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.
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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 Luxury Tours to Brazil, and The Best Budget Tours to Brazil.
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Sihanoukville Prices
Cambodia PricesRio de Janeiro Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySihanoukville $65Rio de Janeiro $122
The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $122. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSihanoukville $23Rio de Janeiro $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSihanoukville $46Rio de Janeiro $134
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.
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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sihanoukville $14Rio de Janeiro $8.10
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 Taxi Transfer From Kampot - Phnom Penh City: $46
- Private Taxi Transfer Sihanoukville - Battambang Car - Mini-Van: $107
- Private Transfer : Phnom Penh ↔ Sihanouk Ville: $105
- 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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.98
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: $111
- Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Business Car: $111
- Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Luxury Van: $134
- Angra dos Reis Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro: $122
- Angra dos Reis Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $73
- AquaRio Small Group Guided Tour with entrance and transfer: $90
- Armored Car Airport Transfer Service: $190
- Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $127
- Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $67
- Arrival Private Transfer Rio de Janeiro Cruise Port to Zona Sul: $64
- Arrival Transfer Rio Santos Dumont Airport SDU to Costa do Sol: $157
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
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Food Meals for one daySihanoukville $32Rio de Janeiro $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
- 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:
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Popcorn$0.60
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Corn on the Cob$0.79
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Hamburger$0.99
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.
- Vegan Rio Cooking Class: Hands-On Moqueca & Caipirinhas: $55
- Rio Roots Food Tour with 12 Tastings: $62
- Guided Dinner in Rio at a Restaurant of Your Choice: $70
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $79
- Rio: Copacabana Food Tour with 7 Tastings and Local Flavors: $81
- Brazilian Churrascaria Guided Dinner in Rio with Wine Pairing: $89
- Family Cooking Class in Rio Make 9 Brazilian Dishes Together: $95
- Rio Food Tour: Local Favorites, Hidden Gems & Brazilian Flavors: $96
- Rio Night Food Tour: Street Food, Local Drinks & Hidden Gems: $96
- Folklore show Ginga Tropical with Optional Dinner: $97
- Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $115
- Flavors of Cooking Class and Caipirinhas: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sihanoukville $5.39Rio de Janeiro $22
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
- Full day Tour, Countryside, Pepper farm & Kep, crab market...: $22
- 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
- Discovery Tour: Caving, Climbing, Via Ferrata and Abseiling in Kampot: $53
- Private Bokor Mountain Discovery Tour: $55
- Private Kampot Countryside Tour & Pepper farm, Kep/Crab Market: $55
- Exploring the Best of Kampot and Kep in a Full-Day Tour: $55
- Sihanoukville Small-Group City Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59
- Exploring Shore Excursions from Cruise Ports: $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:
- Rio de Janeiro(Ipanema-Copacabana)Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $4.48
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $4.48
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.48
- Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.49
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $6.72
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $6.72
- Rio de Janeiro Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h00 and 24 reviews: $7.37
- Discover A Guided Tour: $8.24
- A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $12
- Electric Bike Tour: $16
- Self-Guided Tour of Rio's Journey from Colonialism to Democracy: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySihanoukville $4.43Rio 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
- More than a Pub Crawl: An Authentic Night Experience in Rio: $33
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $47
- Botafogo Bar Crawl Eat and Drink Like a Local: $50
- Rio Pub Crawl with Caipirinhas & Bar Bites: $95
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $123
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $134
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.
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.