Which place is cheaper, Cancun or Sihanoukville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Sihanoukville or Cancun?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sihanoukville or Cancun? 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: Sihanoukville or Cancun?
Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville, also known by locals as Kompong Som, was named after King Sihanouk. Also Cambodia's youngest city, construction started in 1955 to build Cambodia's first and only deep water port so that ships would no longer have to go through the Mekong Delta in order to trade with Cambodia. Today, many visit Sihanoukville as a hub to visit Cambodia's islands.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Sihanoukville Prices
Cambodia PricesCancun Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySihanoukville $64Cancun $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $64, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $155. 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 Sihanoukville and Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSihanoukville $23Cancun $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSihanoukville $46Cancun $180
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Cancun? 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: Sihanoukville Hotel Prices and Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sihanoukville $14Cancun $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
- Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.54
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Private Transfer Puerto Aventuras: $120
- Airport Transfer (Can-cun, Playa del Carmen & Tulum): $108
- Airport Transfer Cancun: $75
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $218
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Juarez - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $199
- Airport Transfers to Puerto Morelos - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $187
- Airport transfer Cancun to Playa Mujeres for 1 to 8 passengers: $90
- Akumal One Way or Roundtrip Private Luxury Transfer: $291
- Amazing ATV (single) Cenote and Ziplines with Transfer from Playa del Carmen: $101
- Arrival Private Transfer Cancun Airport CUN to Cancun by Minivan or Minibus: $37
- Arrival Private Transfer from Cancun Airport CUN to Tulum by Minivan or Minibus: $165
- Buggy Trip in Cozumel Island with transfer from Riviera Maya: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun and Sihanoukville 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 daySihanoukville $32Cancun $45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sihanoukville
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sihanoukville.
- Cooking class in Kampot: $20
- Kampot Cooking Class by Eco Lotus Kampot: $33
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $59
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Columbus Romantic Dinner in Cancún: $64
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- 3hr Cooking Class in Cancun with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75
- Cancun Historic Downtown Food Tour with 7+ Authentic Tastings: $76
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $78
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- MYST Cancun Tickets Mexican Madness Music Show and Dinner: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sihanoukville $5.35Cancun $32
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Best Sihanoukville Day Tours from Cruise Port: $79
- Best of Kep, Kampot from Sihanoukville Cruise Port: $259
- Best of Sihanoukville City Tour from Cruise Port: $75
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Bokor Mountain: Historic & Scenic Tour with Rickshaw/SUV: $55
- Day Trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Passengers: $189
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Exploring Bokor National Park Full-Day Tour from Sihanoukville: $99
- Exploring Kampot: A Memorable Tour from Sihanoukville: $63
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.55
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$94
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cancun's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Tour: $1.12
- 7 Days Self Guided AI Audio Tours to Cancun and Yucatan: $11
- Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $13
- Shared Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $14
- Discover Isla Mujeres tour with snorkel, buffet and open bar: $15
- Cancun Beach Taco Tour Culinary Journey with Tequila Tasting: $15
- Speedboat Jungle Tour and Snorkel: $15
- Catamaran to Isla Mujeres Snorkeling, Beach Club and Lunch Tour: $16
- Isla Mujeres, Catamaran tour in one day for one price: $16
- Chichen Itza Full Day Tour With Cenote Swim: $16
- Isla Mujeres tour from Cancún (open bar, lunch ): $16
- Cancun Clearboat Tour express tour for photos!: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySihanoukville $4.40Cancun $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A bespoke wine tastings crafted for unforgettable moments: $82
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and Cancun, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sihanoukville is in Asia and Cancun is in North America, 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 Sihanoukville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sihanoukville 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun than you might in Sihanoukville.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sihanoukville Expensive? and Is Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Cancun?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Cancun, 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.