Which place is cheaper, Faro 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 Faro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sihanoukville or Faro? 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 Faro?
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.
Faro
Faro (or sometimes Faros) is the capital city of the scenic Algarve Region of Portugal, located at the edge of the Ria Formosa National Park. This is a fantastic place to experience the beauty, culture, and traditions of Portugal in laid back atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities. Faro offers everything from ancient architecture to beautiful beaches all while being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Algarve Region.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Portugal.
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Sihanoukville Prices
Cambodia PricesFaro Prices
Portugal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySihanoukville $65Faro $186
The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Faro is $186. 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 Faro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSihanoukville $23Faro $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSihanoukville $46Faro $174
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Faro
Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Faro? 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: Faro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sihanoukville $14Faro $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:
- Private taxi transfer from Sihanoukville to Battambang: $290
- Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224
- Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by VIP Alphard: $180
- Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
- Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
- Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
- Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $70
- Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
- Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
- Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
- Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Faro
Also for Faro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Albufeira Airport Transfers: $59
- Algarve Private Transfers: $56
- Faro Airport Private Transfer - Albufeira (Arrival): $42
- Faro Airport Private Transfer to Albufeira: $57
- Faro Airport Private Transfer to Alvor and Lagos: $113
- Faro Airport: Comfortable bus transfer to/from Lagos: $20
- Faro airport - Albufeira: Private Return Transfer: $113
- Faro airport private transfers (Minibuses 8 seats): $53
- From Faro Airport: Private 1-Way Transfer to Albufeira: $89
- Private Airport Transfer: Faro City → FAO Airport: $43
- Private Faro Airport Transfer to Tavira Hotels & Accommodations: $89
- Private Faro Airport Transfer to Vilamoura Hotel and Golf Resort: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Faro?
Prices for flights to both Faro 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 $32Faro $72
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
- Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Faro
For Faro, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 3 Hours Classic Food Tour in Faro: $106
- Faro Food Tour & Drinks and City highlights 10 Tastings: $118
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sihanoukville $5.39Faro $11
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 : Scenic Tour with Sunset: $33
- Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
- 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
Tours and Activities in Faro
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Faro.
- Faro Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.57
- Romantic Whisper of Love Exploration Game and Tour: $5.93
- Gateway to Algarve: A Faro Walking Tour: $9.99
- Parque da Mina Entrance Ticket: $15
- Olhao Self Guided Scavenger Hunt and Walking Tour: $19
- Cork Factory Tour & Cork Shop: $21
- Short Nature Tour in Ria Formosa Natural Park: $30
- Eco Boat Tour in the Ria Formosa Lagoon from Faro: $30
- 2 Hours Boat Tour Fishermen's Route in Ria Formosa: $30
- Four Senses - Immersive Experience: $33
- 1 or 2 Hour Speed Boat Tour - Ria Formosa: $33
- Tavira: Guided Table Olives Factory Tour & Tasting Experience: $34
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySihanoukville $4.43Faro $3.64
Sample the Local Flavors in Faro
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Faro:
- Tour & Wine tasting - Authentic Algarve Flavours by Quinta da Tôr: $24
- Visit to a Family Brewery in Loulé with Tasting: $30
- Faro Pub Crawl Night of Drinks Games VIP Club Entry: $45
- Discover Tavira - Tapas and Wine Tour: $89
- Portuguese Wine Tasting& Tapas in the heart of Faro: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and Faro, we can see that Faro 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 Faro is in Europe, 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 Faro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Faro 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 Faro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Faro?
Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Faro. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Faro, 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.