Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sihanoukville or San Juan? 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Cambodia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Cambodia.
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Sihanoukville Prices
Cambodia PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySihanoukville $65San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Sihanoukville is $65, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSihanoukville $23San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSihanoukville $46San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Sihanoukville and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Sihanoukville or San Juan? 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: Sihanoukville Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sihanoukville $14San Juan $14
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 San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Departure Transfer from Old San Juan to to SJU Airport by Car: $86
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
- HandyCap Airport Transfer to Isla Verde, Condado or Ocean Park: $100
- HandyCap Transfer Airport to Dorado, Rio Grande or Luquillo: $270
- One-way transfer from SJU Airport to Cruise Port or Vice Versa: $65
- Premium Transfer Service FROM or TO Rio Grande Puerto Rico: $50
- Private Luxury transfer - SJU, Hotel, Airbnb - Car seat available: $131
- Private Transfer from San Juan Airport (SJU) to Ponce Cruise Port: $76
- Private Transfer from or to San Juan and Ponce: $125
- Private Transfer-TO or FROM: SJUAirport,Cruise,Hotels Puerto Rico: $34
- Private Transfer: SJU Airport or Port to Humacao and Nagüabo: $200
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Sihanoukville or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $32San Juan $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 San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fly Dining 4 Course Sunset and City Light Dinner Over San Juan: $159
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sihanoukville $5.39San Juan $49
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 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
- Full Day Bokor National Park Tour with Lunch & Water Included: $43
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- The Ultimate Self-Guided Hidden Gems Tour in Puerto Rico: $5.00
- San Juan’s Historic Streets Audio Guided Walking Tour: $12
- Transportation in San Juan, Isla verde, Condado, Hotels, Cruises & Airbnb's SJU: $14
- San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
- Outdoor Salsa Class Experience in San Juan: $19
- Eco Friendly Farming Tour to Explore Dorado's Most Beautiful Farm: $20
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- San Juan Ghost Tour: Shrieks in the Sugarcane: $26
- Old San Juan Tour in Spanish: $30
- San Juan Cruise Port: Puerto Rico Artisan Rum Tasting: $39
- San Juan Guided Turtle Snorkel Tour and Complimentary Videos: $40
- Legacy Tour at Casa BACARDÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySihanoukville $4.43San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour!: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sihanoukville and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sihanoukville or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sihanoukville. When comparing the sizes of Sihanoukville and San Juan, 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.