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

Should you visit Sihanoukville or Queenstown?

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

Should I visit Sihanoukville or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown?

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.

Queenstown

Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown is $130. 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 Queenstown in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sihanoukville $23
    Queenstown $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sihanoukville $46
    Queenstown $110
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Queenstown

Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown


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: Queenstown Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sihanoukville $14
    Queenstown $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sihanoukville

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sihanoukville:

  • Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20
  • Sihanoukville International Airport Transfers: $23
  • Sihanoukville Airport Transfers: $25
  • Private Transfer From Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh: $35
  • Convenient Taxi Transfers from Sihanoukville to Kampot: $36
  • Private Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
  • Private Shuttle Transfer From Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh: $57
  • Sihanoukville To Phnom Penh Private Transfer Mini-Van-Car: $65
  • Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
  • Private Transfer to/from Battambang - Sihanoukville: $115
  • Private Transfer in Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh by Alphard 2010: $180
  • Private Taxi Transfer to Kampot: $224

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:

  • From Cardrona Ski/Snowboard Rentals & Transfer: $152
  • Private Airport Transfer Vice Versa in Queenstown by SUV: $69
  • Private Transfers from Queenstown Airport to Wanaka : $177
  • QUEENSTOWN:Private 1 way Airport transfer to/from CBD Hotels: $52
  • Queenstown Airport to/from Wanaka Hassle Free Private Transfer : $101
  • Queenstown International Airport to City Hotels Transfer : $90
  • Queenstown private transfer: $87
  • Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $115
  • Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $748
  • Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $982
  • ZQN Airport to Downtown|Hotels Private Transfer: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Queenstown?

Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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
    Queenstown $62

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 Queenstown

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.

  • Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
  • Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $119
  • Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!: $135
  • Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $138

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sihanoukville $5.37
    Queenstown $21

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:


  • Skyline Gondola (for 2)
    $30

Tours and Activities in Queenstown

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:

  • Underwater Theatre Experience Entry Ticket: $12
  • Augmented Reality Escape Adventure: $20
  • Fear Factory Haunted House Admission Ticket: $23
  • Private Race Car Simulation Experience: $26
  • Minus 5 Ice Bar Experience with Drink Options: $29
  • Go Karts - Highlands Motorsport and Tourism Park: $32
  • Kiwi Park Admission Ticket: $35
  • Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise: $40
  • Lake Wakatipu Scenic Cruise (90 Minutes): $41
  • Scenic Queenstown Lake Cruise : $41
  • Glenorchy Kiwi Special Tour : $53
  • Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour: $55

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sihanoukville $4.42
    Queenstown $8.86

Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:

  • Ice Bar Crawl: $23
  • Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston: Join the Only Flexible Wine Tour: $53
  • Bike & Wine Tour: Arrowtown to Valley of the Vines: $69
  • Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $75
  • Craft Beer Brewery Tour with Lunch: $107
  • Queenstown's Original Wine Tour Celebrating 33 Years: $113
  • Classic Wine Tour: $127
  • Queenstown Classic Wine Tour: 3 Winery Visits, Cave Tour & Cheese: $131
  • Central Otago Wine Tour: $132
  • Award Winning Premium Wine Tour Queenstown Tasting at 4 Wineries: $137
  • Wine Tasting Tour: $144
  • Afternoon Boutique Wine Tour: $149


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Queenstown?

Sihanoukville has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Queenstown, 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.