Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap or Sandakan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sandakan or Siem Reap?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sandakan or Siem Reap? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Sandakan or Siem Reap?
Sandakan
Located on the Northeast side of the state of Sabah in Borneo is the city of Sandakan, which is the 2nd largest city in the country. Sandakan was a prosperous port town in the 1800s because of its exports of tobacco, timber, pearls, and ivory. However, this booming town that was formerly the administrative capital in North Borneo was bombed practically out of existence at the end of World War II.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Malaysia, The Best Adventure Tours to Malaysia, 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 daySandakan $67Siem Reap $81
The average daily cost (per person) in Sandakan is $67, 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 Sandakan and Siem Reap in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSandakan $23Siem Reap $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSandakan $46Siem Reap $102
Compare Hotels in Sandakan and Siem Reap
Looking for a hotel in Sandakan 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: Sandakan Hotel Prices and Siem Reap Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sandakan $38Siem Reap $8.72
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$1.92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:
- Round-Trip Transfer: Between Airport and Siem Reap City: $8.45
- Angkor Airport (SAI) Private or Shared Transfers: $9.00
- Share One-Way Arrival/Departure Transfer: $10
- Angkor Airport (SAI) Private or Shared Transfers: $10
- Siem Reap Airport (SAI): Transfer to/from Siem Reap Hotel: $12
- Siem Reap Airport Transfer to/from Siem Reap by Private Car: $20
- The Circus Performance Ticket 2 ways transfer: $22
- Siem Reap International Airport Transfer (SIA): $22
- Tonle Sap Sunset Boat Cruise with Transfers: $23
- Siem Reap Angkor International Airport private transfer: $25
- Siem Reap : Pottery Classes with Transfer round trip: $25
- Private City Transfer to Airport (SAI) by SUV: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Sandakan or Siem Reap?
Prices for flights to both Siem Reap and Sandakan 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 daySandakan $21Siem Reap $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sandakan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sandakan.
- Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan: $64
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$5.55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siem Reap
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siem Reap.
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $12
- Apsara Dinner Show with Hotel Transfer: $15
- Dinner Show Apsara Dance Round Pick-up included: $17
- Apsara show Including Buffet Dinner/Hotel Pick up: $18
- Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer: $19
- Buffet Dinner Apsara Show with hotel transfers: $22
- Apsara Show and Dinner with Free Shared Round Trip Transfer: $23
- Apsara Dinner Performance with Buffet Dinner: $25
- Apsara Dance Show & Dinner with Tuk-Tuk Transfers: $26
- Dinner Show Apsara Dance, Pickup round trip included: $27
- Cooking Class and Market Shopping: $29
- Apsara Theatre Performance include Dinner & hotel pick up: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sandakan $8.31Siem Reap $30
Tours and Activities in Sandakan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sandakan are as follows:
- Private Tour: Half Day Sandakan City Tour Including Local Lunch: $51
- Full-Day Highlights Tour: $70
- Orang Utan & Proboscis Monkey Tour: $78
- Borneo Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip: $78
- Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan: $90
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre & Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab Centre Tour: $112
- Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour: $125
- Labuk Proboscis, Sepilok, Sun Bear, Sandakan City Tour & Lunch: $147
- Sepilok Orangutan & Sun Bear Half-Day Tour | Sandakan: $152
- Kinabatangan River Wildlife Cruise with Lunch: $189
- Sepilok Orang Utan & Bornean Sun Bear Centre with Sandakan City Tour with Lunch: $191
- Borneo Wildlife Tour 2 Days 1 Night At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan: $205
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$8.18
Tours and Activities in Siem Reap
Here are a few actual costs in Siem Reap for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- FREE Market & Local Temple Tour: $1.00
- Angkor Wat Imaginary Experience: $3.28
- Unique Guided Tour at Lotus Silk Farm: $5.00
- City Walking Tour: $6.00
- War Museum included Ticket and Pickup Drop Off: $9.00
- Angkor Wat Tour by Tuk-Tuk with English Speaking Driver: $9.00
- Siem Reap Motorbike Rental - Temple and City Tours own drive: $12
- Sunrise at Angkor Wat and Small Tour with Tours Guide: $12
- Angkor Wat Sunrise for Group or Private Tours: $12
- Angkor Eye Standard Ride Ticket: $12
- Small Tour Group + Sun Rise 12$ / 1pax: $13
- Angkor Sunrise Temple Tour with Angkor Wat, Bayon & Ta Prohm: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySandakan $7.62Siem 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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sandakan and Siem Reap, we can see that Siem Reap is more expensive. And not only is Sandakan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sandakan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sandakan 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 Sandakan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sandakan Expensive? and Is Siem Reap Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sandakan or Siem Reap?
Sandakan has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Siem Reap. When comparing the sizes of Sandakan 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.
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.