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

Should you visit Sihanoukville or Rio de Janeiro?

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

Should I visit Sihanoukville or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro?

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.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia, The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, and The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil.


Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro 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
    Rio de Janeiro Prices
    Brazil Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Sihanoukville $64
    Rio de Janeiro $118

The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $64, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $118. 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 Rio de Janeiro in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sihanoukville $23
    Rio de Janeiro $65
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sihanoukville $46
    Rio de Janeiro $130
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and Rio de Janeiro

Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro


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 Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sihanoukville $14
    Rio de Janeiro $7.83

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: $70
  • 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
  • Transfer: Between Airport and Shihanouk ville: $20

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.88

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:

  • Airport Private Transfer - Premium Service: $65
  • Airport Transfer: Airport GIG to Rio de Janeiro by Business Car: $108
  • Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Business Car: $108
  • Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Luxury Van: $130
  • All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $85
  • Angra dos Reis Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro: $145
  • Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $145
  • Arrival Private Transfer Rio de Janeiro Cruise Port to Zona Sul: $64
  • Arrival Transfer Rio Santos Dumont Airport SDU to Costa do Sol: $157
  • Buzios Private Transfer to and from Rio de Janeiro: $200
  • Cabo Frio Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $137
  • Carnaval Party Tour and Samba Class in Rio with Transfer: $60

Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or Rio de Janeiro?

Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro 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
    Rio de Janeiro $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
  • Kampot Cooking Class by Eco Lotus Kampot: $33
  • Sihanoukville - Khmer Traditional Cooking Class: $110

Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:


  • Popcorn
    $0.58
  • Corn on the Cob
    $0.77
  • Hamburger
    $0.96

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Rio de Janeiro Market Food Tour and Local Tasting Experience: $69
  • Rio de Janeiro Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $79
  • Roxy Dinner Show: That Embrace Show: $81
  • Rio: Copacabana Food Tour with 7 Tastings and Local Flavors: $81
  • Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
  • Cooking Class in Rio with 9 Recipes & Unlimited Caipirinhas: $95
  • Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $115
  • Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
  • Brazilian Cooking Class in Copacabana with Hotel Pickup: $140
  • Roxy Dinner Show - Dinner & Show: $141
  • Guided Tour to the River Scenarium with Dinner: $165
  • Food Tour Experience in Rio de Janeiro - Private Tour: $175

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sihanoukville $5.35
    Rio de Janeiro $21

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
  • Kampot Waterfall Adventure with Nature Hiking Jungle and Swimming: $30
  • Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
  • Private Kampot Countryside Tour & Pepper farm, Kep/Crab Market: $55
  • Bokor Mountain: Historic & Scenic Tour with Rickshaw/SUV: $55
  • Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
  • Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $59
  • Sihanoukville Small-Group City Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59

Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro

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

  • Ipanema Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.11
  • Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
  • Rio de Janeiro Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h00 and 24 reviews: $7.48
  • A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $12
  • Electric Bike Tour: $16
  • Authentic Rocinha Favela Walking Experience with a Local Guide: $20
  • Carnaval Experience Ticket - Behind the Scenes: $24
  • Rio de Janeiro Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $30
  • Ipanema Gourmet Market Walking Tour And Tasting: $30
  • Carnaval Experience: Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail: $31
  • Walking tour in Rio de Janeiro Historical Center.: $31
  • Private Tour in Cosme Velho with Photographs: $31

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sihanoukville $4.40
    Rio de Janeiro $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:

  • Lapa by Night: Samba, Cachaça & The Ultimate Rio Pub Crawl: $30
  • Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $47
  • Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $181


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


Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or Rio de Janeiro?

Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and Rio de Janeiro, 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.