A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Sihanoukville vs. Datong for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Sihanoukville or Datong?

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

Should I visit Sihanoukville or Datong? 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 Datong?

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.

Datong

If you're looking for an old world city, with a renovated feel, you might want to spend some time in Datong, China. This city was once walled-in and the newest initiative is to rebuild their great wall to maintain their old world charm. Datong is definitely done a lot to make itself a contender in the world of vacation destinations.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Cultural Tours in China, and The Best Luxury Tours to China.


Which place is cheaper, Datong or Sihanoukville?

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 Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Datong is $71. 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 Datong in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sihanoukville $23
    Datong $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sihanoukville $46
    Datong $46
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Datong

Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Datong? 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 Sihanoukville


Hotels in Datong


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.
    Sihanoukville $14
    Datong $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Datong

Also for Datong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Datong Hanging Temple Private Transfer from Hotel or Station: $69
  • Datong Yungang Airport Chauffeur Service , to Datong Transfer: $12
  • Transfer or Tour to Yungang Grottoes&Hanging Temple: $102
  • Dunhuang Private Round Trip Transfer to Jiayuguan and Xuanbi Great Wall : $100
  • From 4-Day Private Tour to Pingyao with Transfer: $988
  • Private One Way Transfer from Datong to Beijing : $211
  • Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Hanging Temple and Hengshan from Datong: $118
  • Private Transfer Service from Yungang Airport to Datong Hotel: $29
  • Transfer from Datong Railway Stations to Hotels in City Center: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Datong?

Prices for flights to both Datong 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Sihanoukville $32
    Datong $35

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sihanoukville $5.37
    Datong $25

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

Here are a few actual costs in Sihanoukville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Small Group Sihanoukville City Tour: $59
  • 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
  • Day trip from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh for Cruise Ship: $180
  • 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 the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • From Phnom Penh Day Trip for Cruise Ship Guests: $189
  • Full Day Pepper Farm Adventure by Scooter: $45

Tours and Activities in Datong

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Datong.

  • Yungang Grottoes Ticket Booking: $21
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket with Optional Tour Services: $24
  • Yungang Grottoes Entrance Ticket Only: $33
  • Datong Private Self-guided Tour with Chartered Car: $35
  • Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area Pass Ticket Only: $36
  • YungangGrottoe HangingTemple Private Self-guided Tour by Car: $79
  • Datong Hanging Temple Wooden Pagoda Self-guided Tour by Car: $95
  • 4-8 hours Private Datong Great Wall Tour: $99
  • Private day tour to Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple in Datong: $100
  • Private Guided Tour of Yungang Grottoes&Huayan Monastery : $148
  • Yungang Grottoes and Jinhua Palace 2-Day Tour: $168
  • Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes Private Tour: $174

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sihanoukville $4.42
    Datong $12


When comparing the travel costs between Sihanoukville and Datong, we can see that Datong is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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


Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Datong?

Datong has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Datong, 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.