Which place is cheaper, Cuenca 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 Cuenca?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sihanoukville or Cuenca? 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 Cuenca?
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.
Cuenca
Cuenca is a vibrant colonial city in southern Ecuador, the third largest in the country, and the capital of Azuay Province. Cuenca is considered as Ecuador's most important and beautiful colonial city after Quito. Dating from the 16th century, Cuenca's historic center, a Unesco World Heritage Site with its trademark skyline of massive rotundas and soaring steeples, is a magical sight in which you will feel like you are moving back in time. Cuenca is the center of many craft traditions, including ceramics, metalwork and the internationally famous panama hat. The nearby villages also offer many other handicrafts. Tourists enjoy wandering the ancient streets discovering picturesque alleys and hidden corners, where nuns march along cobblestone streets and kids in Catholic-school uniforms skip past historic churches. Fascinating historic monuments and fabulous views are found at every turn. Cuenca also has outstanding art museums and festivals. For a rewarding cultural experience, visit during Easter to attend the Festival of Religious Music.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Wildlife Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador.
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Sihanoukville Prices
Cambodia PricesCuenca Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySihanoukville $65Cuenca $53
The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Cuenca is $53. 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 Cuenca in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSihanoukville $23Cuenca $13
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSihanoukville $46Cuenca $26
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Cuenca
Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Cuenca? 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 Cuenca Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sihanoukville $14Cuenca $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- Kampot Kep To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini Van Car: $49
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
- Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cuenca:
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Taxi Ride$2.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cuenca
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cuenca:
- Cuenca Airport Transfer: $13
- Cuenca to/from Guayaquil Private Transfer: $80
- Shared transfer from Airport to Hotel: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Cuenca?
Prices for flights to both Cuenca 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 $32Cuenca $26
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 Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cuenca:
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Lunch$10
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Snacks$5.00
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Empanada$1.50
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Hot Dog$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cuenca
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cuenca.
- Cuenca Table Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $43
- Cooking Class & Market Tour in Cuenca: $55
- 4h Cooking Class in Cuenca with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $85
- 4h Cooking Class in 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sihanoukville $5.37Cuenca $16
Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville
Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kampot Pepper Tour, Salt Field, Cave Temple, Secret Lake: $20
- Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
- La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $27
- Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- Private Bokor Mountain Discovery Tour: $55
- Private Kampot Countryside Tour & Pepper farm, Kep/Crab Market: $55
- Small Group Sihanoukville City Tour: $59
- Sihanoukville Small-Group City Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59
- Sihanoukville Shore Excursion for cruise ship: $59
Tours and Activities in Cuenca
Here are a few actual costs in Cuenca for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cuenca-Ec- Highlights City Tour: $16
- Basin: Chocolate Tour with Practice Class: $20
- Chocolate Sightseeing Tour with Hands-On Class: $20
- Cuenca electric scooter tour: $30
- Cuenca Half-Day City Tour Including Panama Hat Factory: $35
- Walking Tour Through The Historic Center Of Cuenca: $35
- Pumapungo Museum Guided Tour: $35
- Half-Day City Tour including Panama Hat Factory: $35
- Tour of the best of Cuenca, walking through its Historic Center: $35
- Rivers Bike Tour with Artisan Ice Cream Stop: $37
- Cajas National Park Half Day Tour from Cuenca: $39
- Cuenca Urban Adventure: Streets, Views & Local Stories: $41
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySihanoukville $4.42Cuenca $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Cuenca
Also in Cuenca, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cuenca Pub Crawl: Pub Crawl with Drinks and Free Club Entry: $20
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and Cuenca, we can see that Sihanoukville is more expensive. And not only is Cuenca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sihanoukville is in Asia and Cuenca is in South 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 Cuenca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cuenca 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 Sihanoukville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sihanoukville than you might in Cuenca.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sihanoukville Expensive? and Is Cuenca Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Cuenca?
Cuenca has a larger population, and is about 77% larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Cuenca, 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.