremaa or Siem Reap?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Saaremaa or Siem Reap, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Saaremaa or Siem Reap?

Saaremaa

Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia and it has a unique and rural atmosphere that makes it an interesting place to visit. Saaremaa has remained rural and frozen in time due to its isolated location, particularly during Soviet occupation when it was used as a military base. The island still has working windmills, hand placed stone walls, and old stone churches that feel like you've stepped back in time.

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 2-Week Tours from Tallinn, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia, 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 Saaremaa?

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 Saaremaa is €128, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is €80. 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 Saaremaa and Siem Reap in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Saaremaa 36
    Siem Reap 44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Saaremaa 72
    Siem Reap 88
Compare Hotels in Saaremaa and Siem Reap

Looking for a hotel in Saaremaa 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 Saaremaa


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.
    Saaremaa 47
    Siem Reap 7.55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Saaremaa

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


  • Rental Car and Gas for a Day
    34

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap

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


  • Tuk Tuk Ride
    11
  • Bike Rentals
    1.66

Is it cheaper to fly into Saaremaa or Siem Reap?

Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Saaremaa 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
    Saaremaa 63
    Siem Reap 24
Typical Food Prices in Saaremaa

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Saaremaa:


  • Salmon
    1.28

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
    4.80

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Saaremaa 21
    Siem Reap 26

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
    7.08

Tours and Activities in Siem Reap

Here are a few actual costs in Siem Reap for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Saaremaa 11
    Siem Reap 9.49


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

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


Which is Bigger, Saaremaa or Siem Reap?

Siem Reap has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Saaremaa. When comparing the sizes of Saaremaa 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.