Which place is cheaper, Wellington or Siem Reap?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Siem Reap or Wellington?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Siem Reap or Wellington, 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 Wellington?
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.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
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, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySiem Reap $81Wellington $103
The average daily cost (per person) in Siem Reap is $81, while the average daily cost in Wellington is $103. 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 Wellington in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSiem Reap $51Wellington $60
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSiem Reap $102Wellington $120
Compare Hotels in Siem Reap and Wellington
Looking for a hotel in Siem Reap or Wellington? 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: Siem Reap Hotel Prices and Wellington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Siem Reap $8.79Wellington $12
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:
- Tonle Sap Sunset Boat Cruise with Transfers: $23
- Phare, Cambodian Circus with Tuk-Tuk Transfers: $27
- Kampong Phluk Floating Village Tour with Transfer: $75
- Kampong Phluk Floating Village Tour with Transfer: $75
- Angkor Airport (SAI) Private or Shared Transfers: $10
- Angkor Airport (SAI) Private or Shared Transfers: $9.00
- Airport Arrivals Private Transfer to Siem Reap: $45
- Siem Reap Transfer airport to Hotel: $58
- Siem Reap Taxi Transfer from Town to Airport: $35
- Siem Reap International Airport Transfer: $58
- Siem Reap Angkor International Airport private transfer: $30
- Siem Reap Angkor Airport Transfer or Pick-up: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
- Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
- Private Airport Transfer: $78
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $72
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $75
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $61
Is it cheaper to fly into Siem Reap or Wellington?
Prices for flights to both Wellington 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 daySiem Reap $16Wellington $29
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.
- Pupulars Apsara show Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $15
- Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer: $17
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $19
- Apsara Dinner Show with Hotel Transfer: $20
- Apsara Dance Show & Dinner with Tuk-Tuk Transfers: $26
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $26
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $27
- Cooking Class and Market Shopping: $29
- Khmer Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $29
- Morning Cooking Class & Market Tour: $29
- Half-Day Cambodian Cooking Class: $32
- Cambodian Cooking Class from Siem Reap: $32
Typical Food Prices in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Dinner$8.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $151
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $185
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Siem Reap $30Wellington $16
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 Mountain Entrance Ticket and Explore the Holy Mountain : $45
- 03 Hours Countryside tours: $88
- 1 Day Angkor Wat Tour from Siem Reap,Cambodia: $50
- 1 Day Angkor Wat Tour with Tour Guide: $60
- 1 Day Private Group of Angkor Wat Tour with Tuk Tuk only: $33
- 1-Day Small Circuit Tour: Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm: $65
- 1-Day private Angkor Temple Tour from Siem Reap: $27
- 2 Day Angkor Wat Private Tour: $245
- 2 Day Private Guided Tour in Angkor Temples, Cambodia: $35
- 2 Days Angkor Wat Sunrise and Sunset Private Tour: $134
- 2-Day Angkor Small-Group Tour & Banteay Srei from Siem Reap: $69
- 2-Day Angkor Temple Tour With Kbal Spean: $285
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Return Cable Car Ticket: $6.53
- Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa: Gallipoli Early Entry Ticket: $8.91
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Guided Tour: $12
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa: Mana Māori Tour: $12
- Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa Twilight Express Tour: $12
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa: Small Group Guided Tour: $14
- Wellington Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Skip the Line: Staglands Wildlife Reserve Entry Ticket: $16
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $27
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
- Wētā Workshop Experience in Wellington: $33
- Wētā Workshop Experience and Guided Tour: $35
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySiem Reap $11Wellington $12
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $93
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $95
- 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $151
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $169
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $356
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Siem Reap and Wellington, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Siem Reap or Wellington?
Wellington has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Siem Reap. When comparing the sizes of Siem Reap and Wellington, 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.