A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Shanghai vs. Kampong Cham for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Shanghai or Kampong Cham?

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 Shanghai and Kampong Cham. 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: Shanghai or Kampong Cham?

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest and most modern city in China. With a population of over 23 million, it is the economic and financial hub of the country. It also continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in China with regular changes to the city's layout and skyline. It is not uncommon for buildings to be torn down, rebuilt and then torn down and rebuilt again. The city also has skyscrapers that rank among the tallest in the world. It has an ever changing downtown and street scape. In Shanghai, the general mantra remains "out with the old, in with the new".

Kampong Cham

Kampong Cham is the sixth largest city in the country, located in the east of Cambodia. Just two and a half hours away from Phnom Penh is a surprisingly large province by the same name. Kampong Cham is the capital of this province, a quiet town on the west side of the Mekong River. While the town does not cater to tourists like other large cities such as Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, the charm of Kampong Cham lies in the beauty and simplicity of local life. Visitors will also get a glimpse into agricultural life on the plantations of rubber trees, tobacco and cashews.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.


Which place is cheaper, Kampong Cham or Shanghai?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Shanghai is $115, while the average daily cost in Kampong Cham is $31. 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 Shanghai and Kampong Cham in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Shanghai $81
    Kampong Cham $20
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Shanghai $162
    Kampong Cham $40
Compare Hotels in Shanghai and Kampong Cham

Looking for a hotel in Shanghai or Kampong Cham? 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 Shanghai


Hotels in Kampong Cham


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Shanghai $3.87
    Kampong Cham $7.67
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Shanghai

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $3.59
  • Two Subway Tickets
    $0.83

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shanghai

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Shanghai:

  • private transfer from Wusongkou CruisePort to Disneyland and back: $64
  • Zhouzhuang and Tongli Water Town Private Transfer Service from Shanghai : $103
  • Yiwu Railway Station Private Arrival Transfer to City Area: $18
  • Yiwu City Private Transfer to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport : $74
  • Yiwu Airport Private Departure Transfer from City Area : $20
  • Yiwu Airport Private Arrival Transfer to City Area : $20
  • Xitang Water Town Self-Guided Tour from Shanghai with Private Transfer: $100
  • Wusongkou Cruise Terminal to Pudong Airport Chauffeur Service, Port Transfer: $95
  • Wusongkou Cruise Terminal Share Transfer Service, Baoshan Port Pick up Service: $29
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Shanghai APT-HTL (PVG,SHA): $51
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in ShangHai HTL-APT (PVG,SHA): $51
  • Transfer From City to Shanghai Pudong Airport (English Driver): $68

Is it cheaper to fly into Shanghai or Kampong Cham?

Prices for flights to both Kampong Cham and Shanghai 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
    Shanghai $21
    Kampong Cham $6.46
Typical Food Prices in Shanghai

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


  • Dumpling Breakfast
    $1.38
  • Desserts in Jinmao Building Observatory
    $20
  • Ajisen Lunch for Two
    $7.18
  • Cantelope
    $1.66
  • Dumplings and Soup
    $2.07
  • Duck Dinner
    $4.14
  • Pastries
    $2.90
  • Barbeque Dinner
    $8.83

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shanghai

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Shanghai.

  • Online Cooking Class General Tso's Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
  • Online Cooking Class Sesame Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
  • Online Cooking Class Fried Rice by Sunflower Li : $20
  • 3-Hour Biking and Local Food Tour: $70
  • Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai: $79
  • Late night food tour in Shanghai's French Concession: $85
  • Shanghai Evening Food Tour/Shanghai tour gastronomico nocturno : $85
  • Late Night Food Tour in the Shanghai's French Concession: $89
  • Chinese Cooking Class and Wet Market Visit: $90
  • Shanghai's Koreatown Food Tour: $91
  • 4-Hour Food Tour in Qibao Water Town from Shanghai by Subway: $95
  • 3-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai Night Tour with Local Dinner Option: $100

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Shanghai $8.42
    Kampong Cham $5.76
Typical Entertainment Prices in Shanghai

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


  • 30 Minute River Cruise for Two
    $28
  • Zoo for Two
    $14

Tours and Activities in Shanghai

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

  • Private Shanghai Flexible City Highlight Tour with Night Cruise: $221
  • Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights: $108
  • Shanghai Layover Tour to Xinchang Water Town with City Highlights Option : $135
  • Yiwu International Trade City Private Day Tour from Shanghai by Bullet Train: $183
  • Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Museum Private Shanghai Day Tour: $175
  • Zhouzhuang Water Town Self-Guided Day Tour from Shanghai: $88
  • water village of shagnhai tour: $248
  • 1 Day Shanghai Airport Layover Private Tour for City Highlights: $202
  • 1 Day Shanghai Highlight Small Group Tour: $124
  • 1 Day Shanghai Private Tour: $180
  • 1 Days Shanghai Quality Group Tour: $110
  • 1 day Shanghai City Mini Group tour: $92

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Shanghai $7.35
    Kampong Cham $5.47

Sample the Local Flavors in Shanghai

Also in Shanghai, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Shanghai Pub Crawl - Bar-hopping/Night life tour: $20
  • Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel: $255


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

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


Which is Bigger, Shanghai or Kampong Cham?

Shanghai has a larger population, and is about 240 times larger than the population of Kampong Cham. When comparing the sizes of Shanghai and Kampong Cham, 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.