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

Should you visit Sihanoukville or Koyasan?

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

Should I visit Sihanoukville or Koyasan? 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 Koyasan?

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.

Koyasan

Mount Koya, Japan is a mountain city located just south of Osaka in the Wakayama prefecture. The area is known as the headquarters of the Shingnon sect of Japanese Buddhism and was first settled in 816. Over time, it has developed into the small town of Koya that is now home to a religious studies university and over 100 temples, many of which offer accommodation.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Japan, and The Best Historical Tours in Japan.


Which place is cheaper, Koyasan or Sihanoukville?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Sihanoukville Prices
    Cambodia Prices
    Koyasan Prices
    Japan Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Sihanoukville $65
    Koyasan $95

The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Koyasan is $95. 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 Koyasan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sihanoukville $23
    Koyasan $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sihanoukville $46
    Koyasan $82
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Koyasan

Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Koyasan? 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 Koyasan


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: Koyasan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sihanoukville $14
    Koyasan $34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $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

Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Koyasan?

Prices for flights to both Koyasan 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
    Koyasan $34

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sihanoukville $5.37
    Koyasan $14

Tours and Activities in Sihanoukville

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

  • Tuktuk Countryside tour: Pepper farm, Salt field & Secret lake: $18
  • Kampot Tour Pepper Plantation, Salt Field, Cave, Secret Lake: $21
  • La Plantation tour (discovering Kampot Pepper) + Lunch: $21
  • Half day tour with countryside include Pepper farm Kampot : $22
  • Kampot Countryside Tour - Pepper Farm, Salt Lake, Caves, and more: $25
  • Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $25
  • SUP Tour in Mangrove Forest of Koh Rong Sanloem: $28
  • Bokor Mountain Adventure - History, Sights and Waterfalls: $29
  • Kampot Day Tour "Bokor National Park": $29
  • Half-Day Adventure to the Pepper Farm by Scooter: $30
  • Full Day Pepper Farm Adventure by Scooter: $45
  • Kampot Countryside & Kayak Tour, Pepper Farm include lunch : $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sihanoukville $4.42
    Koyasan $5.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and Koyasan, we can see that Koyasan is more expensive. And not only is Sihanoukville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Koyasan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Koyasan 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 Koyasan Expensive?.