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

Should you visit Siem Reap or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Siem Reap or Aoraki Mount Cook, 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: Siem Reap or Aoraki Mount Cook?

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.

Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is located on the South Island of New Zealand. It was declared a national park in 1953 to protect and preserve the landscape. The park is home to the country's highest peak, Aoraki/Mount Cook. In Maori, Aoraki means, "cloud piercer", and the English name, Mt Cook, refers to the navigator James Cook, who discovered New Zealand in the 18th century. Mt Cook was the training location for Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Everest in 1953. Other peaks in the park include Mount Tasman, Mount Sefton, and Mount Hicks. Not only can you find lush greenery all over the park, but also, glaciers cover 40% of the parks area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, and The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Aoraki Mount Cook or Siem Reap?

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 Siem Reap is $94, while the average daily cost in Aoraki Mount Cook is $124. 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 Siem Reap and Aoraki Mount Cook in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Siem Reap $51
    Aoraki Mount Cook $59
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Siem Reap $102
    Aoraki Mount Cook $118
Compare Hotels in Siem Reap and Aoraki Mount Cook

Looking for a hotel in Siem Reap or Aoraki Mount Cook? 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 Siem Reap


Hotels in Aoraki Mount Cook


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.
    Siem Reap $8.79
    Aoraki Mount Cook $27
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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:

  • From Private Transfer to Mondulkiri: $395
  • Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Koh Chang: $368
  • Taxi Transfer Siem Reap to Kratie - English Speaking Driver: $360
  • Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Pattaya: $285
  • Private Taxi transfer from Siem Reap to Bangkok: $258
  • 3-Day Easy Angkor Tour with Airport Transfers: $249
  • Siem Reap to Kampot Taxi, Private Car Transfer & Vice Versa: $235
  • Transfer Siem Reap to Sihanoukville Safe Private Taxi Driver: $224
  • Private Taxi Transfer to/from Battambang: $190
  • Private Transfer Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: $145
  • Private Transfer to/from Sihanoukville: $137
  • Private Transfer Cross Boarder to/from Siem Reap - Koh Chang: $127

Is it cheaper to fly into Siem Reap or Aoraki Mount Cook?

Prices for flights to both Aoraki Mount Cook and Siem Reap 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
    Siem Reap $28
    Aoraki Mount Cook $46
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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siem Reap

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

  • A Spectacular Show with Optional Dinner: $18
  • Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer: $19
  • Apsara Performance with Dinner include Pick up & Drop off: $22
  • Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $22
  • Buffet Dinner Apsara Show with hotel transfers: $22
  • Apsara Dance Show and Dinner with Hotel Pickup: $22
  • Apsara Show Including Dinner & Hotel Pickup: $23
  • Dinner and Traditional Show with Hotel Transfer: $24
  • Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner & Tuk-Tuk...: $26
  • A Night To Remember: Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner: $27
  • Dinner Show Apsara Dance, Pickup round trip included: $27
  • Apsara Theatre Performance include Dinner & hotel pick up: $29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Siem Reap $30
    Aoraki Mount Cook $23
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:

  • 03 Hours Countryside tours: $88
  • 1 Day Private of Angkor Wat Tour with Tuk Tuk: $15
  • 1-Day Angkor Wat Private Tour with Spanish Tour Guide.: $125
  • 1-Day private Angkor Temple Tour from Siem Reap: $27
  • 2 Day Angkor Wat Private Tour: $245
  • 2 Day Cambodia Private Guided Tour in Angkor Temples: $119
  • 2-Day Angkor Tour with Sunrise, Sunset & Banteay Srei temple: $160
  • 2-Day Angkor Wat With Small, Big Circuit & Banteay Srei Tour: $123
  • 2-Days Angkor & Banteay Srei & Kulen Mountian Waterfall Tour: $126
  • 2-Days Angkor Sunrise & Banteay Srei Tour: $105
  • 2-Days Angkor Wat with Sunrise and Sunset-Siem Reap Tour: $46
  • 3 Day Siem Reap Tour Phnom Penh Shooting Experience Video: $128

Tours and Activities in Aoraki Mount Cook

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aoraki Mount Cook.

  • Moeraki Boulders Self Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Gibbston Valley Wines - Cave Tour : $17
  • Guided Tour with Cheese & Wine Pairing: $21
  • Twizel Stargazing Experience with a Guide (Carbon Positive): $59
  • Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown: $59
  • Queenstown Sightseeing Tour: Highlights of Queenstown: $89
  • Tekapo to Mt. Cook National Park Day Tour with Driver: $97
  • Mt Cook to Lake Tekapo Small Group Tour (one-way): $98
  • Mt Cook to Christchurch One-Way Small Group Tour via Lake Tekapo: $107
  • Mt Cook to Queenstown Small Group Tour (One-Way): $107
  • Day Tours from Mount Cook: $119
  • Mt Cook Small Group Scenic Day Tour from Queenstown: $149

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Siem Reap $11
    Aoraki Mount Cook $20

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: $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Aoraki Mount Cook

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Aoraki Mount Cook:

  • Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $15
  • Gibbston Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided Audio Tour: $24
  • Kinross Winery: Premium Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $45


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Siem Reap and Aoraki Mount Cook, we can see that Aoraki Mount Cook is more expensive. And not only is Siem Reap much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Siem Reap is in Asia and Aoraki Mount Cook is in Pacific, 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 Aoraki Mount Cook would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aoraki Mount Cook 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 Siem Reap Expensive? and Is Aoraki Mount Cook Expensive?.